We ❤️ February Fun!
February 10, 2025
A warm hello from the Staff and Board of Directors of Steep Hill Cooperative, your grocery store on Broadway. We hope that your holiday season was relaxing and enjoyable, filled with good food and good people. Already we bid farewell to January, the month that often seems the longest, darkest, and coldest, and welcome February.
While February is the shortest month of the year, it is not lacking in activities or opportunities to make family memories. Valentine’s Day falls on February 14, and while the origins of Valentine’s Day are up for debate, it is widely celebrated today with sweethearts and friends exchanging notes, cards, and tokens of their love and affection for one another. It is the second largest card-sending occasion of the year, behind Christmas, with an estimated 145 million Valentine’s Day cards sent. The February break for students falls right behind, from the 17th to the 21st. Spring break is always a great opportunity for family outdoor activities. How about a cross-country ski or skating outing? Try a family toboggan experience at any of the excellent sites in the city! There is no doubt one close to you. Diefenbaker Park/Optimist Hill accessible off St. Henry Avenue in the Exhibition area is one of the longest tobogganing runs in the city and a day there always guarantees fun for the entire family. You can access “Pest Hill” (AKA G.D. Archibald Park) on Spadina Crescent South just off the Circle Drive Bridge. Located in Westmount, Pierre Radisson Park is the hill of choice for folks who call the west-central part of the city home. It is easily accessible from 29th Street and McMillan Avenue and its gentle, gliding slope make it an excellent hill for little tobogganers. If you are a south-sider, Harold Tatler Park offers two fantastic tobogganing hills also great for small folk. Other amazing hills await you and your downhill conveyance! Search “Best Places to Toboggan Saskatoon” for a complete run-down on family-friendly toboggan hills.
Looking for that special Valentine’s Day gift for your sweetheart or bosom buddy? Celebrate cupid’s sweetest day with a stop at Steep Hill for delicious chocolates and other treats especially for that special someone! Or pick up some items to create a delectable picnic lunch and thermos of hot chocolate for that family fun day you are planning this school break! Our amazing staff will be delighted to point you in the direction of whatever you need!
Reminder to Shoppers
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Customers are not allowed to head into the walk-in or back office. If they need something, we ask that they please ask a staff member for help.
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As Steep Hill begins to get busier, we ask that customers either carry their items or please use one of the baskets that we have at the front. Leaving items on any of the counters may result in us putting them back in their spots OR someone else may accidentally purchase an item they didn’t intend to purchase.
Tariffs and Steep Hill
Canada is faced with unprecedented actions by the USA, and Canadians are making a point of buying Canadian products as one way to support our country through this crisis. It goes without saying that Steep Hill Co-op is 100% Canadian-owned - it’s owned by you, the members right here in Saskatoon! And we have always made local and Canadian products our priority. That will not change. Steep Hill’s board and manager are gathering information and developing strategies to deal with the impacts that could result from this rapidly changing situation and to find alternatives for the few products that might be subject to tariffs. During this time of uncertainty, we ask for your patience and your support as we navigate these rough waters together. If you have questions or concerns, please avoid asking staff who will be busy looking after the store, and instead email the Board at board@steephillfood.ca or write a note on a “How did we do today” card and leave it in the suggestion box by the till. Board members will respond to you quickly with the latest information. Let’s all stand together for Canada!
Celebrating the International Year of Co-operatives in 2025
The United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Co-operatives (IYC), marking a significant milestone for the global co-operative movement. This year-long celebration, themed “Cooperatives Build a Better World”, aims to highlight the vital role cooperatives play in advancing sustainable development, eradicating poverty, and fostering inclusive economic growth.
Cooperatives have a unique business model that empowers members through democratic governance and shared ownership. This model has proven resilient and adaptable, enabling cooperatives to thrive in various sectors, including agriculture, finance, healthcare, housing, and FOOD! With over 1 billion members worldwide, cooperatives are a testament to the power of collective action and community-driven solutions.
The 2025 IYC will focus on several key areas:
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Raising Awareness: this year will be an opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of cooperatives and their contributions to social and economic development. By talking about and celebrating cooperatives the IYC aims to inspire more people to join, support, and develop cooperative enterprises.
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Promoting Sustainable Development: cooperatives are integral to achieving sustainable development goals. Cooperatives promote sustainable agriculture, fair trade, and economic inclusion, contributing to a more equitable and resilient global economy.
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Strengthening Legal and Regulatory Frameworks: the IYC will encourage governments to review and improve legislation to create a more conducive environment for cooperatives. This includes enhancing access to markets, financial capital, and support services.
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Fostering Inclusive Growth: cooperatives are known for their ability to include marginalized and vulnerable populations in economic activities. The IYC will emphasize the role of cooperatives in empowering women, young people, and Indigenous communities.
Here at Steep Hill Food Co-op, we are proud to be part of this global movement. Our mission of supporting sustainable living, connecting local producers with consumers, and ensuring food security for our neighbourhood and community. Steep Hill will continue to champion and support the co-operative principles of democratic member control, economic participation, and concern for the community. We invite you to join in this celebration by becoming a member, shopping with us, reminding your friends and family about us, volunteering with us (writing this article is volunteering!), participating in our events, and continuing to be a part of our community. Together, we can harness the power of cooperation to build a better, more sustainable world.
Now on our shelves!
Looking for vegan alternatives? Check out Bob’s Red Mill GF Egg Replacer, Elnhurst Unsweetened Oat Creamer and Sour Cream, Tofurky Lightly Seasoned Chick’n and Hickory Smoked Deli Meat. We’ve also got some ready vegan meals in the Gusta Express Mexican Bowl and Udon Teriyaki.
New local products include Saskatoon’s own Naturally Amped Dillicious Dill Pickles and tangy wellness tonics made with apple cider vinegars.
You can enjoy fresh-water fish from Saskatchewan’s Dore Lake. Frozen filets from Fonos Fish: Whitefish, Northern Pike and Pickerel are back in stock.
Rhubarb Khoresh (Khoresh’eh Rivas) (Persian Rhubarb Stew)
Submitted by Maryann Scott, adapted from Lucy Waverman’s recipe in The Globe and Mail
Gluten Freedom!
Are you avoiding gluten? There are only four foods to avoid in your diet: wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. All other plant foods are naturally gluten-free—from rice and beans to corn and potatoes. With that in mind, shopping for gluten-free foods should be easy. But it’s not!
Wheat, barley, and rye trace their roots to the same ancient wild grass that imparted the gene for gluten, a protein in the seed. Triticale is a human-made cross between wheat and rye, so it’s got gluten, too. Other plants in the same “tribe” are wild grasses found all over the world, but not in the grocery store.
Rye is used primarily in rye bread and rye whiskey. Barley is used primarily in soups (think beef barley soup) and in beer. The malt in beer is produced by soaking, sprouting and drying barley. It’s also found in malt vinegar, malted milkshakes, and candies bearing the word “malt.” Triticale is primarily used for livestock feed but may show up in novel food products.
Wheat is by far the most common and confusing of the gluten grains. Wheat has the most gluten, which makes the dough strong and elastic, which makes it rise in cakes and bread and hold together in cookies and macaroni. Pasta, couscous, bulgur, freekeh, semolina, atta, and anything “graham” are made from wheat. Varieties of wheat (and common foreign names) include durum, spelt, dinkel, einkorn, emmer, farro, khorasan, and kamut (a registered trademark).
Despite its name, buckwheat is not wheat and has no gluten. Rice, quinoa, corn, flax, and oats do not have gluten. The package may not say “gluten-free” because they are naturally gluten-free. However, anything labelled “ancient grains” should be closely examined. It could be wheat by another name.
Of course, for those with a life-threatening reaction to gluten, extra vigilance is necessary. Though oats do not have gluten, they may be processed in the same facility as wheat where cross-contamination is possible. In that case, look for the “gluten-free” label to be sure. This brief synopsis is not meant as a guide for those with life-threatening or debilitating conditions.
So, the next time you’re looking for gluten-free rice cakes or potato chips, read the label. If wheat is not an ingredient, you’re home free.
Kasha – Buckwheat Casserole
In Eastern Europe, kasha means porridge, but this savoury version is popular for supper. From the cookbook Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens by Amy Jo Ehman.
Volunteer Opportunities
Y’know how if you have a truck, everyone wants to be your friend because you can help transport things? Sorry to be That Friend, but Steep Hill really does need your truck (and you, of course)! The store has a number of delivery pallets that need to be removed and rehomed. If you are able to help with this task or have questions, please email Amielle at hello@steephillfood.ca.
In terms of other volunteer opportunities at the store, we are still in need of people to dispose of garbage and pick up cardboard recycling once or twice per month.
We are doing a great job of reducing the volume of food waste Steep Hill generates - down to only 2 to 5 plastic pails per week these days – but unfortunately it’s not possible to eliminate it entirely. If this waste ends up in the dump it gives off methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. This is why the City is working hard to make sure food and yard waste is composted instead. And it’s also the law – a city bylaw now requires businesses to compost their food waste. A dedicated volunteer who used to empty Steep Hill’s compost pails is no longer able to do this task. This is where you come in! If you can pick up one or two pails of compostables weekly, put them on your own compost pile or in your household green bin, and bring back the pail to the store, you will be helping Steep Hill, our soils, and the planet! Just let Amielle know you are up for this, and she will get you started.
We appreciate the continued work of our in-store volunteers in packaging, organizing, and other tasks! Sign up for a shift in the store or by calling (306-664-4455) or emailing (hello@steephillfood.ca) to request a shift.
As always, two hours of volunteer work gives you working member status for the following month, which provides you with the working member discount (6% off the shelf price) for that month. In addition to this, your volunteer work gives you the opportunity to meet a lovely group of people and be part of the continued success of Steep Hill!
Upcoming Event - SES Sustainable Speaker Series, February 25
We Want to Hear From You!
For information about products and the store, email us at hello@steephillfood.ca or call 306-664-4455.
To contact the Board of Directors with ideas, feedback, concerns or questions, email board@steephillfood.ca or fill out a “How did we do today” card when you are in the store.
Thanks to Jasmin Carlton, Amielle Christopherson, Adam Douglas, Amy Jo Ehman, Cathy Holtslander, Maryann Scott, and Ann Smith for contributing to the Newsletter!
Your grocery store on Broadway!