Peak Summer at Steep Hill
August 10, 2025
With our short summers in Saskatchewan, the month of August is a special treasure. The crops we planted in gardens and on our farms are ripening. Each vegetable, fruit, grain grows and matures at its particular time, with a harvest that offers a colourful calendar of seasonal menu opportunities. It is a wonderful time to express our culinary arts - or eat very simply with whole fresh foods ready to pop into your mouth. Steep Hill has more local suppliers than ever, and the variety of fresh produce on our shelves offers a beautifully unique palette of flavours.
Eating local food is one way to be close to, and support and appreciate nature through our diet. Saskatoon also has lots of community opportunities to directly enjoy nature this August. Meewasin will be hosting a family-friendly (kids aged 8 and up + adults) “dark sky” learning event outdoors at the Northeast Swale on August 12 during the annual Perseids Meteor Shower. If your family is looking for outdoor activity ideas in the daylight hours, pick up a Notice Nature passport at any public library branch, complete the activities listed there and win prizes!
And remember, the Broadway Business Improvement District (BID) is hosting its much-anticipated Block Parties on Thursday nights – August 14, 21, and 28 – from 7:00 PM to 10:00 pm between 10th and 12th Streets, transforming the street into a lively pedestrian zone filled with sidewalk sales, artisan booths, interactive performances, and more. These vibrant evenings will feature a night market, live music, street performers, and an open-air celebration of local art, culture, and community.
Read on for more news about Steep Hill, our community and a perfectly seasonal recipe to try!
Morning Cleaning Crew Volunteers?
Thank you to the fabulous people who have volunteered to pick up Steep Hill’s compost and to Ken Beauchamp from Urban Upkeep who volunteered to tidy up the back area. We really appreciate your contributions!
Because of recycling and composting efforts, the store doesn’t generate much garbage. However, we are still looking for a few people to pick up and dispose of what little garbage there is. Ideally, we would have enough people so that each person would only have to pick up once per month.
If you’re a morning person, Steep Hill needs you! There are a few necessary cleaning tasks that are difficult to do without disrupting customers, so they need to be done in the morning before the store opens. We’re hoping to get a small group together to come on a couple of mornings a month to complete those jobs.
If you’re interested in these opportunities or have questions, please email Amielle directly at hello@steephillfood.ca. 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 in-store volunteer work, sign up for a shift in the store or by calling or emailing to request a shift.
Store Updates
Is it hot in here, or is it just me? By the time you get this newsletter the new air conditioner should be installed, up and running, so we will all feel cool and fresh as a local cucumber when in the store again! Big thank-yous to everyone, especially our stellar Steep Hill staff, for your patience while the system was down.
Speaking of staying cool - we have ice cream in stock! Check out the freezer for the delicious and refreshing selection, including vegan options.
Our abundance of local produce is something to celebrate. Summer harvesting is well underway, with a big increase in local supplier produce coming in, including strawberries, Chinese broccoli, lettuces, kale, garlic, herbs, and more.
Bulk trail mix is something folks have been asking about. We recently got an order of Rancho Vignola trail mixes and now have three options: antioxidant, mountain trail mix, and a dried fruit mix.
Also, new on the shelves in the personal care section are some low/no-waste bath items: Attitude’s deodorant in cardboard tubes and Crush & Brushes chewable toothpaste tabs.
Membership Renewal Woes?
From time to time a membership renewal does not show up in our Point of Sale system. If this happens to your renewal, please simply mention the problem to our staff, so it can be corrected. The membership renewal system is not automated, so it does take a few minutes to check records and manually update the entry. Unfortunately there have been instances where a member has been impatient, rude, aggressive or belligerent with staff doing this task. Steep Hill’s mission includes working to develop and sustain a co-operative spirit in the community, and this is why we have posted a sign above the till reminding people that we do not tolerate disrespectful behaviour.
As members, each of us has a responsibility to help create a welcoming, respectful co-operative where everyone is valued – and this positive sense of community is one of Steep Hill’s most valuable assets. Our staff go above and beyond every day, and we are grateful for their kindness and patience, as well as the dedication, skill and attentiveness they bring to a job that is often both physically and mentally demanding. Please remember you can contact the Board at board@steephillfood.ca or leave a written comment in the “How did we do today” box by the till if you have concerns.
Put Your Pop Cans to Work
It’s great to see people using SARCAN’s Drop and Donate program to help Steep Hill! If you want to “volunteer” your pop cans, it’s a quick and easy way to support our co-operative. Go to the Drop and Go entrance off to the side of the main doors. Fill in the computer screen form, and put the phrase “Steep Hill Food” to tell where your donation should go. The machine will print a barcode sticker for your bag or box of cans. SARCAN will calculate the value of your donation and e-transfer it to Steep Hill. We’ll use these funds for improvements and upgrades around the store. Every little bit counts towards reaching our goals!
Clay Studio Three: A Pottery Collective Rooted in Community
At Steep Hill Food Co-op, we’re proud to support the co-operative principle of solidarity by highlighting fellow co-operatives and collectives that enrich our Broadway neighbourhood. One such gem is Clay Studio Three, a vibrant pottery collective located just off Broadway at #3–527 Main Street, Saskatoon.
Since 1975, Clay Studio Three has been a collective of Saskatchewan ceramic artists, currently featuring the work of 16 local potters. The studio is entirely managed, staffed, and stocked by the artists themselves, making it a true example of community collaboration and shared ownership. Each piece—whether a functional mug, a decorative raku vase, or a pit-fired vessel—is individually hand-thrown or built, reflecting the unique style and skill of its maker.
The studio’s storefront is a warm, welcoming space where visitors can explore a wide range of pottery, from everyday dinnerware to one-of-a-kind art pieces. Every two weeks, a different artist is featured in the window display, offering a fresh look at the evolving creativity within the collective.
Clay Studio Three embodies the spirit of co-operation—artists supporting one another, sharing resources, and working together to bring beauty and craftsmanship to the community. As you explore Broadway, especially during the upcoming Block Parties, we encourage you to stop by and experience the artistry firsthand.
And while you’re in the neighbourhood, don’t forget to visit us at Steep Hill—we’re just around the corner, and always happy to support local, just like Clay Studio Three.
If It’s August It’s Zucchini!
This Zucchini Loaf recipe is perfect for the large garden zucchini that “got away” or for three medium-sized zucchini sold at Steep Hill. It’s good as a side dish for chicken or fish, or as a light meal in itself with a juicy tomato-basil salad, a fresh salsa or your favourite chutney.
That’s right! This is not a sweet cake-type loaf made with grated zucchini. It’s a savoury dish made with chunks of zucchini, parsley, eggs and cheese. The recipe originally came from a French tourist brochure. The French version specifies Gruyère cheese but other firm, melt-y cheeses will do, such as Swiss, raclette or fontina.
This recipe is from Prairie Feast: A Writer’s Journey Home for Dinner by Amy Jo Ehman.
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, and Maryann Scott for contributing to this Newsletter!
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