Steep Hill in October
October 8, 2025
Giving thanks, trading fairly … building a better world cooperatively!
October offers an abundance of ways to celebrate good food! Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Hopefully you had a chance to order your local, free-range fresh turkey! Whatever you plan for your holiday menu, there are many delicious local products in the store these days, as farmers wrap up another year’s harvest: local buttercup, red kuri, and salmon river squash and pumpkins from Carmanna Acres; yellow zucchini from Crocus Hill Garden; tomatoes from Seven Meadow Farm and Floating Gardens; potatoes from Simpkins Market Garden and Our Farm YXE to name a few fall favourites. It’s no coincidence that World Food Day is also celebrated in October. And it’s FairTrade Month too! Towards the end of the month, you can also stop in to get some sweet treats for your little goblins and ghosts.
We’re hearing lots of positive feedback about the store from shoppers - including from new customers who have just discovered there is a grocery store on Broadway. This is a great time of year to introduce a friend to the Steep Hill experience and help us grow our community. There is so much to celebrate and be thankful for!
World Food Day
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded on October 16, 1945 with the specific mandate of addressing hunger, malnutrition, and food security issues worldwide. In 1979, delegates attending FAO’s 20th general conference established World Food Day as a yearly commemoration to raise awareness of the issues behind poverty and hunger. Since then, World Food Day continues to be celebrated on October 16 in over 150 countries.
The theme of World Food Day 2025 is “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future”. This theme emphasizes the necessity of teamwork and partnerships across borders, generations, and all levels of government to address the increasingly complex challenges faced by agrifood and food systems. Our current world of economic crises, conflict, increasing wealth inequality, and rapid climate change has resulted in greater food insecurity than ever, with an added layer of extreme weather, crop failure, and decreasing biodiversity.
It’s easy to become overwhelmed by the magnitude of the issues involved in food security, but even individual consumers can help. Choosing healthy foods that have been grown or produced sustainably, avoiding food waste, and supporting organizations that work directly with food producers to ensure fair payment are always in which we can all be part of the teamwork approach advocated by this year’s theme.
Steep Hill plays its part by forming partnerships with local growers and producers, offering organic and fair trade products, and educating the public on both food and partnerships. This year’s World Food Day is an opportunity for everyone to re-commit themselves to the principles of a sustainable, equitable, and secure food supply for all.
Looking to Try Something New?
We’ve got you covered! Our employees have chosen their top picks for September and there are some great ones. Some of these are new items we’ve recently brought in and others might be ones you’ve glanced at but haven’t picked up yet.
- Awake Chocolate peanut butter chocolate bites
- Blue Monkey pineapple sparkling water
- Camino chocolate milk
- Gnubees banana nutritional smoothie
- Floating Gardens eggplant
- Naturally Amped prairie summer kraut
- Original Family Farm whole chicken
Interested in giving one of these a try? Ask any of our staff, and they’ll be happy to find them in store for you!
La Poubelle Est Pleine….
Due to Steep Hill’s conscientious efforts to recycle and compost, the store generates very little garbage, only a full bag every couple of days. Our needs for recycling and compost pick-up have been covered (thank you!), but we still need a few people to pick up and dispose of garbage every week. If enough people volunteer for this, each person would only need to pick up once a month.
If you’re able to help 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 (see the calendar on the bulletin board across from the till) or by calling or emailing to request a shift.
Community Powered: Celebrating Canadian Co-operatives
The Diefenbaker Centre on the U of S campus is celebrating the United Nation’s International Year of Co-operatives 2025 theme - Co-operatives Build a Better World with a show called Community Powered: Celebrating Canadian Co-operatives, presented in partnership with the Canadian Centre from the Study of Co-operatives. From the prairies’ iconic Wheat Pool, the Arctic co-ops art trade, to financial institutions that began in the east, this exhibit shares the story of co-operation before and after Canada’s creation. These stories bring to life the importance of co-ops in shaping markets and sociocultural change across the world by offering democratic labour opportunities to working-class and marginalized communities. And just think: as our little food co-op approaches our 47th anniversary, we are part of this history too!
The Diefenbaker Centre is at 101 Campus Drive, on the river bank near the Education Building. It’s open from noon til 4:30, Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is by donation. Community Powered is on until December 19.
October is Fair Trade Month
Watch this short video with coffee farmer Judis Camacho from Red Ecolsierra in Columbia telling how and why she is a FairTrade farmer.
FairTrade Canada is the Canadian chapter of FairTrade International, an independent third-party certification that partners with farmers and workers in the Global South to negotiate better prices, decent working conditions, and a fairer deal overall. Products with the FAIRTRADE Mark meet the economic, social, and environmental criteria defined by the Fairtrade Standards.
FairTrade certification means farmers and workers are paid at least the FairTrade Minimum Price – a safety net for farmers when prices fall to ensure they can cover the costs of sustainable production. FairTrade’s unique model also includes a Premium fund that farming cooperatives earn on top of the price. Co-op members vote to determine how the money is spent, often on community programs such as access to education or healthcare. Businesses that certify their products as Fairtrade mitigate risks in their supply chain and add credibility to their social and environmental missions. So behind every FairTrade product is a farming community investing in projects of their choice, like education, clean water, and healthcare, all made possible by the FairTrade Premium.
Steep Hill carries several delicious FairTrade products – like bananas, coffee, tea and chocolate. It’s one of the ways our co-operative builds a better world. When you shop this month, why not try a new FairTrade product?
Broadway Theatre: A Community-Owned Cultural Landmark
At Steep Hill Food Co-op, we’re proud to support the co-operative principle of solidarity by highlighting fellow collectives and community-driven organizations that enrich our neighbourhood. One of Broadway’s most iconic examples is the Broadway Theatre, a beloved cultural hub that is 100% community-owned and operated.
Located at 715 Broadway Avenue, the Broadway Theatre is Canada’s only community-owned non-profit repertory cinema. But it’s much more than a movie house—it’s a vibrant venue for live music, theatre, comedy, festivals, and community events. With a mission rooted in accessibility, inclusivity, and artistic excellence, the theatre offers a diverse lineup that reflects the spirit and creativity of Saskatoon.
What makes the Broadway Theatre truly special is its community ownership model. Operated by the Friends of the Broadway Theatre, a non-profit organization, the theatre is sustained by memberships, donations, volunteers, and public support. This model ensures that decisions are made with the community’s interests at heart, and that the space remains a welcoming, inclusive venue for all.
By supporting local artists, hosting grassroots events, and providing a platform for diverse voices, the Broadway Theatre exemplifies the values of co-operation and community empowerment.
We at Steep Hill encourage you to support this incredible institution—whether by attending a show, becoming a member, or simply spreading the word. Together, we can continue to build a thriving, connected Broadway community—one co-op at a time.
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, Cathy Holtslander, and Maryann Scott for contributing to this Newsletter! If you would like to join the newsletter crew, send an email to board@steephillfood.ca.
Your grocery store on Broadway!