Creating a Unique Culture!

July 21, 2026

Generous rains are keeping our yards, gardens and farms nicely green and growing. The boulevard elms, lindens, and oaks are in full leaf, providing welcome shade on hot humid days. Our local farmers are harvesting a wide variety of leafy greens, baby turnips, garlic scapes, and the first of the green beans, while later crops are nearing maturity and will soon be in stock. Lovely warm sunny weather makes it such a pleasure to get out and about enjoying what our city province has to offer. Broadway is a vibrant busy place to bring out of town visitors, meet friends and shop in a more urban, even European way, by stopping to check out the unique stores like Steep Hill that together create the unique mosaic of our neighbourhood culture here in the “Paris of the Prairies”!

A woman stands in front of a counter island within a kitchen day dreaming about Steep Hill. Day dream clouds surround the woman with images of fresh foods. Text spreads across the face of the counter island of 'Need dinner inspiration? Think local, think Steep Hill!'
Image by Amielle Christopherson

Our Food Supply Matters!

Food issues have been in the news quite a bit recently. In June, the Consumer Price Index showed the grocery store price for tomatoes had shot up by 42% in May due to weather-related yield problems in Florida and Mexico, increased fuel and fertilizer prices due to the war in Iran, and policy changes in Mexico and the USA. In July, there was an alarming increase in illness in the USA caused by parasite-contaminated lettuce and spinach. Cutbacks at the American food safety agency delayed detection and prevention efforts, resulting in thousands of people there getting sick. Thankfully, Canadian border inspection and testing has kept it out of Canada. And the official discussions of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) trade review started on July 1. It has implications for food and agriculture in Canada, including for the future of our dairy supply management system.

These big picture issues highlight Steep Hill’s importance and our positive impact. One of our most popular products is locally grown tomatoes - produced here in Saskatchewan, transported a short distance, and priced according to actual costs. We also supply many kinds of fresh local leafy greens, supplemented by some certified organic imports which comply with strict production and traceability requirements. And Canadian, supply-managed dairy products are produced without the use of synthetic growth hormones on family farms in every province.

Canadians do understand how important it is to have control of our food supply, as shown in a recent Nanos national public opinion survey. Over 90% said it is important to ensure Canada has as much control as possible over our food supply. At Steep Hill, we go even further: as a non-profit food co-operative, we are democratically shaping our food supply – by organizing to provide food we want that is local, organic, Fairtrade, and co-operative-sourced at steady, reasonable prices. Let us know what matters most to you about our food supply!

Annual General Meeting Coming Soon!

Mark your calendar - Steep Hill’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held the evening of Thursday, August 20th, 2026 at Grace-Westminster United Church. The AGM business includes reports from the Board and auditor, bylaw amendments, and Board of Director elections, as well as refreshments and time for socializing. A more detailed official notice will be sent to all members in early August. Ensure your membership is up-to-date, so you will be able to vote!

If you are a member and interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please consider putting your name forward. And if there is someone you think would make an excellent Steep Hill board member, please encourage them too. The Board is responsible for ensuring both the store and our co-operative are viable, sustainable, vibrant, and thriving. It oversees operations of the store, and leads communications and activities to build and maintain our co-operative structure and put our co-op values and principles into action. Download the nominations info sheet for more about the nomination process, and feel free to email board@steephillfood.ca if you have additional questions.

Product Feature – Naturally Amped

Our profile series on women farmers is taking a hiatus during the busy summer and fall season. In the meantime, we’re pleased to profile some Saskatchewan-made products you can find at Steep Hill, and we’re beginning with a woman-owned company.

Naturally Amped is a Saskatoon-based producer of naturally fermented sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, and tonics. Billed as ‘Saskatchewan’s first fermentery’, the company opened as a storefront in 2020 with Adrienne Percy as its first owner. Now co-owned by Heather Huenison and Sandra Botis, Naturally Amped produces multiple flavours of sauerkraut (carrot ginger, for example), vegan kimchi, seasonal pickles, and health tonics, all of which begin as produce sourced from local farmers.

Fermentation as a food preservation technique has been practiced all over the world for millennia; natural (or wild) fermentation involves allowing naturally-occurring bacteria on the surface of the fruit or vegetable to propagate and convert sugars into lactic acid. This is the same technique used at Naturally Amped, assisted by modern food science and processing equipment, and careful attention. As well as preserving the food, fermentation has the added benefit of enhancing its flavour and texture and making nutrients more easily absorbed by the body. Modern research has also demonstrated that fermented foods are packed with probiotics that support a healthy gut microbiome and promote digestion.

As Naturally Amped products are ‘wild fermented’, they are not pasteurized and contain no vinegar. Thus, they need to be refrigerated; the company does not ship outside of Saskatoon during the summer months. Steep Hill is fortunate to have an available supply of Naturally Amped sauerkraut and kimchi all year round! Look for the products in the refrigerator and try some. They’re delicious, good for your gut, and local!

Summer Volunteer Opportunities

Summer on Broadway is always a busy place – sun, buskers, the Fringe….culminating in the Broadway Street Fair on September 12!

Steep Hill will be partnering with Broadway BID again to coordinate volunteer coverage for the event. We’ll need volunteers to operate Steep Hill’s outdoor presence and spread the word about the store. More specific information on times and how to sign up to volunteer will be coming out next month, so stay tuned.

Making new and stronger connections among members, shoppers, and neighbours in our community is an important way to increase Steep Hill’s impact. One way we’re doing that is by setting up an exciting new working member opportunity to promote Steep Hill on your favourite social media platforms. If you are interested, please contact Cathy at board@steephillfood.ca for details.

As always, two hours of volunteer work (in-store or in another capacity) 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 306-664-4455 or emailing hello@steephillfood.ca to request a shift.

View August 2026 Volunteer Schedule 

Save the Date – Broadway Community Table

The first in a series of Broadway Community Table events hosted by Steep Hill Food Co-op, Grace-Westminster United Church, and the Broadway BID, will be on

The Broadway Community Table is a new community gathering that brings neighbours together over food, conversation, and fun. Everyone is welcome!

Learn to make Chickpea Hermit Cookies and Mulligatawny Soup in a hands-on cooking class led by Steep Hill Food Co-op, then enjoy the meal you prepared together. The cost is only $20 per person, and registration is required and will open soon for sign-up on the Broadway BID website!

At the free drop-in Community Table while the cooking class is underway, everyone is invited to enjoy a free, family-friendly community gathering featuring:

This is an event you don’t want to miss! Join in a day of community bonding and creating memorable connections! Come for the cooking class, drop in for the community table, or simply stop by to say hello. Everyone belongs at this table!

A poster placed overtop of a photograph of people in the community. On the poster displays a bold title of 'Broadway Community Table' and 'Save The Date!'. In the middle displays the date of the event on Saturday, August 15th, 2026 at Grace-Westminster United Church' with an illustration of people sitting around a round table. Below says, 'A community meal open for everyone!'.
Image Credit: Broadway BID

Tomato Tarts

Savoury tomato tarts are perfect for summer picnics and patio dinners. They can be served warm from the oven, but they’re also great at “shade” temperature. Any kind of fresh ripe tomatoes will work in this recipe, however, a less-juicy tomato such as a Roma will keep the crust from becoming soggy. Choose tomatoes that are as wide as the tart shells, so they fit snugly inside.

Tomato and mustard is a surprisingly delicious combination. You can use your favourite hot dog yellow mustard or get fancy with Dijon. Smooth or grainy, just about any mustard will do. Spreading mustard and cheese on the tart shell will help prevent the juice of the tomato from soaking into the pastry. As for the cheese, it should be of robust flavour, and it should melt. Feel free to experiment.

The tomato tarts in this photograph are topped with arugula.

  1. Cut the tomatoes into round slices about ½ cm (¼ inch) thick. You’ll need one slice per tart shell.
  2. Smear the base of the tart shells with mustard using ½ tsp per tart. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese, distributing it evenly over each tart shell. Top with a tomato slice.
  3. Lightly salt and pepper the tomatoes. Sprinkle on the chopped basil. Top with the remaining cheese.
  4. Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and the pastry is golden. When the cheese is cooled slightly, but still warm, press each tart with a basil leaf.
On a rustic wooden table sits an oval platter full of fresh tomato tarts topped with arugula. Off to one side of the platter is two red ripened tomatoes.
Photo by Amy Jo Ehman

Put Your Pop Cans To Work

You can use SARCAN’s Drop and Donate program to help Steep Hill! To “volunteer” your pop cans and returnable bottles, 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 SARCAN where your donation should go. The machine will print a barcode sticker for your bag or box of cans/bottles. SARCAN will calculate the value of your donation and e-transfer it to Steep Hill.

Your Grocery Store on Broadway Posters

Help your neighbours, co-workers and other social circles discover Steep Hill by putting up a welcoming and informative poster. Most small businesses are happy to put the posters up. Many community centres, gyms, workplaces, and coffee shops have bulletin boards, and condo or apartment buildings often have a spot where neighbours put up notices. Click on the image below to download the letter-sized poster, then make copies with your colour printer. If you don’t have a colour printer, you can pick up copies at the store. Call or email ahead, so staff can have some ready for you - and mention some of the places you’re thinking of placing the poster. It will be good for us to know how far and wide they are being seen.

A poster advertising about the benefits of the Steep Hill Food Co-op that includes hours, location and informing that a membership is not required.
Click Image To Download Poster

Follow and Share Steep Hill Online

Between monthly newsletters, Steep Hill staff post new product information, staff picks, supplier news, and timely updates on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. If you like Steep Hill - “like us” on Social Media too. You can go to the home pages to check in on the latest, and share posts from there or from your news feed with your own network. You can help expand our online reach by tagging Steep Hill Food Co-op in your own posts too.

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 Amielle Christopherson, Adam Douglas, Amy Jo Ehman, Cathy Holtslander, and Maryann Scott for contributing to this Newsletter! If you would like to join the newsletter crew, just send an email to board@steephillfood.ca.

Your grocery store on Broadway!