November News
November 9, 2026
Message from Steep Hill’s Board
November is Steep Hill’s birthday month - this year, we turn 48! For nearly half a century, Steep Hill members have built, shaped and sustained our co-operative against the odds.
Currently we are being challenged by changes in our supply chain. For many years, two large national organic distributors have supplied us with many of our non-local organic products, organic dairy and non-perishable food items, and eco-friendly cleaning products. About this time last year they both restructured. They’ve ended up operating as three separate and more specialized businesses, each offering a narrower range of products. The result is we now need to place four orders from three companies to get the same range of products we used to be able to get from two companies. Around the same time this happened, there was a downturn in sales as consumer confidence faltered in the face of global economic uncertainty, making it harder for Steep Hill to adapt. In addition, distributors have been shorting us more often than in the past - with delays of as much as four months before some of our orders have been fulfilled. All of this has resulted in some disruptions to our ordering patterns, including delays that mean some items are out of stock more often than we’d like. We are working on ordering adjustments and looking for alternative sources to improve consistency and coverage. Your patience and understanding is very much appreciated! If we can increase how much product we sell, and sell it faster – by having more people buying more groceries more often – we will be able to both try some new options and order from these major suppliers more consistently.
This is where you come in – our buying power depends on the people who shop at Steep Hill. The founders of our co-op knew that by working together collectively, they could provide themselves with food they wanted and needed, which would have been impossible as individuals. This is still true today. So to ensure Steep Hill can continue to provide local, organic, fairtrade, co-operative and Canadian-made healthy food and pantry staples to serve our community on Broadway and beyond, here’s what you as a member can do:
- Make Steep Hill your first stop when grocery shopping and pick up as many items as possible from your grocery list with us before going elsewhere.
- Ask our staff for help if you don’t see something you want to buy. They may be able to find it for you on the shelves, let you know when it will likely be restocked and offer to contact you when it arrives, or arrange for a special order of the item.
- Try recipe substitutions and equivalent brands as a way to include more Steep Hill products on your menu.
- Encourage friends and family members to shop at Steep Hill. If you are on social media, like, share, and comment on Steep Hill posts.
- Write product suggestions on the whiteboard by the door, mention them to staff, or write them on a “How did we do today” card and leave it in the suggestion box. This will help inform any changes to our ordering as we make adjustments.
- Consider joining the new Outreach and Marketing Working Group (more info below)
Our Board has had a couple of changes since last month. Abtin had to step down due to the time required for his other responsibilities, but looks forward to supporting Steep Hill in other ways. We are pleased to welcome Michelle Beckett to the Board. She has extensive experience in the organic sector with non-profit organizations and small businesses. Steep Hill has room for up to twelve board members, so if you are interested in becoming a Director, please let us know!
Mark your calendar so you don’t miss upcoming events hosted by Steep Hill. On November 21 we will hold another in our series of cooking classes. Attend Feel your Pulses and learn from the amazing Gillian Edlund. Deadline for registration is November 10. December 4 will be Fairly Frosty Friday - an evening to socialize, celebrate fairtrade foods, support Steep Hill, and enjoy music and treats provided by our members. Thanks to Nancy Allan for organizing this event. Scroll down for more details on both events.
If you have questions, concerns or suggestions, or want to get more involved, don’t hesitate to email us. The Board President checks these messages frequently, and if you require confidentiality, that will be respected. If you would prefer to discuss something by phone, include your phone number and you will get a call back.
Join the New Outreach and Marketing Working Group
Would you like to help raise Steep Hill’s profile and increase the number of people who do their grocery shopping at our store? We have just started a new working group that you can participate in. The purpose is to promote and strengthen Steep Hill Food Co-op through outreach, marketing and member-based activities. The group will begin by meeting via Zoom for about an hour to 90 minutes to brainstorm ideas, then plan and carry out the actions people are interested in and able to do. This could involve creating and distributing printed and/or online material and resources, connecting and collaborating with like-minded groups, organizing events for fellow Steep Hill members, etc. The time commitment for working group members will vary according to what each person is interested in doing. Participants who contribute at least 2 hours in a month will also be eligible for the Working Member discount of 6% the following month.
If you are interested in putting your creativity, ideas, talents and energies into action promoting Steep Hill, please send a message to board@steephillfood.ca so we can follow up with an invitation to the Zoom meeting.
Store News
Remembrance Day: We will be open holiday hours, from 11 AM til 4 PM only.
Last week we received a big order from one of our organic bulk suppliers - including bulk sunflower seeds, chickpeas, whole wheat and unbleached flour, whole black peppercorns, gummies (fruit bears, fruit berries, sour fruit berries; our supplier has stopped supplying vegan candies, unfortunately), eucalyptus candies, cashews, and banana chips as well as pre-bagged and weighed packages of pumpkin seeds, crystallized ginger slices, pine nuts, pecan halves, rice cracker mix, and walnut pieces. We were shorted some items - these are listed at the front of the store - and our supplier expects to send us the missing items after they’ve been restocked towards the end of November.
Our Back Country Organics order also came in last week, so we are restocked with 1KG packages of wheat berries and about half a dozen locally made organic teas, including two new ones: 3 Meadow Tea (lemon grass, clover, nettle) and Boreal Bloom Tea (ginger, labrador dandelion, dried raspberry).
Other new items we’ve received in the last few weeks: gluten-free Kikkoman soy sauce, Co-op Gold potato & bacon perogies, Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free pizza crust mix, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, Magic baking powder, and Marukan Rice Vinegar.
And of course we have plenty of local fresh produce – locally grown apples, lettuce, micro-greens and bok choy; beets, carrots, and lots of colourful and delicious squash!
SaskOrganics Profiles Steep Hill
Steep Hill was featured In the Fall 2026 issue of Abundance Magazine, the official publication of SaskOrganics, the organization that represents all types of certified farmers and organic businesses in our province. The publication is mailed to every one of its members, and past issues are later posted on the SaskOrganics website. The article by Brook Thalgott titled A Grocery Store of Their Own highlights our history, purpose and how we are different from regular retail grocery stores. A copy of the article is posted on the bulletin board in the store, and you can download and read the two-page article.
Blossom Grove Family Farm
We’re pleased to introduce and welcome one of Steep Hill’s newer local produce suppliers. Blossom Grove Family Farm, located just outside of Saskatoon, offers a wide selection of vegetables and orchard fruit, as well as U-pick and educational opportunities. Jared Regier and his family are committed to offering sustainably grown fruit and vegetables to the community and sharing experiences, innovations, and techniques with other growers.
As a high school science teacher, Jared increasingly felt the need to do something tangible to mitigate humans’ impact on the world and food sources. Beginning with gardens in multiple borrowed backyards, he set up Chain Reaction Urban Farm and distributed the resulting produce to over 50 subscriber families each week. In addition to this, he offers in-person and virtual instruction for home food growers wanting to improve and increase their production. The purchase of a 3-acre farm property as a permanent food production space is a culmination of all of Jared’s prior and continuing work. You’ll find the complete story of Jared’s fascinating journey to farm ownership on Blossom Grove’s website – make sure to read it!
Blossom Grove Family Farm combines a berry and apple orchard with a huge vegetable garden, allowing for a wide variety of produce and experimentation with different growing conditions and techniques. During the growing season, U-pick passes are available, providing a great opportunity for visitors to select their own food and learn more about the connection between food and the natural environment. Customers can buy produce directly from the farm, and Steep Hill is pleased to carry potatoes, squash, and various root vegetables grown at Blossom Grove. Come in and see for yourself what Blossom Grove has to offer!
Still Looking for Handy People
As you read in last month’s newsletter, Steep Hill is in need of volunteers with the skills and tools to accomplish some maintenance tasks in the store. Specifically, both front and back doors need work (new screen doors and automatic closers), and the back ramp may need to be replaced. We’d also like to install a light under the front awning – this work needs to be done by a qualified electrician.
If you are able to help with any of these tasks, or have access to second-hand parts, please contact Steep Hill by calling (306-664-4455) or emailing (hello@steephillfood.ca). Two hours of volunteer work (for these tasks or in-store) gives you working member status for the following month, which provides you with the working member discount (6% off the shelf price).
View November 2026 Volunteer Schedule
Latvian Stew ~ Pork Stew with Apricots and Prunes
Winter months call for a deeply rich and flavourful pot of stew. This recipe fits the moment. It’s made with a few basic ingredients that might be in your kitchen right now or are easily acquired at Steep Hill Food Co-op. Simple, savoury with a hint of sweet.
I first encountered this recipe for Latvian Stew more than twenty years ago in a December issue of Saveur magazine. I’ve been making it every winter ever since. I’ve also made it with beef and venison, so feel free to choose the meat that fits your lifestyle and taste.
I’m not the only one who cherishes this recipe. In writing the novel A Gentleman in Moscow, the author Amor Towles dug into his own recipe files to create a menu for an elegant hotel dining room in Moscow during the tumultuous Stalin years. As the economy falls on hard times, the hotel restaurant aims to maintain its elegance with the most basic and common ingredients. The main character, Count Rostov, is highly impressed.
The author writes: “[I] discovered that the lack of spices, wine, and stock was part of the dish’s genius. The simplicity of the composition allows one to experience the surprisingly complex contribution of its quotidian elements. Or, as the Count observes: “The onions thoroughly caramelized, the pork slowly braised, and the apricots briefly stewed, the three ingredients come together in a sweet and smoky medley that simultaneously suggests the comfort of a snowed-in tavern and the jangle of a Gypsy tambourine.”
– Source: The Book Club CookBook
Like most stews, this one is better a day or two after it’s cooked, when the flavours have fully integrated with the broth. I like to make it through Step 3 then let it cool, keeping it in the fridge overnight. The next day, reheat the stew and continue from Step 4 with the onions and prunes. Leftovers get better with reheating.
Latvian Stew
- 3 lbs. pork cut in 1” pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 6 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 6 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 4 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup dried apricots
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 1 lb. or 5 small onions
- Heat half the vegetable oil (3 tbsp.) in a stew pot on medium-high heat. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Brown the meat in the oil, turning it to brown all sides. Do this in two batches, removing the browned meat to a plate.
- Put the carrots in the pot, sprinkle with salt and cook until slightly tender. Return meat and its juices to the pot.
- Add the tomato paste, apricots and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring now and then. While simmering add 2 teaspoons of salt.
- Add the prunes and cook until they are hot. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper as needed to your taste.
- Peel and cut the onions into chunky wedges. Heat the remaining 3 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onions to the hot oil and cook, stirring frequently, until they are caramelized and deeply browned. Stir the onions into the stew.
- Serve with boiled potatoes or hearty bread.
Text and photo by Amy Jo Ehman, author of Out of Old Saskatchewan Kitchens.
Upcoming Events
November 21 - Feel your Pulses!
Looking to get out of the house, learn something, and just maybe take home some delicious leftovers?
Steep Hill is hosting another cooking class on Saturday November 21 from 2:30 - 5:30 PM at Grace-Westminster United Church. This month’s cooking class led by Gillian Edlund, will feature a vegetarian shepherd’s pie paired with a root salad and a lemon cake for dessert. Cost for the class will be $35/person and include all ingredients, tools, and guidance to prep this meal. Please bring a food container for leftovers and a drink of your choice to enjoy with our meal. We only charge for cost recovery. Include your email address when you register to receive the recipes in advance.
Deadline to register is November 10.
Registration Info:
- Register by email to: gracewest@sasktel.net
- Payment due at the time of registration
Payment Info:
- Pay by e-transfer to: gracewest@sasktel.net (be sure to put Cooking Class and Program Date into the memo of the e-transfer)
OR
- Drop off cash or cheque to church office payable to Grace-Westminster UC (open Tuesday to Friday 9-noon)
November 27 - Catch the Wave!
Meet neighbours, share some food and enjoy the artistry of our community members at the community potluck, music, spoken word and jam session at Grace Westminster church. From September to May on the last Friday of the month, Brian Paul DG and friends host a potluck (6 PM), variety show (7:30 PM), featured artists (8:30 PM) and music jam (9:40 - 10ish PM). On November 27 enjoy featured artists Joseph Naytowhow spoken word and music by JJ Lavallee. Admission is by suggested donation of $10 to $25. Everyone is welcome!. Grace Westminster is one block west of Steep Hill on the corner of Eastlake and 10th Street.
December 4 is Fairly Frosty Friday!
Steep Hill Co-op and Fair Trade Saskatoon warmly join hands and hearts to present Fairly Frosty Friday on December 4 at 7:30 PM at Grace Westminster Church, 505 10th Street East. Admission by donation. Everyone is welcome!
Mark, Mona and Paddy of the Eleventh Street Ramblers will play their lively vocal and acoustic music, and Rae and friends will provide home-made Fair Trade treats. This is a great chance to get together, meet our fellow members and support Steep Hill.
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 Nancy Allan, Amielle Christopherson, Adam Douglas, Amy Jo Ehman, Cathy Holtslander, Brian Paul 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!