Grow - Cook - Share & Relish Newsletter
Volume 13 2022
"Soil health is as crucial for producing nutritious food, as nutrition is for children during their first 1000 days. Just like good nutrition is the best investment in children's physical resilience, their cognitive development, well being, and future earning power, healthy soil should be the bedrock for every country's food system. A food system that will produce healthy and nutritious food in a climate resilient way, ensuring prosperity for all people involved."
H.E. GERDA VERBURG, UN ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL AND COORDINATOR
of the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement
About 95 percent of our food comes from soils. Their value as a nutrient source was the focus of the recent Global Symposium on Soils for Nutrition, organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Symposium: “Soils, where food begins” reached a global audience, bringing science and policy together to review the status and challenges of soil fertility in relation with crop, animal and human nutrition.
The virtual format of the sessions enables those who missed the live event to not be disappointed. Check out the recordings here:
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - Webcast (fao.org)
And if time doesn’t permit this, don’t miss watching the 3 minute preview video:
Healthy soils: the foundation of healthy food and a better environment
Manitoba Agricultural Research Finds Higher Yields and Nutrient Densities When Vegetable Crops are Grown in Compost-Amended Soils
Bravo to Dr. Lord Abbey and the Government of Manitoba for their leadership and financial support, spearheading the 5-year agricultural research trial using CQA-compost from the City of Brandon’s source-separated organics collection and recycling program, showcasing the value of compost to improve the nutritional value of food crops grown.
An overview of Dr. Abbey’s findings is available here, with the video presentation of his research here.
Recruiting Your Garden to
Tackle Climate Change
This year’s gardening season offers all of us a great opportunity to tackle Climate Change, speaking up for our concern for the well-being of our planet and growing better. As you go about caring for your soil, consider these key steps:
Updates from our Growing Leaders
Planting Veggies for Seniors
Jayne Pilot, President of Aldergrove Rotary Club, provided this update, sharing these lovely photos of the work of Rotary in partnership with Meals on Wheels in their area.
Thanks Compost Council and sponsors for the great package filled with veggie seeds. They were part of our veggie gardening “encouragement” this Spring, planted in newly-made garden beds, constructed by the Aldergrove Rotary Club, to grow vegetables for those-in-need through the Langley Meals on Wheels on 272 Street in Aldergrove, B.C.
Seeds were also given to folks in Pioneer Park, a 55-plus mobile home community, for growing and sharing with neighbours who are not able to have gardens themselves. Sharing is Caring.
Jayne Pilot
Jayne Pilot, President, Aldergrove Rotary Club
Barb Stack, Program Manager,
Meals on Wheels
The Aldergrove Rotary Club in action, building veggie gardening beds
For further information on the project, contact Jayne Pilot, 604-381-3313, jpilot@pilotims.com.
Halton Food plants, grows and shares lots of rows to put seeds to great use in their community
Helen Stephenson of Halton Food shared an update that the seeds, provided by Plant-Grow-Share a Grow, were distributed to gardens throughout Halton, Ontario, including: The Oakville Horticultural Society Junior Gardening Program, nine Halton Community Housing community garden sites, the Acton Community Garden, a wellness program for Summit Housing, Open Doors of St. Christopher’s Anglican Church, Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton and any individual community member who asked for seeds.
Halton Food, a proud program of Halton Environmental Network, educates residents about sustainable food production and promotes access to local, healthy, culturally relevant food through sustainable community gardening, urban farming and school gardens.
Most of the produce harvested is shared with various food banks across Halton or goes straight to families and individuals who live at the community housing sites. Having a wide variety of seeds available is extremely important to us. Kale is hugely popular at one location, while at other sites, carrots are so popular they are harvested before they are fully grown! One important seed is bean seeds, as it helps us naturally amend the soil (which isn’t always the best), as well as being a productive vegetable that feeds many people. The addition of okra seeds for the past two years has been hugely popular, as well as herb seeds like basil and dill.
“Thanks for the wonderful donation of seeds! It has helped Halton Food to support many diverse communities as they learn how to grow their own food, which in turn leads to healthier lifestyles, lower CO2 emissions and an increase in environmental awareness and action.”
Helen Stephenson
Chipotle Basil
Corn Chowder
Ingredients
● 1 tablespoon butter
● 1 tablespoon olive oil
● 4 shallots, finely diced
● 3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
● 2 cups carrots, shredded
● 3 teaspoons chipotle, minced (canned)
● 8 cups of vegetable stock*
● 6 cups corn
● 1½ cups of soy milk
● 2 tablespoons of lime juice
● ¾ cups of fresh basil, chopped
● salt and black pepper to taste
*Check out the great stocks and broths from our community partner, Pacific Foods
Directions
1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot. Add the shallots and sauté until golden.
Add the potatoes, carrots, and chipotle and stir to coat. Let them cook over medium
heat until they start to stick to the bottom of the pot.
2. Add the vegetable stock and scrape what’s sticking off the bottom of the pot.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cover, cooking until potatoes are tender.
4. Transfer half of the mix to the blender and add half of the corn, soy milk, salt, lime juice
and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in the rest of the corn, basil and
black pepper. Bring back to boil.
5. Taste and add additional seasoning if necessary.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with basil leaves. Serve and enjoy.
Recipe courtesy of our soup-er community supporter
SOUTHERN ACCENT
www.southernaccent.com
Each year, The Compost Council of Canada creates a poster message to support
International Compost Awareness Week.
This image was our poster for 2022.
As part of your garden this year, plant and grow an extra row of your favourite veggies and donate the harvest to your local food bank. Help us help all those in need. www.growarow.org
