Wanderlust and Words

Local News  Did you know you can find the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Co-operative in Stonebridge on Wednesday afternoons throughout the summer? They’re in the lot adjacent to the Spiffy Car Wash at 600 Melville Street from 3-7 pm . Kevin Wesaquate remembers picking Saskatoon berries with his family as a positive experience, creating kinship and family bonds. He wanted to give today’s kids the same experience and worked with volunteers to plant over 440 saskatoon berry bushes in Victoria Park . An additional 250 bushes were planted last year. Kevin is a spoken word poet. He imagines a world where “we trade in protein bars for pemmican where we could pick wild berries in our communities. Where diabetes doesn’t exist thanks to the medicine keepers and paleo diets, a place where our children could run free of gangs and crime, a place where young men let their hair out like warriors of the past in suits and ties, where beadwork is valuable and honored over gold and diamond...

Odd Couple Restaurant I went to the Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Co-operative ’s first live market since the Covid lockdown this morning. I was a little concerned that masks, social distancing, and one-way traffic would take all the joy out of going to the market. But that wasn’t the case. Behind the masks were farmers, producers, and shoppers – happy to see each other again, happy to be able to buy and sell local food. The next challenge will be reopening restaurants. Some bakeries, restaurants, and coffee shops have done an amazing job at pivoting to online orders and curbside pickups. That creativity and willingness to adapt will be badly needed as restaurants try to stay in operation while maximizing employee and customer safety. From what I’ve been reading, we’re going to see a wide variety of different approaches. Remain Closed Calgary's Prairie Dog Brewing has chosen to remain closed until they feel ready and able to address all the challenges , which they outline ve...

Local Happenings  The Saskatoon Farmers’ Market Co-operative has moved into its new home at 2600 Koyl Avenue (#11 bus or free parking). Look at all that space – no more overcrowded aisles or limitations on how many vendors can move inside on cold days! Library of Things has made free cloth bags for market customers to use. Help yourself! Be sure to take a look at the murals. They are the work of a regular market customer and were carefully moved out of the old building and into the new one. Five years ago Hal Jadetske, Red Barn Dairy , bought an organic farm, built a pasteurization/processing plant, and purchased some goats. “So, retirement involves milking the goats twice a day every day and processing the milk and then off to the farmers market which I have been a part of for the last 2 ½ years. The Saskatoon Farmers Market is a wonderfully diverse group of people who all have a passion and dedication to what they bring to the market every week and along with th...