This week I want to acknowledge the plants and animals that are grown by our farmers in Alberta. Often we talk about the importance of eating locally without stating how good our local products taste. The Berkshire pork from Broek Pork Acres, Lund’s Organic baby carrots, Grizzly Gouda from Sylvan Star, elk 
tenderloin from Wapiti Ways, saskatoon butter tarts from the Saskatoon Farm, Highwood Crossing Cold Pressed Canola Oil, Black Currant Mead from Chinook Arch Meadery, strawberries from Broxburn Farm, asparagus from Edgar Farms… the list goes on and on. We are blessed with an abundance of plants and animals that are grown and raised with love and care and this makes them taste great! We are thankful we have such variety to enjoy.
The Grassroots Farmers Market at Northlands has their last market day for the season this Tuesday between 3PM and 7PM. It sounds like there will be a few less vendors, but there are some things at this market that aren’t available at CFM. Cantaloupes from Brooks, pies from Three Sisters, strawberries from Noblelford, perogies, field tomatoes, and stone oven breads.
This week we have beautiful sugar pumpkin risotto cakes, the smoked ham sausage from Broek Pork Acres, Chicken Paprikash, and a split pea soup that we made with some wood oven roasted pork hocks.
Here’s the menu for this week:
Monday - Beef Stir Fry
Hoven Farms organic beef ribs, Sudo Farm suey and bok choy, carrots, and broccoli served with steamed rice $14
Tuesday - Chicken Tamale Pie
Sunworks Farm organic chicken, Taber corn, black beans, tomatoes, and peppers with a cornmeal biscuit crust $14
Wednesday - Sugar Pumpkin Risotto Cake
Roasted sugar pumpkins from Brooks mixed into a risotto cake and served with wilted greens from Lund’s Organic $12
Thursday - Smoked Ham Sausage
Broek Pork Acres smoked ham sausage with cabbage, sauerkraut, and Upper Green Farms potatoes $13
Friday - Chicken Paprikash
Sunworks Farm organic chicken and Gull Valley Greenhouses peppers with our paprika sour cream sauce served on egg noodles $14
This Week’s Soup – Split Pea Soup $7
This Week’s Stew – Chicken Chorizo Stew $9
Something Sweet – Carrot Cake $4
Forage Hours – Monday to Friday 2PM to 7PM – 3508 19th Street SW – Phone (403)269-6551
Forage will be closed Friday, October 10th to Monday, October 13th for Thanksgiving weekend and Tuesday, October 21st to Wednesday, October 29th for Terra Madre 2008 and the Salon del Gusto in Torino.
development. This is eliminating some farmland and raising the prices across the board. Soon we are going to have to preserve the land that is needed for crops and grazing in order to secure the future of farming in Alberta. There also needs to be a plan for the sustainability of our watershed and the protection of our environment so it can continue to support us. We need to be thankful that we live in a place where we can grow our own food.
that there has been a major labour shortage and when I talk to many of the farmers that we get stuff from, they all say they could use good, stable, and reliable labour. Much of the work is being done by new immigrants who appreciate the work and the benefits of living in Canada. There just aren’t that many Canadians wanting to do this kind of work so our farmers need to look elsewhere for help. I know some of the crops this year are not going to be harvested because there just isn’t enough people available to do it. We need to be thankful for those who help on the farms and at the markets to bring us our food.
vegetables and squashes and we are using his bok choy, suey choy, and winter squash in Wednesday’s special.
way you eat in the decades to come. People are taking back the food system and discussing what is needed to ensure good, clean, and fair food for all. There were panel discussions, garden tours, taste pavilions, and lots of great food. If you are looking for more information go to the