Farm Visit: Riverbend Gardens

Two weeks ago, Mack and I were fortunate enough to visit Riverbend Gardens, one of the producers we frequent at the City Market, and one of the farms that is located within Edmonton’s city limits.

A few months ago, Patty Milligan introduced me to Janelle Herbert, who operates Riverbend Gardens alongside her husband Aaron and her parents Doug and Evelyn Visser. I had hoped to get out to the farm earlier this summer, but as we are now into harvest season (particularly with the frost bearing down on the city), it seemed like a fitting time for the tour.

Riverbend Gardens

The first thing we discovered is that Riverbend Gardens is nowhere near the neighbourhood of Riverbend. On the northeast edge of the Edmonton, the farm is actually located near Norbest Farms, which many people know from last year’s Great Potato Giveaway (it turns out Norbest’s Gordon Visser is actually Janelle’s uncle). The farm’s name actually comes from the shape of their land, which curves where the North Saskatchewan River curves. It is an absolutely beautiful property, and one where the wind’s slight rustle of leaves through the trees is the only disruption of peace. The silence was serene.

Panoramic of the river’s bend

Janelle and Aaron have two young children, who, in addition to the work on the farm, keep them busy and away from manning the six markets Riverbend Gardens is involved in themselves. The quarter section land is divided into two – about 65 acres is used to farm, while the other 90 acres is preserved as the original forest.

Done for the season

Janelle’s grandparents started the farm nearly sixty years ago, with her parents taking over in 1981. Janelle didn’t plan to continue the family business (“I didn’t want to marry a farmer,” she laughed), and worked as an Occupational Therapy Assistant for a few years, while her husband Aaron was a welder. In 2005, her parents expressed that they wanted to slow down, and Aaron jumped at the opportunity to take over the farm (“he’s always been the outdoors type”, said Janelle). They’ve been on a steep learning curve ever since.

Riverbend Gardens offers u-pick saskatoons (how cool is it that they use an honour system?)

It turned out the farm hands had just left, after a full day’s work of picking, sorting, cleaning and packing vegetables in preparation for the farmers’ markets. Janelle showed us their machinery, as well as the refrigerated sheds used to store all of their produce – they smelled of freshly picked onions. I was amazed that their entire fall/winter stock, which lasts them into spring at the year-round markets, could be contained in those two small buildings.

Storage shed

In the photo below, the boxes wrapped together below are full of cabbage. Riverbend Gardens does, at this point, sell their cabbage into the wholesale market (to be resold at grocery stores). Given the extremely slim profit, they are hoping to step away from that business soon, and focus on selling all of the produce at local farmers’ markets.

Sorting and packing area

The greenhouses right next door were empty at this time, but she told us that seeding typically begins in March, with transplanting to the fields taking place a few months after.

Greenhouses

The five of us got on a mule for a drive through their various crops. While I’ve been to a few other farms before, this was definitely the largest I’ve seen so far.

Carrots

Potatoes

Brussels sprouts

Kale (I love the alternating rows of colours)

Pumpkin peeking out!

Corn (they have the best peaches and cream corn)

It was clear to see that maintaining a farm of this size is no easy feat. Janelle said she and Aaron are continually learning, reading and attending conferences between December to February when the crops are not active. Although it is hard work, and definitely not a career chosen for its financial benefits, Janelle says she is happy with the lifestyle choice and is “rich in many other ways.”

Janelle and her two adorable children in the squash patch

To end our visit, we rode the mule through the woods that have been left untouched, save for a cleared path that allows access to the river on the other side. Janelle said their goal is to eventually somehow share the beauty of this grove with the public.

It was a good five degrees cooler under the shade of the trees!

At the river’s edge

Thanks to Janelle for taking time out of her afternoon to show us around! With the recently passed Municipal Development Plan, I am hopeful that farms on the city’s edge such as Riverbend Gardens will be protected (and with luck, continue to flourish).

You can see Mack’s full photo set here.

The Cooking Chronicles: Dinner of Appreciation

In the last two months, we’ve been hosting a series of small housewarming dinners for members of our families. I enjoy cooking, and love sharing food with the people in my life, but I know I have a tendency to over think the meals in my attempt to cater to the tastes of my guests.

I had my parents over earlier this month. They had helped us tremendously with the move – not only in transporting our things, but also letting us use their home as a holding cell for our boxes and furniture in the days before we took possession of the condo. As a result, I really wanted to make them a special meal.

It wasn’t planned, but we began with a simple tomato starter – Jennifer from Sundog Organics had generously given me a Great White Tomato (an heirloom variety) the day before at the City Market, inviting me to try it. It was large enough for me to divide the slices into four servings, which she recommended I serve with salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. It was delicious – the great white was free of the tartness I normally associate with fresh tomatoes, and in place of the acid was sweetness.

Heirloom tomato starter

My Mum loves duck breast, which I consider to be a special occasion-type food (probably more so because I’ve never before attempted to cook duck breast before). Thumbing through my cookbooks, I found a recipe for seared duck breast with cherries and port in Trish Magwood’s Dish Entertains (a similar but not identical recipe can be found here). We had Greens, Eggs and Ham duck, and cherries from Steve and Dan’s, and rounded out the rest of our ingredients from the grocery store. Rendering out the fat from the meat on a cast iron pan seemed to go quite well, leaving a crisp layer of browned skin and a lake of liquid fat. But after I put the breasts in the oven, the meat went a little grey, and the skin unfortunately lost some of its crackling nature. We also had to roast the duck a little longer than the recipe’s guide of 10 minutes, in order to get the internal temperature to 130F, but the meat was thankfully not overcooked. My Mum liked it! (I should also mention that we served the duck with a raspberry wine called The Other Red from Barr Estate Winery, based in Sherwood Park. It paired beautifully.)

Seared duck breast

The sauce, on the other hand, didn’t reduce very well (but by that time, I probably wasn’t the most patient cook, and had I planned better, I would have started it before my parents arrived). The cherries and apples softened nicely , but I was expecting something a little more rich than the final product, given the combination of fruit, port, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar.

Duck breasts with quick-cook barley mushroom risotto

We served the duck with quick-cook barley mushroom risotto, which we have made before. My dad especially liked this dish. Mack commented that the plate was awfully brown – to which I agreed – the tomato or Greens, Eggs and Ham mixed heritage greens salads that preceded the main course should have been served alongside the entree for colour alone!

Dessert was honey cake with Alberta rye whisky, a recipe from We Eat Together, using Lola Canola honey and Intelligensia Coffee from our neighbourhood cafe, Credo. I had baked it earlier that afternoon – and being that it was one of those cakes that filled up the kitchen with aromas of cinnamon and brown sugar, it’s a great cake to make just before guests arrive. Though we thought a glaze would give it some oomph, it paired well with a cup of tea.

Honey cake with Alberta rye whisky

It was nice evening overall. Thanks again Mum and Dad for all of your help!

Food Notes for September 6, 2010

Mack and I are in San Francisco! I won’t be blogging while we’re away, though he might be. Here are a few notes for the week:

The place to be in 104 Street (but then again, I’m biased): Queen of Tarts is moving into the basement of the Armstrong Building, and will be serving her pastries, coffee and sandwiches.
What happens when foodies get together: read all about the dinner and tour Valerie (aka A Canadian Foodie) had at Kevin Kossowan’s house.
Speaking of Kevin – he has released the first two videos in his series profiling local farmers. Check them out!
Great read from Avenue Calgary about the past (and future) of their farmers’ markets.
The NYT published an article recently about cafes in NY moving back to the set up of coffee shops of yore – bar stools meant not for those needing a mobile office.
We did head down to the City Market on Saturday, but obviously didn’t do any shopping. We weren’t going to miss out on seeing the petting zoo though, courtesy of Chicken John’s. I so wanted to take home a baby goat, and the teeny bunnies would have fit in my purse without anyone noticing. Too cute!

Animal attraction

Sitting pretty

Bunnies!

We also noticed Karen’s Cake in a Cup. She had some really interesting flavours, like root beer float. Unfortunately, she doesn’t sell individual cakes, and we weren’t about to consume a half dozen cupcakes in a day (6/$12). Maybe next time!

Karen’s Cake in a Cup

Have a good two weeks!

Last Patio Days of Summer: TZiN

I’ve been looking for an excuse to return to TZiN – the chic little wine bar on 104 Street – for some time. Though Mack and I are really lucky to live in an area where we have plenty of restaurant choices, I find that if we’re in our neighbourhood, we will inevitably dine in.

That said, meeting up with Annie this week was just the reason I needed to revisit TZiN. Though I love the swank interior, especially cozy as the weather cools off, we decided to make the most of the last days of summer and sat out on the patio (I have to comment that their furniture was particularly comfortable – notable when a lot of patio furniture is too hard, awkward, or not meant for dawdling).

Kelsey, always pleasant and knowledgeable, took good care of us wine-wise. I was happy with my easy to drink Gewurztraminer, and Annie (who has been working her way through Spanish reds), enjoyed her generous glass of Gine Gine.

Wine on the patio!

Several items on the menu were tempting (making me think I’d like to be back again before the menu changes again), but I ended up ordering the sirloin and rosemary crostinis ($18.50) and Annie the creamy chili prawns ($17)

Though the items were listed on a “tasting menu”, I’d have to say the dishes didn’t quite fit that billing – they were too large to be considered just a “taste”, and yet, were missing a component to be deemed a full entrée – a side salad to accompany my crostini would have made it a full meal, while some pasta or rice underneath Annie’s shrimp would have lovingly soaked up the creamy, rich sauce. Annie was also hoping for an vegetable side to complement our eats.

Creamy chili prawns

That said, we did enjoy the food. Annie’s prawns were well cooked, and my crostini were topped with a tasty combination of sautéed mushrooms and onions, cheese, marinated sirloin and a delicious spread.

Sirloin and rosemary crostini

When we paid our bill, Kelsey fanned out thin strips of paper, and beckoned us to take one. It turned out they were little fortunes for us to take away. Mine read: “Listen closely as those around you speak; great truths are revealed in jest.” -Javan

At some point, it probably would have been wise for me to have warmed up inside (Annie had to lend me her jacket), but I was stubbornly grasping at the faint wisps of the season. No matter – with a dwindling number of patio days remaining in the calendar year, it was worth the slight chill to be outside.

TZiN
10115 104 Street
(780) 428-8946
Tuesday-Thursday 3:59-11:03pm, Friday-Saturday 4:01pm-12:06am

Walking at Work: Better in a Group

I really enjoy walking. It is my preferred means of transportation (within reason), and though there are mornings where I wish I had a vehicle to fall back on, there are worse ways to start off one’s day than a brisk walk.

So when staff at my office expressed interest in participating in a regular walking group, I happily took on the responsibility of coordinating it. A meeting with a representative from the Alberta Centre for Active Living got us going – we established a regular day and time, circulated a poster around the office, and sent around a one-page fact sheet on the benefits of walking. The representative also agreed to initially lead the weekly walks, at least up until the group became self-sufficient.

On a walk through the canopied Central McDougall

We started the walks at the end of June. The preliminary response from staff was better than I anticipated, with ten of my colleagues taking part that first week. Since then, we’ve had wavering participation (as expected with any new initiative), but I’m proud to say that ten weeks in, we are still averaging five walkers every Wednesday. Three weeks ago, we even added an additional day to the schedule, in order to try to further some of that momentum.

Patrick and Chinlong, two well-dressed walkers

Though my innate preference lies with solitary walks, I’ve grown to really look forward to the walking club. It surprises me how much I want to motivate my colleagues, but at the same time, be accountable to them myself. When the weather is lousy, or I’m feeling tired, it’s easy for to stay at my desk for the bulk of the day – but I know it’s not an option when the group is set to meet.

With my colleague Surinder after a walk

In mid-July, we were able to provide pedometers to the group. It helped everyone track the number of steps they were taking, and we were told to shoot for 10,000 steps a day (given that wasn’t too far above our average step count). Though I know walking alone isn’t enough (darn that elusive cardio), it’s helped to make me more conscious of what I need to do to achieve my daily goal.

A good day

I’m not sure how the walking club will fare once the weather goes south (with the dangers of falling a serious concern), but I’m hoping to keep this going as long as possible, and at the very least, start it up again in the spring.

Thanks to my coworkers for their continued support, and for helping to make the walking club a worthwhile initiative!

East Meets West 2010: Karibuni Afrikafest

Last year, the inaugural East Meets West Festival, put on by the Chinatown and Little Italy Business Association, was a great success. So much so that its 2010 incarnation was expanded from one to three days, with an additional cultural group added to the mix. Though I had good intentions to attend the Viva Italia Viva Festival on Sunday (I really wanted to watch the pizza eating contest!), I didn’t make it. Thankfully, we were able to take in the newest portion of the event on Friday – the Karibuni Afrikafest.

East Meets West poster

There really was a lot going on along 107 Avenue that day – Jill and I walked over to McCauley School after checking out the Outdoor Nite Market in Central McDougall, and Mack joined us soon after. A large stage had been set up on one end of the soccer field, with several merchandise booths placed at the opposite end. Food vendors were isolated inside the gymnasium, probably for reasons relating to power needs, but it was unfortunate – nothing draws a crowd like wafting food smells.

Merchandise booths

We took in a few of the acts before attacking the food stands. The entertainment would have benefited from better pacing throughout the evening – we saw three acts in the first fifteen minutes we were there – but in some ways, their enthusiasm and eagerness to showcase their community talent was admirable, if not infectious.

TKO (a young rap group)

A traditional dance from Uganda

Stomachs grumbling, we headed inside to satisfy our hunger. There weren’t many options, but that day at least, it was evident that the focus was quality over quantity. We started off our meal with dessert (the best way to eat, in my opinion), with a mandazi each. The African doughnuts were cakey on the inside, with a very fragrant, aromatic taste, and went very well with the accompanying cup of Chai ($3).

Mandazi

Out of the two entrée options, Rendezvous (10810 95 Street, 780-756-8902), an Ethiopian restaurant in Little Italy, won me over with their absolutely stunning plate of food, in spite of the fact that I’m not the biggest fan of injera. A myriad of colours, the cooked vegetables and lentil and meat stews were as delicious as they looked. It was also a great deal – the entire combo was just $8.

Jill holds up a plate from Rendezvous

Mack was equally buoyed by his plate, filled to the brim with tomato rice, chicken, fried plantain and a samosa (all for $7). He left no grain behind.

Mack before digging in

We also wandered the retail tents, which were selling a variety of imported goods, from clothing to jewelry to creams and decorative items.

Colourful clothing

The turnout was good – it’s always hit or miss for new initiatives – but I was impressed by the number of people who came out. Should it happen again next year (and I hope that it does), I’m sure the crowds will be even larger. Bravo to the organizers of Afrikafest for a great first year!

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