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We acknowledge that we live, work, and play on the ancestral, traditional, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples.
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Happy July, Everyone!
We're in the middle of summer with no rain insight. Make sure you're staying cool, drinking lots of water and the same goes for your garden!
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You might have heard the news that we have a new name. Moving forward we will be called Urban Bounty. We are still legally Richmond Food Security Society, but we are running our programs under the name Urban Bounty. You can check out our new and improved website here! |
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Get your photos ready! We will be having a garden photo contest coming next month. Our two categories will be vegetable and herb gardens & patio and balcony gardens.
Prizes and submission details to come. Only one photo per person. Gardens must be for personal use only, no farms or commercial gardens please.
To be accepted, photos must have our new Urban Bounty logo in the photo. You can print it off and hold it in your photo, or you can add it in digitally after so long as it is clearly visible.
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Our fruit gleaning season had an amazing start to the picking season with our intern Ashley. We’ve picked strawberries, cherries, and currents for the first time and we’ve completed a few plum and apple picks. This season should be a great one with our dedicated volunteers.
If you’re interested in volunteering with the program as a fruit gleaner or fruit gleaning captain, you can find more information here.
This year we are trying to limit the number of volunteers at each pick based on the amount of fruit to be harvested. This means that there won’t be too many volunteers at each pick. If you try to sign up for a pick and don’t receive any pick info, it means that the pick is at capacity, but don’t worry, there will be many picks this season, we’re just getting started!
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Community Gardens
The gardens are looking great, thank you to all that made the necessary changes after our reviews. Our next review period will be early August. We’ll send out reminders.
If you see anything in the garden that concerns you, please email coordinator@richmondfoodsecurity.org.
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Garden Tip of the Month
What to plant in July:
Remember to keep watering your garden:
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In the morning
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Deeply
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Infrequently
Brian Minter had a great article you can find here all about conserving water.
Any new seeds or seedlings need constant watering until they are established, give them a good drink every day until they get close to their full size.
Watering is key as there is no rain in the forecast. You can also use tarps, sheets, or anything else that can protect your seedlings, seeds, and leafy greens from the strong sun.
You maybe be seeing the effects of our recent heat wave on your plants. Sunscald can burn leaves and fruit. You can tell it's sunscald when all the affected areas are where the sun hits the leaves the strongest. Add shade to your garden by planting taller plants, adding structures, or hanging tarps or sheets - this is especially important for seeds or seedlings that are more sensitive.
Tomato Sunscald Pepper Sunscald
Photo: Backyard Garden Photo: Pest Advisories
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Workshops
Thank you to all that could attend our workshops, we hope you enjoyed them and learned something new! We have enjoyed providing online workshops and will continue to in the future. This allows for us to reach a greater audience.
We are always looking for new ideas and ways to improve our workshops. Please fill out the form here if you have a topic you’d like us to cover.
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Seed Library
Continue saving your seeds throughout the season. Flag tomatoes now to save for later. You can leave the tomato on the vine after it is ripe, this will allow for more food (sugar) to be stored in the seed. This will allow seeds to last longer in storage.
If you flag the tomatoes you want to save early, you won’t have to choose diseased or smaller tomatoes that would not have the best traits at the end of the season. Saving tomatoes that have blight like the below picture could give you tomatoes next season that are more susceptible to disease.
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Kids in the Garden
Queenie and Spencer have been busy this last month maintaining gardens at William Cook Elementary, Mitchell Elementary, and Brighouse Elementary.
Students have been coming to the gardens Tuesday to Friday. They participate in cooking workshops and gardening activities like weeding, watering, planting, and harvesting.
Also Richmond Society for Community Living work experience program have been helping out as well.
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Lettuce Harvest: Food Justice Talk
Join Lettuce Harvest and Sarah Fessenden talking about food justice on Wednesday, August 4th from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. It would be held virtually and by donation. Sign up here!
"Often without our knowledge or consent, global food systems shape access to food, affect our global climate, and even form our taste preferences. In this introductory workshop, join Lettuce Harvest as we trace the contours of this global food system and survey some of its social, economic, and cultural impacts."
Sarah is a sociocultural anthropologist and her current research looks at the social and cultural construction of hunger in Canada, with a primary focus on radical social movement organizing.
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Dish it Up - Zucchini-Corn Fritters
From Food Network
Ingredients
- 2 med zucchini, coarsely shredded
- Salt
- 1 tbs unsalted butter
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 ears corn kernels cut off
- 1/2 cup of cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Fresh black pepper
- 3/4 cup buttermilk (or alternative milk with lemon juice, let stand for 10 mins)
- 1 large egg
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
1. Toss zucchini with 1/2 tsp of salt. Let stand for 10 mins. Wrap zucchini in a kitchen towel and squeeze dry.
2. Heat the butter in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add onion & garlic, cook until slightly softened (4 mins). Add the corn and cook until crisp-tender (3 mins).
3. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in med bowl. Whisk buttermilk and egg in a large bowl, then stir in corn/garlic/onion mix and zucchini. Add cornmeal mix and still until just combined.
4. Wipe skillet. Add vegetable oil, place over med heat. Scoop a 1/4 cup of batter into oil, flatten with measuring cup. Cook until golden brown, 3-4 mins per side. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt.
You can make fritters up to 2 hours ahead, reheat in oven 375 degrees F on a baking sheet.
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What's Happening in Richmond
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If you are interested in our work and helping us continue it, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation. Your support will go directly to our programs.
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