Summer's best

Summer squash galore

In an effort to ease my way back into blogging, this post will be a short visual tour of what's been happening around the city.  With a sudden surge of sunshine and heat this August, which continued into September, our local food production hasn't been too shabby. 

I'm lucky enough to be living just a couple of blocks away from the Kitsilano Farmers Market.  I really believe that if every neighbourhood had as gorgeous, colourful, and fun a market as this, people of ages would be eating healthier and more apt to support local food producers.  

Mix and Match greens

 The "mix and match" greens stall is one of my favourites spots.  Various salad greens cost the same price, so it's just a matter of choosing how much of the arugula, mizuna, pea shoots, and other tasty veg you want to give a try.  I'm also a sucker for heirloom tomatoes, which burst with intense flavour - something you can't find in the pale, imported ones you find in Safeway. 

A nice welcome back treat in Abby

Earlier in August, I spent an afternoon picking organic raspberries with Amanda in Abbotsford.  It was close to the end of the season, so u-pick was cheap and totally worth it.  Although, I wasn't allowed to make jam or pie out of the berries. Nope, Amanda screamed, "What a waste! Just eat them!"

Bulkhead Urban Agriculture Lab

On my first run back from abroad, I noticed there was something very different, close to the Cambie Bridge.  This was the Bulkhead Urban Agriculture Lab, a genius project that is on site of what used to be unused land along False Creek.  Now, it's a beautiful public area that you can walk through, and see fun and creative ways of growing food (such as using old coffee sacks for growing plants and herbs).

Urban garden beneath the Burrard Bridge. Pretty cool, eh?

During another day around the seawall, I came across an urban garden beneath the Burrard Bridge.  Yet another brilliant way to use unused land.  I returned a week later to find corn, broccoli, kale, zucchini, and other squashes growing.  Guerrilla gardening at its best!

UBC Farm's apples ripening, taking their sweet time

I've visited the UBC Farm a few times as well. It's more beautiful than ever!  There were cows grazing the land during the past year, the chickens are still happily laying their eggs, huge garlic braids are hanging from the harvest hut, and I was really impressed with the apple orchard.  

I started an internship with the Environmental Youth Alliance, a non-profit organization that runs a number of workshops, projects, and programs food, environmental, and sustainability-related.  I've had the opportunity to visit the EYA's own garden in Strathcona, and it's a lot of fun to walk through as well.  And let's not forget that they're growing some cool varieties of veggies, including Dosakai cucumber, a crunch yellow and round variety, and Lacinato kale.

My aunt's garden provided a huge crop of zucchini and green beans, while my grandparents' garden is giving them way more swiss chard than they can handle (not a problem for me).  I'm babysitting my sister's tomato plant and even that seems to be doing well.   In all, a very good edible summer!

Guaranteed-to-put-a-smile-on-your-face-sandwich

In other news, I made the most delicious sandwich today.  I have never been so serious; and I've never said that about a sandwich before.  Mayo, mustard, cheese, avocado, turkey, tomato, spinach, cucumber.  Make sure to toast the bread so that the cheese melts.  Drizzle in a bit of balsamic vinegar for an added depth of flavour.