I have had a lot of support from Carol Funk from South East Helping Hands Foodbank as the Steinbach Fruit Share program has begun to grow. She arranged for an interview with Steinbach’s local radio and online news station to help spread the word about Fruit Share in our area. I met with Luke Reimer from Mix96.7 a few days ago and today the interview was posted on SteinbachOnline. I understand that a radio version of the interview will be broadcast as well. Many people in Steinbach read SteinbachOnline and listen to the local radio station so hopefully this will help increase the number of fruit owners and volunteers who contact us and we can continue to rescue more fruit!
Haskap Berries are Almost Ripe!
What are haskap berries you may ask?
Haskap berries, a.k.a. honey berries or blue honeysuckles, are a dark blue berry (just like blueberries) that are oblong in shape. Haskap’s are gaining popularity due to their hardiness and nutritional benefits. Coming from Japan and Russia, different haskap varieties are now being developed at the University of Saskatchewan. Already there are at least 5 different varieties available in local nurseries and greenhouses.
Haskaps are extremely hardy, ranking in at zone 2. Plants can over winter in temperatures as low as -45 degrees Celsius. The flowers are hardy down to -7 degrees Celsius which comes in handy because they flower very early. Fruit is harvested mid-June, delightfully early compared to other fruits available in our zone.
Steinbach’s First Pick!
A very generous neighbour asked Fruit Share to harvest his rhubarb. We were able to pick about 20lbs of rhubarb from his three plants. 1/3 went to Southeast Helping Hands, Steinbach’s local food bank. The donation was well received and will be available next week during the Foodbank’s pick-up day.
A great start to Steinbach’s first Fruit Share season!
Thank you!
A Garden Workshop in Steinbach
Fruit Share Steinbach is affiliated with a group called South Eastman Transition Initiative (SETI). This is the transition movement in Steinbach that focuses on growing and buying local, encouraging community, and sharing how to tread more lightly on our planet. Fruit Share as a program fits extremely well into our Transition group because Fruit Share focuses on picking local fruit and sharing it within the community.
SETI has regular monthly meetings on the fourth Thursday of every month. This month’s meeting has an organic gardening theme. I encourage you to join us and learn about:
- Basic planting, weeding, and seeding techniques.
- Sheet mulching instead of tilling sod to prepare you garden.
- Companion planting, crop rotation, mulching, and green manure.
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