This past Saturday, August 26th, was a very special day in the garden! There were many new faces at our garden work party in the morning and we got lots done- check out the new borders on the herb gardens next time you stop by!
Hard at work creating herb garden borders out of reclaimed wood!
After the work party, we were fortunate enough to have a tomato varietal tasting with Shirlene from Earth Apple Organic Farm. We tried over 8 different tomatoes, with shades ranging from bright yellow to totally black! Thank you Shirlene!
Learning about the history of many different tomato varieties.
With that informative introduction, the tomato-themed potluck began! There were dishes from several different cultures made by many garden bed and community members. Highlights included tomato quinoa casserole, gazpacho, bruschetta, sundried tomato pasta, caprese salad, and more. Thank you very much to everyone who participated! What a yummy lunch!
Fresh dishes being enjoyed at the potluck!
The day was made extra special due to a visit from the Honourable Minister of Justice Jody Wilson-Raybould. We all enjoyed having Jody in the garden, digging into the soil, chatting with community members, and enjoying a plate from the tomato-themed potluck!
MP Jody Wilson-Raybould with Norm Dooley and Dr Art Bomke.
A message from Bernard Higham, Constituency Coordinator:
"Thank you so much for the kind (and very delicious) invitation for Jody and myself to the Riley Park Community Garden tomato gathering! Jody deeply enjoyed getting the chance to stretch her legs and have some great conversations with the attending folks out in Riley Park on a lovely day. The garden is such a lovely concept! It heartens us to see a new substantive gathering location for the community. I hope that Riley Park serves as a template for future community gardens/social hubs."
MP Jody Wilson-Raybould with Ed Shum, a lifelong gardener.
Thank you to everyone who made this day possible! Look towards our calendar on the Events page to stay tuned for upcoming events!
