Freshly harvested rhubarb, chopped and packaged into four-cup portions for freezing. A key step in our food preservation efforts, ensuring this vibrant, tart bounty can be enjoyed all year long.
Freshly harvested rhubarb, chopped and packaged into four-cup portions for freezing. A key step in our food preservation efforts, ensuring this vibrant, tart bounty can be enjoyed all year long.

Rhubarb Rhapsody

By Jamie Bell
Freshly harvested rhubarb, chopped and packaged into four-cup portions for freezing. A key step in our food preservation efforts, ensuring this vibrant, tart bounty can be enjoyed all year long.

From Garden to Freezer: Embracing Food Security with Rhubarb!

There’s nothing quite like the vibrant, tart taste of freshly harvested rhubarb – a flavour that is both sharp and sweet, with a unique tang that brightens any dish.

Our first harvest of the year has just yielded these beautiful, bright green and pink stalks, carefully chopped and packaged into convenient four-cup bags for freezing. From refreshing rhubarb slush drinks to our absolute favourite, strawberry-rhubarb crisp, these versatile stalks are ready to transform into a myriad of delicious treats. This simple act of harvesting and preserving is more than just meal prep; it’s a tangible step towards greater food security in our community, ensuring we have access to fresh, seasonal produce year-round.

The Sweet Rewards of Sustainable Agriculture

This abundant harvest is a testament to the incredible journey we’ve been on, deeply immersing ourselves in the world of food systems and sustainable agriculture. Thanks to last year’s invaluable pilot programming with Manitoba Agriculture and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, our understanding and appreciation for where our food comes from has blossomed. We’ve learned the critical importance of responsible land stewardship, efficient resource management, and the cyclical beauty of growing our own local foods. This connection to the earth, from planting to harvest, has truly enriched our lives and deepened our commitment to practices that support both our local community and building relationships with the wider food sector.

Lush green rhubarb leaves unfurl, reaching for the sun as the plant grows taller in anticipation of harvest.
Lush green rhubarb leaves unfurl, reaching for the sun as the plant grows taller in anticipation of harvest.

Preserving the Bounty: A Delicious Future

The process of food preservation has become a cornerstone of our efforts, allowing us to extend the joy of our harvest well beyond the growing season. Freezing these four-cup portions of rhubarb means we can enjoy its unique flavour in the depths of winter, reducing waste and maximizing the bounty of our garden. This hands-on experience has truly solidified our passion for all aspects of sustainable agriculture, from the soil to the supper table.

We’re excited for all the culinary creations to come, knowing each bite is a product of sustainable practices and a growing understanding of our vital role in the food system. And this, our first harvest of the year, is barely just the beginning!

Filed Under: Manitoba, ontario, SDG 15, SDG 2

This project was supported by:

Come Eat With Me 2025 is a vibrant reflection on the foods, stories, and sustainable agriculture initiatives that shaped this year’s program. Rooted in the success of last year’s pilot and informed by years of climate-focused food security work, this exhibit offers a sensory journey through community-grown harvests, wild-foraged knowledge, and land-based innovation. It celebrates the hands that plant, prepare, and preserve, showcasing how food connects us across cultures and generations. More than a meal, it’s a shared act of resilience and creativity.