Heritage Month Day 20

Sunday, September 20

It’s harvest time across Canada. Farmers have been busy for weeks, bringing in their crops to ensure that we have food to put on our tables. There are many factors that make for a profitable season, such as adequate pest management, the ‘right’ weather – enough sun, enough rain – equipment maintenance, enough hands to bring in the harvest, and when the first frost arrives.

In Ukraine, farmers face all of these challenges plus such dangers as mines and unexploded ordnance in their fields, drones that hunt farmers in human safari, and the destruction of their operations, including fire set to their machinery and crops.

So today, I’m feeling grateful for all that farmers the world over face to get healthy food to our families and have made a donation to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation Humanitarian Appeal. I’m specifically thinking about Ukrainian families facing severe food shortages; a humanitarian crisis caused by terrorists.

There are other ways you can direct your support at the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, ranging from support for veterans, for children, to buoy medical supplies, and more.

Postcard Challenge – Pumpkins

Today’s postcard art is autumn themed and easy to do. Pumpkins.

I used watercolour paint, but you can use markers or crayons. You also need a fine black ink pen and, of course, a postcard.

I decided that since I had the paint out, I would do more than one card, a la production line.

First, I painted blobs in three different autumn colours, but you can use whatever colours you like. Then, I drew the stems, crooked. Finally, I drew a face on just one pumpkin to give it a Halloween vibe.

My message to a Defender was about autumn being my favourite season and how I love to go to the farmer’s market to get fresh vegetables to cook up soups for the winter. Including borscht.

FUN FACT: Ukrainian borscht is recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

If you’ve never made borscht, now is the season! You can find gazillions of recipes online, or ask a Baba in your neighbourhood to share hers. 😉

Don’t feel like the bother of cooking? Find a local restaurant or cultural centre that serves borscht. You’ll be glad you had some!

Tomorrow … wheat.

Each day through Ukrainian Heritage Month, we share an easy-to-do creative idea that you can try on your postcards to Defenders. 30 days. 30 cards. Simple art.

Our Ultimate Heritage Challenge to you, dear postcard warriors: one postcard per day during September. Try some of the postcard art ideas we offer through this month. Prizes will be drawn for three winners who have tried at least three different ideas that we’ve shared through the month of September. We’ll know because your cards will ‘show’ us.

Deadline: we must receive your Ukrainian Heritage Month challenge postcards in our mailbox by October 20.

Share your creative ideas with us, and any other ways in which you acknowledge Ukrainian Heritage Month.

Email your ideas and images to us along with a brief explanation and we’ll share: postcardstothefront.canada@gmail.com

Tag us on Instagram, Facebook, Threads. We’d love to share your stories with others. Don’t forget to tag the creators whose ideas you use.

IG and Threads: @postcardstothefront_canada   @ukrainian.heritage.month

Facebook: ukrainianheritagemonthontario * uccontario

Tags: #ukrainianheritagemonth #ukrainianheritagemonthontario #standwithukraine #canadaukraine #postcardstothefrontcanada #postcardart