The high school graduation season is Here! Let Valley Natural Foods catering take care of all your graduation party foods. Ask our deli staff for ideas—we’ll even help you plan your event! We make everything from Chicken Wings to tasty Sandwich Wraps platters. Call our deli staff at 952-891-1212, ext. 228 and they will be happy to answer questions about our deli platters.

Right now, if you order any three deli platters for your graduation party, we will add a free, freshly-baked, quarter-sheet size cake, personalized for the graduate!

Save $2.00 on any deli platter with an online coupon!

Opening day for Mill City Farmers Market was on Saturday, May 12. Our very own Down in the Valley Bakehouse was there for the first time and it was a success! Just about everything they brought was sold—but really, it was the number of visitors at the booth and their comments  that defined that success.

Many visitors came by our booth simply because they saw us on the Mill City Farmers Market website. Others ate samples and then made purchases whether they were on a gluten-free diet or not, because our gluten-free products were “that good!”

“Will you be here next week?” was the most common question asked by visitors. And what a joy to have one of the other vendors ask us to let gluten-free customers know they would make sandwiches for them using our gluten-free bread buns on request!

Down in the Valley Bakehouse will be at the Mill City Farmers Market every 2nd-Saturday of the month for the entire market season!

Down in the Valley Bakehouse is Valley Natural Foods’ tasty 100% gluten-free product line. Visit the bakehouse on Facebook and LIKE us for sweet updates!

Check out our online coupons to enjoy savings on a Down in the Valley Bakehouse cookie of your choice!

The Run for Hope 5k  is tomorrow, May 12, bright and early at 8:00 a.m. at Valley Natural Foods! Read about the race in The Sun, This Week online.

As a participant, not only is your donation benefiting local youth mentoring organization, Hope for Tomorrow, it also entitles you to be in a drawing for some great prizes!

This year, we are giving away Valley Natural Foods  gift cards for the Top 3 Male, Top 3 Female and Top 3 Children (16 and under) finishers along with Run N Fun gift certificates!  Gift cards will be mailed to the winners after the results are tabulated!!  We will also be doing a drawing for a blender compliments of Dakota Electric, a Mavea water pitcher, a $50 gift card to Becker Furniture World,  Meal Measure portion control plates, Run N Fun socks and a  free family wellness package compliments of Premier Life Chiropractic in Apple Valley.  The drawings will take place after race day, and winners will be notified to pick-up the items at Valley Natural Foods.

Also, all race participants will receive a free swag bag full of goodies and a t-shirt ( as quantities allow; not guaranteed for participants that register the day of the race). Also, don’t miss out on the FREE bananas, water and Chobani yogurt on the day of the race!

There is still time to register on race day if you haven’t already!  Come one, come all and enjoy a fun Saturday morning of running at the co-op!

Looking for a unique  read that is not only compelling and empowering, but also supports our local organic food community? Purchase the newly released book, Turn Here Sweet Corn, by Atina Diffley, author and co-owner of Organic Farming Works, LLC at Valley Natural Foods for only $24.95.  Save an extra 10% off all books daily! This is an extremely popular book selection amongst Valley Natural Foods customers and staff.

Do meet and learn more about Atina during her live FREE presentation/talk on July 10th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Valley Natural Foods. Be sure to register 24 hours before the event!  Register online, in-store or by calling 952-891-1212 ext. 221.

Immediately upon reading the first couple of sentences you will be caught up in the swift moving, vivid and dramatic story of Atina and Martin Diffley.  Atina eloquently writes about the romance, challenges and triumphs that went into developing and maintaining  the Gardens of Eagan organic farm, located right within the south metro! Since opening in 1973, Gardens of Eagan has grown right alongside the Twin Cities food co-ops, including Valley Natural Foods. Atina and Martin have helped develop the organic movement in Minnesota and have been instrumental in educating and serving shoppers.  Through Atina’s crisp, compelling imagery, discover the beauty of nature, the risks, vulnerabilities and science behind organic farming, along with the power of consumers to make a change.  This is ultimately a book about survival and resilience against all possible odds whether it be hail, crazy storms, suburban development or  intrusion of  a crude oil pipeline.  Overall, it is about making organic farming work and expressing its value to people and the planet. Learn  more about Atina and Martin Diffley here.

Finding special treats for Mother’s Day is as easy as visiting your neighborhood co-op!

For starters, our deli team suggests a Mother’s Day tea and treat basket complete with a ceramic tea pot. Just ask our friendly staff for gluten-free or non gluten-free options and we’ll put one together for you. Other ideas include deli-baked and frosted mini heart cakes, decorated sugar cookies and picnic cakes. Or how about locally-produced French Nugget treats wrapped in a pink organza bag!

Our wellness department has great suggestions too. On sale right now are locally-produced Veridiatas essential oils. At 20% off, you can get several different varieties for mom at a great price. There’s also a variety of lotions, hair products and pretty soaps too.

If mom loves to garden, we have organic seeds and several bedding plants to choose from.  Locally grown floral hanging baskets from Green Earth Growers have been a hit this week – shop now for best selection.

Valley Natural Foods would like to wish all mothers a very happy and relaxing Mother’s Day!

Three weeks ago, Green Earth Growers delivered a beautiful shipment of cool season bedding plants and they’ve been selling well! Still available is a nice selection of  kales, squash mixes, cole mixes and  chards.

Recently, a second shipment of bedding plants has arrived which includes a wonderful variety of tomatoes, peppers and herbs. Ever hear of an Isis Candy cherry tomato? It’s a golden yellow heirloom with red marbling and tastes as sweet as candy! We have those and other fun heirlooms like Brown Berry Cherry, Eva Purple Ball, Hillbilly and others for sale. Are you more of a pepper fan? We have those too in hot or sweet varieties. Stay tuned – more varieties of bedding plants will be arriving shortly!

The average last frost date for the Twin Cities this year was between May 10 and May 15 which means it’s time to get planting, if you have not already!

Look for pretty floral hanging baskets while you’re here, also grown by Green Earth Growers.

Visit our online coupons page and save on bedding plants! Coupon good through May 29, while supplies last.

Some things are worth waiting for, especially the Mill City Farmers Market!  The Mill City Farmers Market will open this Saturday and Down in the Valley Bakehouse will be there selling scrumptious gluten-free goodies.

Celebrate Mother’s Day early with local fresh-foods, art and authors.  Stop by our booth for a chocolate chip cookie just like grandma’s or treat mom to a slice of dairy-free banana bread.  Other vendors will feature asparagus, arugula, baby lettuce, carrots, spinach, nettles, herbs, snow peas, radishes, and much more, including spring’s favorite “fruit” -  rhubarb!  Here’s a map to the market.

Down in the Valley Bakehouse is Valley Natural Foods’ tasty 100% gluten-free product line.  Like Down in the Valley Bakehouse on Facebook for sweet updates.

Celebrate World Fair Trade Day!

Your purchase of products from Alaffia, Alter Eco, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, Equal Exchange, Guayaki Yerba Mate and Maggie’s Organics this month helps support Fair Trade and small farmers; a portion of each purchase will be donated to Root Capital.

Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund that provides loans and financial training to small and growing rural businesses in Africa and Latin America. The participating companies are strong supporters of Fair Trade principles, including stable and fair prices for farmers, organic and sustainable agriculture practices, and community-led development projects.

Learn more about Root Capital at www.rootcapital.org. Learn about World Fair Trade Day at www.fairtraderesource.org.

Valley Natural Foods is very proud to give the Kindest Cut truck a home in its parking lot today, May 7th, through the afternoon.

If you are unable to afford to spay or neuter your pet, you should call and make an appointment because there are openings: 763-468-SPAY (7729).

Employees at Valley Natural Foods got the opportunity to go inside the truck and see the operation in action along with meeting the Kindest Cut staff.

Rest assured that your animal is in good hands! The  staff definitely lives up to their name as they are  very  kind, loving, compassionate and professional toward these furry little creatures. There are lots of hugs to go around and lots of calming words. You can tell they are committed to the animals and providing the best service possible.

We also learned that spaying and neutering your pet is important to its health!  Dr.  Meghann Kruck, the Kindest Cut’s lead licensed veterinarian, said that it is best to spay or neuter your cat or dog before it is six months old to reduce the risk of developing cancer.  Also, it helps prevent animal homelessness!  Of the 70,000 puppies and kittens  born in the United States each day, more than 60% of them are unwanted and will be abandoned, oftentimes brought to a shelter or rescue organization. Kindest Cut and Animal Humane Society believe animals in our community deserve better (and Valley Natural Foods too!)

Kindest Cut,  a mobile surgical unit that offers to spay or neuter the pets of low-income individuals and families, is coming to Valley Natural Foods on Monday, May 7!

Look for their truck in the Valley Natural Foods parking lot from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. !           

All Kindest Cut fees are significantly and generously subsidized by supporters of the Animal Humane Society.  Because there is no longer an animal humane society in Burnsville, Valley Natural Foods is proud to host this service for the local community.

Individuals and families must qualify for the service through proof of participation in a government assistance program.

Fees range from $40-$100, dependent upon the size of the animal. This is a fraction of the cost of standard veterinary practices that range from $100 to $300.

Kindest Cut takes in 30-40 animals per day, including cats, dogs and rabbits.  All animals are dropped off at 7:30 a.m. and picked up at 5:00 p.m.

Valley Natural Foods will host the Kindest Cut service every other month; dates are forthcoming.

Find out more at http://www.kindestcutmn.com or call 763-468-SPAY (7729).