One of the most important themes of the 5-2-1-0 Challenge at Valley Natural Foods from June 9 – July 6 is encouraging our children to eat more fruits and vegetables. The program states that children should eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. We all know that it isn’t easy to get kids to try new things. So Kirsten, our Fresh Foods Educator at Valley Natural Foods, has made it easy for families by providing a series of fresh kid-friendly recipes at her Sunday and Wednesday demos from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. during the month of June. She takes tried and true kid favorites such as burgers or sloppy joes and adds vegetables or fruits to the recipes, giving these tired meals a new, exciting twist. What a neat, but sneaky way to get your kids to enjoy eating healthy! At each demonstration you can try a sample, grab the recipe and get a coupon for savings on the ingredients.

Look for all of Kirsten’s past recipes on our Pinterest page.

Visit Kirsten at our demo kiosk from 3:00-6:00 p.m. on these days:

Sunday, June 2 – Hawaiian Chicken Burger   Preview of ingredients: ground chicken, diced red onion, fresh ginger, garlic, pineapple slice, and provolone cheese slices.

Wednesday, June 5 – Curried Potato Salad Preview of Ingredients: potatoes, garbanzo beans, peas, garlic, onion, ginger, cilantro, cayenne pepper, curry powder and Greek yogurt.

Sunday, June 9 – Lamb Sliders    Preview of ingredients: ground lamb, onions, Greek yogurt, red onions, cucumbers, tomatoes.

Wednesday, June 12 – Fruit Salad with Honey Yogurt Sauce  Preview of ingredients: fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, coconut palm sugar and cinnamon.

Sunday, June 16 – Turkey Broccoli Burgers Preview of ingredients: broccoli and ground turkey.

Wednesday, June 26 – Pizza Joe Preview of ingredients: sloppy joe mixture with pepperoni and vegetables.

Sunday, June 30 – Chicken with Sweet and Spicy Nectarine Sauce  Preview of ingredients: chicken breasts and nectarines.

Learn more about Valley Natural Foods’ 5-2-1-0 Challenge from June 9 – July 2013.

presents the first of the season

COMPOST TEA SALE

Saturday, May 18, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., outside at the Valley Natural Foods garden center

Come learn about Compost Tea from Karen Graham,  the brewer of EarthTea (763-551-9572, EarthTea@comcast.net). Karen will tell what compost tea is, how it’s brewed, how to apply it, and what you can expect from using it in your gardens and yards.

You will have the opportunity to purchase this concentrated product that day, and will be given plenty of instructions about how to use it once you get home. It is highly perishable, so ideally you will apply it that same day.

YOU WILL NEED TO BRING YOUR OWN CLEAN BUCKET, and will purchase by-the gallon. One gallon will cover 100 square feet. The diluted tea can be delivered with a hand watering can to each plant, and is beneficial as a foliar feed as well as a soil rebuilder.

One gallon will cost $7.99

The ideal bucket will be a clean 5-gallon type, but any gallon container with a lid will do to transport it home.

Benefits of compost tea use:
• Rebuild your soil’s ability to hold water, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus
• Convert minerals into biologically available forms for plant uptake
• Promote deeper, more vigorous root growth
• Improve plants’ ability to cope with heat and drought
• Grow more robust plants and nutritionally dense foods

Click here for EarthTea application instructions!

From June 9 – July 6, 2013, Valley Natural Foods will sponsor the 5-2-1-0 Challenge for its young, elementary-school age shoppers.

5-2-1-0 is an initiative recommended by the American Academy of Pediatricians that seeks to help kids live a healthy lifestyle through the program’s 4 themes. The co-op is offering many fun, free educational activities and much more to get kids revved up to live well!

The Radio Disney team will introduce kids to the 5-2-1-0 themes through dance and movement activities on Sunday, June 9th from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on the front lawn of Valley Natural Foods. Stop by the Wellness department once every week of the program, starting Sunday, June 9th too, to get your 5-2-1-0 Progress Chart toward the program’s goals, coupons and additional information.

The 5-2-1-0 programming includes kids’ cooking,  gardening and theatre classes.  Other 5-2-1-0 offerings include exercise and geocaching activities led by representatives from Dakota County Parks.  Learn more about each 5-2-1-0 activity on our latest education flyer.

Turn in your completed 5-2-1-0 Progress Chart to the wellness department from July 7-11 to receive a prize and be entered to win one of two family passes to the Minnesota Zoo (valued at $77 each). A random drawing will take place on July 12.

Discover lots of healthy recipes that your family will enjoy during Kirsten’s Fresh Foods demonstrations every Wednesday and Sunday in June at Valley Natural Foods’ demo kiosk.  Supporting the 5-2-1-0 theme of five fruits and vegetables daily, her recipes will give parents, quick, easy ways to incorporate fresh foods into fun, flavor-packed meals.

You must pre-register your child for all 5-2-1-0 activities 36 hours in advance, except for the Radio Disney Kickoff at Valley Natural Foods, by calling 952-891-1212 ext. 221 or online: http://www.eventbee.com/v/valleynaturalfoods/boxoffice

&nbsp

We just received a special delivery of gardening goodness from Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Organics Recycling Facility! Garden center customers are welcome to bring their own 5-gallon pails or purchase special, heavy-duty reusable bags for $1.00. This special organic blend of composted manure sells for only $1.99 per 5 gallon bucket or bag full. See garden center staff for assistance.

Visit www.smscorf.com to learn more about Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Organics Recycling Facility.

This is no ordinary compost! The blend being delivered here consists of 40% composted horse manure, 40% composted dairy manure, and 20% Minnesota Origin sphagnum peat moss.  The horse manure is from Canterbury Race Track and the dairy manure is from a local dairy farm.

Compost Blend Testing Data (based on as-received basis)

Organic Nitrogen  --  0.69%
Plant Available N  --  0.03%
Phosphorus (as P2O5)  --  0.42%
Potassium (as K2O)  --  1.10%
Calcium  --  1.80%
Magnesium  --  0.76%
Sulfate  --  160 mg/kg
Boron  --  24 mg/kg
pH  --  7.37
Bulk Density  --  33 pounds/cubic foot
Carbonates (as CaCO3)  --  83 pounds/ton
Organic Matter  --  54.8%
Ash (Mineral)  --  45.2%
Metals (503 USEPA)    --  Pass (all 6% or less of limits)

NOTE: Compost is a soil amendment and should never constitute 100% of any planting media.  Organics Recycling Facility recommends that their product be mixed approximately 50% with native mineral soils or blended 30% compost to 70% topsoil.  Another option in the case of existing perennial plants is to side dress the material near the root zone of the plants.  Plants will respond nicely if combined with a nitrogen sources such as fish emulsion.

Join us at our Garden Center on Sunday, May 19 at 12:00 p.m.  Gardens of Eagan will be here to demonstrate how they graft tomato plants!

BHN 589 and New Girl are two grafted tomato varieties that are available at the Garden Center.

Spring is a time for awakening, transforming the dull, brown landscape and skeleton trees into buds, new greenery and new life. So why not breathe some of that new life into your tired weekday meals? Kirsten, our Fresh Foods Educator, has a May demo line-up that is sure to make your meals come alive, including something for everyone. Welcome spring by trying some fresh salads such as her Sweet and Smoky Dandelion Salad and her Spring Pea and Orzo Salad.  Maybe a salad is not your style and you are just in a rut, trying to figure out what to do with that beef roast, that ham or those chicken breasts. Serving them plain never seems to excite anyone but how can you change it up? Kirsten has just what you need to make those tired protein meal staples alluring again.

Come to her Fresh Foods demonstrations every Wednesday and Sunday from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m to taste a sample, get the recipe and a coupon. Looking for one of Kirsten’s past recipes? Find them on Pinterest!

Kirsten’s May Fresh Foods Demonstrations

(includes basic list of products used from fresh departments)

May 1 – Crockpot Tex-Mex Shredded Beef

Produce: Fresh corn
Meat: Down in the Valley beef roast

May 5  – Caprese Chicken Saute

Produce:  Yellow and red tomatoes
Meat: Chicken breast
Deli: Fresh Mozzarella cheese and garlic bread crisps from bakery

May 8 – Sweet and Smoky Dandelion Salad

Produce: Dandelion greens and red leaf lettuce
Meat: Down in the Valley ham
Deli: Blue cheese crumbles

May 12 – Baked Goat Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes and Crisp Garlic Bread

Produce: Cherry tomatoes
Deli: Goat cheese and garlic crisps

May 15 – Spinach Feta Turkey Burger

Produce: Spinach
Meat: Ground turkey
Deli: Feta cheese

May 19 – Rainbow Pasta Toss

Produce: Yellow and green zucchini
Meat: Pepperoni

May 26 – Spring Pea and Orzo Salad

Produce: Spring Peas
Deli: Rotissere chicken

May 29 – Coconut Ginger Chicken with Curry Rice

Produce: Shredded carrots
Meat: Chicken breast
Deli: Brown rice

Our new garden center is now open!

Look for us in the SE corner of Valley Natural Foods parking lot! Sustainable and organic vegetable plants, herbs and flowering plants produced locally from Gardens of Eagan, Green Earth Growers and Glacial Ridge are available. Also, look for high quality, organic garden products and compost at the garden center. And did we mention that our hanging baskets are just loaded with stunning color!

Unique heirloom and hybrid tomato and pepper varieties have arrived and will add extra excitement for your home or community garden plot! For a list of those tomato and pepper varieties, CLICK HERE to see exciting descriptions for Hillbilly, Purple Russian, Chocolate Stripe and Indigo Rose tomatoes, or Tequila Sunrise, Red Knight, Ghost, Georgia Flame peppers and much much more!

Available NOW in our produce department are organic seed potatoes and bare root alliums (onions). Click the links for available varieties and growing instructions.

Check out our It’s Gardening Time Pinterest board for garden ideas and inspiration!

Time to GET GROWING!

From all of the snacks in your goodie bags, the t-shirt and customized race bib, the benefits for being a participant in Valley Natural Foods’ 2013 Run for Hope 5K  on May 4, 2013 are growing by the minute.

Now we have an additional benefit that can help you get your garden started this year.

Any registered Run for Hope 5K runner with receive one FREE herb plant from Gardens of Eagan!

So if you haven’t registered yet, now is the time. Join our other 164registered runners today! Get your garden off to the right start!

And remember, all registration proceeds benefit a wonderful non-profit organization, Hope for Tomorrow Mentoring and your donation is 100% tax deductible.

Don’t forget to stop by Valley Natural Foods’ Garden Center after the race for all  of your organic and sustainable gardening needs. The Garden Center is open starting May 2 in the Valley Natural Foods parking lot.

It’s a new month and a new sales period! The current sales period runs May 1-21, 2013.

April-May 2013 Co+op Deals Coupon Book are available at Valley Natural Foods near the produce department and at customer service.

SMART TIP: Match-up coupons with new sale items for extra savings. Check out the list below:

Selected varieties of NATURE’S  PATH BOXED CEREAL are on sale for $3.49-3.89. Take an extra $1.00 off with coupon.

Selected varieties of CROFTER’S Fruit Spreads are on sale for $2.49-2.99. Take an extra $.50 off with coupon.

Selected varieties of LITTLE BEAR/BEARITOS 16 oz. Tortilla Chips are on sale for $2.89. Take an extra $1.00 off with coupon. (Wow – only $1.89 final price!)

Selected varieties of LITTLE BEAR/BEARITOS 16 oz. Refried Beans are on sale for $1.79. Take an extra $1.00 off with coupon. (Wow – only $.79 final price!)

SEVENTH GENERATION 12-packs of Natural Unbleached Toilet Paper is on sale for $5.79. Take an extra $1.00 off with coupon.

Selected varieties of ALMOND DREAM Dream Frozen Dessert are on sale for $2.99. Take an extra $1.00 off with coupon. (Wow – only $1.99 final price!)

Selected varieties of RISING MOON ORGANICS 16 oz. Frozen Ravioli are on sale for $4.79. Take an extra $1.00 off with coupon.

ORGANIC INDIA Shatavari Wellness Supplement is on sale for $14.99. Take an extra $2.00 off with coupon.

Don’t forget to visit our online coupons link for even more coupons. Enjoy the savings!

Valley Natural Foods will be selling little peat pellets in our garden products area. Using peat pellets  for seeds makes it easy to get an early start on your garden, with less mess!

1. To prepare the pellets for planting, arrange them side by side in a shallow tray. Add enough warm water to cover the pellets, add more water as needed until they are fully expanded (1 ½ inches high).

2. When the pellets have reached their full size, pour off any excess water. Pull the netting back from the top, fluff up the peat a little and make it level. Pellets should be moist but not saturated. Use a needle/pencil point to make one to three shallow planting holes in the top of each pellet (one when the seed is large, three when using smaller seeds), spaced as far apart as possible. Plant the seeds into the holes about 1/4 inch, then press lightly with your thumb to cover the holes. Label each pellet.

3. Cover the tray with plastic. Keep the pellets in a warm area, between 70-80 degrees, but out of direct sunlight. An electric germination mat works well.  As soon as the seeds germinate, poke holes in the plastic tent to increase ventilation and to prevent overheating.  Watch for condensation; wipe it out daily.

4. When the pellets begin to turn a lighter brown and dry out, add warm water to the tray. Remember that at this stage they have to stay moist but not soaking wet. After germination, reduce watering slightly, but do not let the seedlings dry out.

5. When the seedlings show their second set of true leaves, remove the plastic and reduce watering. Place the tray in a south-facing window where it receives at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. At this stage, best temperatures for the seedlings are 60 to 70 degrees during the day. Turn the tray daily to keep the stems growing straight. (Plants are heliotropic, which means they turn toward the light.)

6. As the seedlings begin to crowd each other, use scissors to thin them to one per pellet, snipping off the weak ones. Don’t pull out the extras; you may unintentionally pull up the one you want to keep, because the roots are tangled underneath.

7. Three to four weeks after the seeds have germinated, or when the third leaf appears, begin applying diluted liquid fertilizer.

8. When the roots begin to grow through the bottoms of the pellets, it’s time to transfer them into the garden.  Even though the mesh is biodegradable, it’s a good idea to gently tear it off before planting to allow the roots to stretch out easily.