It’s BBQ season and we’ve stocked up on Woodstock natural Lump Hardwood Charcoal, Mesquite Wood Chips and Apple Wood Chips for tastier outdoor grilling!

Want something fun to do while your food is cooking? Woodstock sent us an outdoor game kit, including everything you need for volleyball and badminton, horseshoes, flying disk and other items all tucked into a nifty sport tote bag. This kit just begs to be enjoyed outside but someone has to WIN it first! Stop by the co-op this week and look for our displays of Woodstock Charcoal and Wood Chips where you will also find entry slips for a chance to win this game kit!

A random drawing will take place on May 28, 2012 and winner will be notified.

Sales of our bedding plants this year have been so hot, that we’ve had to bring in another new  shipment of fabulous veggies and herb plants from Green Earth Growers for your gardening needs! This time something hotter than you can imagine has come with this shipment—yes, it’s the legendary Ghost Pepper Plant!

Last year, having a few ghost peppers growing in our co-op community gardens and finally selling them on our produce shelves was a super hot topic here at Valley Natural Foods. This year, Green Earth Growers agreed to start ghost pepper plants for us and we now have them for sale for the first time ever! We anticipate they will sell like wildfire, so come in soon for best selection. Beware however, for these peppers are ridiculously spicy yet equally delicious.

Other neat plants you’ll find here are many heirloom tomato varieties like Northern Lights, Kellogg’s Breakfast, Black Krim, Green Grape and more. Our pepper assortment includes California Wonder, Orange Sun, Thai Chili, Tabasco and of course the Ghost Pepper! Also, we have herbs too like English Thyme, Cilantro, Flat Leaf Parsley, Catnip and Rosemary.

Check out our online coupons and find one for any bedding plant!

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!

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.

The average last frost date for the Twin Cities usually happens around mid-May. But that has not stopped a few of our co-op community gardeners from starting a few things right now in their garden plots—yes, our community gardens are now officially open! Plot reservations filled up quickly for the 2012 season, however  four plots have just become available again and we are offering them to anyone interested on a first come, first served basis.

If you are hoping to get involved with us in our co-op community gardens, now is the time to act by contacting Gary Johnson at community@valleynaturalfoods.com or 952-891-1212, ext. 236. You may also inquire about availability at customer service.

If you like celebrating Cinco de Mayo, check out what your friendly neighborhood co-op has to offer to make the 5th of May a yummy day!

Our produce department makes Garden Fresh Salsa! Being one of our best sellers, this salsa is made almost daily in order to keep up with demand! Pairs nicely with locally grown and produced Whole Grain Milling Tortilla Chips. Do you like guacamole? Pick up some organic avocados, and mash the flesh with a few spoonfuls of our salsa for the best tasting guacamole ever! Or purchase a delicious container of Yucatan Organic Guacamole for convenience!

Visit our meat department for some awesome house-made Chorizo, made with Hidden Stream Farm pork and our own Chorizo spice recipe. Ask our staff for some great ideas on how to prepare it in the oven or on the grill!

In the deli you will find delicious Aztec Quinoa Salad at our service counter. We’re also carrying Campesino Fresco Authentic Mexican Cheese and Quesadilla Cheese in our specialty cheese cooler. Just ask our deli staff for Cinco de Mayo suggestions!

And don’t forget the cake! Our popular Mexican Chocolate cake with buttercream frosting is always a hit for Cinco de Mayo or any occasion!

Check out our online coupons to enjoy savings on all items mentioned here! Coupons good through May 15, 2012, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST.