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June 18-19, '10 Organic Produce Gal's WEEKLY NEWS
Cheers to our Dads and Grads! |
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EPA rated to Clean and sanitize using electrically charged water! No chemicals, no empty bottles to throw away! | |
The "Ionator"
Just refill with water and spray dirt and germs away.
Lasts for up to 2 years!
If we order 8 units, we can get a special discount, call me if you want one!
Watch Bill Nye the Science Guy as he explains it here...
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Greetings Tim!
Headlining the news in organic produce world this week is the USDA's National Organics Program (NOP) announced Monday that it has reached a settlement agreement with the OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association) prohibiting the organization from operating in China. Upon audit by the NOP, this certifying body for organic products in and from China, faced allegations of conflict of interest issues with goevernment officials in China. You may recall a while back I mentioned something in a newsletter about checking your labels, asking about sources and suppliers, and looking for top quality standards in reference to organic products and food.
Once again, I reiterate the following statement by the Organic Trade Association, "The OTA supports strong enforcement of the regulation and also oversight of the certification agencies, which the current NOP staff is providing."
Regulation is a serious matter as we place our trust in these folks with our food supply to insure safety, purity, environmental concerns, and sustainability. We, at the farmstand, deal only with experienced, reputable suppliers and farmers. I have personally met with and interviewed leaders from the OTA, the CCOF (Calif. Certification of Organic Farmers), and the OFRF (Organic Farming Research Foundation). In other words, you can trust us! But never hesitate to ask questions, I'll do my best to get the answers...
Speaking of which, as soon as we find 4 business sponsors who are looking for a great target audience for commercials, "Kitchen Nutrition" will go back into production with a new season of original recipes, healthy cooking, and nutrition tips to answer your questions about "What do I do with this and why should I eat it?"
To help promote nutrition as part of a healthy lifestyle, I'm on the air Thursday mornings from 8-10:00am at ALIVE FM with Tracy Yohe, morning show host.
Tune in to 95.9 on your FM radio. We'll have some fun as we discuss the importance of being a good steward of our bodies and listen to some upbeat music.
Call us and say, "Hi!" it would be awesome to hear from you! And we ALWAYS give out prizes... 1-866-999-5934
To find out how you can help with OPG community outreach projects such as Kitchen Nutrition, the LHUSD Summer Lunch Program, for recipes (submit or request), or if you would like to get word of your product or service in front of a bunch of health conscious people, for ad/promo opportunites contact me, Becky, at organicproducegals@hotmail.com
or call (928)486-5414
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| PRODUCE IN THE NEWS...
Oh my, Summer crops are in full swing up here at the farmstand and as promised in our newspaper ad this week, we have some very, berry good specials! While in abundant supplies, berries are at the lowest prices so far this year and with optimal weather conditions and long daylight hours, they should be some of the best tasting, too. Let's make a pie or something for Dad!
In the melon department we'll have cantaloupe and two different sizes of red seedless watermelons, large and a mini icebox size (for those of you who want a smaller version). Last week the honeydews were not so popular and the price went up so we skipped over them this time.
Many folks ask us, "How do you select a great melon?" Well here's a comprehensive go to guide written by our friend at Albert's Organics, just click here for all you ever wanted to know about melon picking! http://blog.albertsorganics.com/?p=1007#more-1007
Stone fruits coming this week include a delicious, juicy variety of pluots (cross between the plum and apricot) and nectarines. Recent sales trends show us that nectarines are more popular than peaches, so, like the honeydew, we benched the peach for this week (at least until prices come down). Please keep in mind that with organic produce, ripening occurs much faster (no chemical ikky stuff to preserve, etc.) so keep a close eye on your fruit. I like to rotate items from my fruit basket to the fridge to keep a fresh ripe supply ready every couple of days.
Grape crops are also plentiful, with even lower pricing on the red flames this week. They make a cool snack when picked off the stem, rinsed, and placed in the freezer. Take them out and eat frozen for little sugar and chemical free grape "popsicle balls" with a healthy dose of vitamins to boot! While it can be tempting to load up on inexpensive grapes on the conventional market, remember that grapes are on the top ten dirty dozen list of toxic produce so GO ORGANIC!
We have two new apples making their debut this week... the New Zealand Jazz and a Pink Cripps variety form Argentina. Apples give us a challenge this time of year. In order to find a fresh crispy crop, we must turn to other parts of the world. Any apple that has USA on the label this time of year has been subject to prolonged cold CA storage and will break down, become spotty, and be poor quality in general. Look for a batch of Fujis from New Zealand as well, they'll be worth the extra few cents, we guarantee!
After a long timeout on the bench, we have our favorite lacinato kale coming back to the plate. These lovely antioxidant-rich greens make a nice addition to salads, stir fry dishes, soups, and best of all, a great kale chip when baked for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Another one coming back to us is our purple potatoes, yay! Just in time for a Father's Day BBQ.
Oh, last but not least we have some enzyme-rich Hawaiin papaya and making their first appearance this year are the Pinkerton Avocados. This is a nice, buttery, smooth variety, next best thing to the famous "bacon" avocado, which according to many, is second to none!
Rhonda Jo, CEO Deanna, Mgr. |
ON SPECIAL THIS WEEK...  Green Beans $3.75 1lb bag Broccoli Crowns only $2.99 pkg (approx. 1lb) Corn, Bi-Color only $.99 each! Kale, Lacinato $1.95 bunch Peas, Sugar Snap $2.95 1/2lb bag Tomatoes, Roma still only $2.75 1lb bag
Pinkerton Avocados $.99 each
and here are some berry good specials... Blackberries $3.50 6oz pkg
Blueberries $3.25 1 pint pkg
Raspberries $3.50 6oz pkg
Strawberries $3.50 1lb pkg
Grapes, Seedless, Green $5.25 2lb bag
Grapes, Seedless, Flame $4.75 2lb bag
click here for the pdf version of our complete list
click here for the .xls version of the list  |
PREORDERING
Pre-ordering is available for a nominal service fee of just $2.00. Here's how to do it:
In the QUICK LINKS column to the left, find CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER or click on the
.xls version of the list link in the block above.
1. The .xls version of the list will appear after a minute or so
2. Select desired items in the quantity column.
3. Add your name and phone number to the bottom of the list.
4. Save and name this form as a document.
6. ATTACH YOUR ORDER & SEND. I'll reply with an "I got it!" email.
You may alo reply to this email with a list of your selections in your own format and we can transfer it to our order sheet.
Any way you do it, we'll have your order packed and ready for convenient pickup any time after 9am Friday morning. Please send your order by 7am Friday and pick up no later than NOON on Saturday. Just call if you will be late, unable to pick up, or if you would like to make arrangements for an alternate pickup time in advance, so we can accomodate you or restock the produce so it can find a good home!
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QUICK LINKS...More Info:
You'll find many helpful sites just by looking in the "Quick Links" box in the left column of this newsletter.
For our OPG Recipe of the Week, simply click on the link in the quicklinks column in the left margin, or click here http://organicproducegals.com/recipes.html and you'll get straight to my kitchen! Note: the "recipe card" option on the header graphic only works when clicked on our website)
This week's recipe features one of our grilling favorites... SHAKE-N-GRILL VEGGIES. Great for a BBQ, can be prepared in advance, and requires very little cleanup. This recipe came from my neighbor Andy W. a few years ago, we've been making it ever since! Thanks Andy!
BEFORE AFTER You can learn to "take charge of your nutrition" by watching "Kitchen Nutrition" on
Now here's another one... To obtain a discount and lots of information on a Vitamix Blender go to www.vitamix.com and enter coupon code #21-000039. There is also a two speed model (Turboblend 4500) that is almost the same as the one on the website, but has a simple low and high speed option vs. 10 speeds (and a much lower price!) This is the model I use... get 'er going, then crank it up 'til smooth!
And to put it all together, check out Mary Jane's Farm Magazine for organic living at its best. Here's the website, tell 'em I sent you! www.maryjanesfarm.org |
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ANNOUNCING OUR NEW SUMMER HOURS!
OUR FARMSTAND IS NOW OPEN on
FRIDAYS FROM 7:30AM-5PM and SATURDAYS FROM 7:30am-3pm
That's right... now with longer daylight hours, we can get a head start on our day, so we are able to open earlier!
As always, RAIN OR SHINE! Come find us at the TOP of Cherry Tree Blvd--
Just head up the hill on McCulloch Blvd. , turn UP Cherry tree Blvd. and you'll find us at the end of the road... at the entrance of the lovely HAVASU FOOTHILLS ESTATES.
If you miss us during regular hours or will be away for the weekend, don't hesitate to check in by sending us an email or call to see what's left. We always have a little something left over.
Thanks for being our "Produce Pals", we appreciate you!
Many blessings,
Becky Bassham
"Organic Produce Gal"
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