I hope things are going well for you so far this summer!
Scroll down for the following:
Summer Fruit Time is Now!
Farm Tour (sadly) cancelled
Memorial Day specials and featured products
Help our friends at Hairston Creek Farm
Expansion update
Monks visit Wheatsville!
Come to a board meeting
Now is the time for fresh produce!
The summer fruit is really starting to come into season! Enjoy the best fruit season with
Cherries
Peaches from the Hill Country
Thus, in an age-old tradition, we are joining together to aid the Rowlands with both love, and financial support. Sarah and Gary Rowland are pioneers in the local food movement, beginning their farm in 1990. For all these years, they have grown nutritious food, with integrity and dedication, and provided it to consumers in the Austin area as well as in Burnet County. Sarah is a pillar in the Sunset Valley Farmers Market, helping to guide it to success with direction and faithful attendance for many years.
A fundraiser is planned for May 29, Thursday at 7 PM, at the sublimely beautiful Barr Mansion's Artisan Ballroom http://www.barrmansion.com/contactus.html (map). Chefs are always gracious at these times and many will prepare delicious tastings from food donated by area farmers, ranchers and producers. A silent auction will feature restaurant suppers, gift certificates, artisan crafts and works of art, etc. Suggested minimum donation at the door, or in advance at area farmers' markets and at BCF, is $20. Greater generosity is of course encouraged. For more information and to make donations via credit cards, visit http://www.rowland.austinfarm.org/. To send checks directly to the Rowlands, their address is
And shopping on a bicycle anytime, of course! For that, I use soft-sided coolers ('6-pack' size and larger) for frozen items. They fit in bike baskets or backpacks, and the frozen items get home just fine. On a long trip, put a plastic bottle half-filled with water in the freezer ahead of time--that's your 'ice' to keep things cool longer.
And, on a bicycle, you make your own breeze!"
Nectarines
Apricots
Blueberries
Wow! Drooling now!
A note about our stone fruit (Peaches, nectarines, plums, etc.)- we believe that these are best when ripe. We also believe that refrigerating them before they are ripe can make them mealy. We are against mealy stone fruit. So, we don't refrigerate ours. This means that our stone fruit will be ripe (or will ripen nicely in a paper bag) and be very delicious for you, the eater. However, this means that our fruit can be a little more delicate than the rock hard cold fruit at other grocers. So, handle with care, buy what you can eat in a day or two and come back for more! (Use a bib when eating the really ripe ones!)
If you find stone fruit that isn't ripe yet, the best way to ripen them is in a paper bag for a day or two at room temperature. Remember to check on them often. They can go from delicious to decomposed fairly quickly in our warm weather! (Did I mention wearing a bib?)
Thanks for all the nice e-mails last week replying to my !Peach Alert! It was great to hear from so many of you Peach Enthusiasts. (If you are not a peach enthusiast, it's probably because you ate one that wasn't ripe or that had been refrigerated and was mealy. Try one of our ripe ones and you may find yourself converted!)
The Farm Tour at Tecolote Farms is CANCELLED!
We're really sad, but we totally understand that the Tecolote folks are having some difficult times at the moment and instead of being fun, would just be a big extra burden right now. Katie and family have promised to reschedule with us, so we will do that, probably in the early Fall. You can read more about their travails including some action steps you can take to try and improve the water situation for farmers at http://wheatsville.coop/
Memorial Day in the Deli!
You can count on the Wheatsville Deli to fill all of your Memorial Day needs this holiday weekend and help you usher in summertime with friends, fun and fabulous FOOD! In the deli case, we will have an abundance of delicious staples like potato salads, coleslaw, pasta salads, beans and tons of tasty veggie sides to take along on your picnic or barbecue! If you want to enjoy the meat without having to bear the heat, pop in for some ready-to-eat Buddy's all-natural barbecued chicken pieces or grilled spice-rubbed ahi tuna steaks! And be sure to check out our bakery for some convenient grab-n-go sweet treats to take along on your picnic!
Don't forget to always check out our daily sandwich board in the deli for great and tasty sandwich specials!
Meat department specials!
Let's grill this weekend!!!!!
- Ribeyes for 15.99lb regular price 17.99lb
- Pederson's kielbasa sausage 4.89 each regular 4.99 each.
Heard the buzz about grass-fed meats? Wanting to try it? Trying to eat more local food? Well now's the time to try it for yourself, and it's on special!
- Bastrop Sirloin Steak regular 12.99lb now 11.99lb!!
The world of Cheese
Don't forget to check out the cheese department for the holidays! Cheddars such as Cabot Vermont Sharp and Extra Sharp and Red Wax and Da Vinci Goudas make perfect picnic snacks! Or bring an appetizer meat & cheese tray to your Memorial Day BBQ!
Beer for that unquenchable thirst!
This Memorial Day Weekend the Beer Department is excited to offer $1.00 off on Lone Star and Pabst Blue Ribbon 12 packs!
Enjoy a cold one this hot weekend!
Help out our friends at Hairston Creek Farm!
Carol Ann of Boggy Creek Farm writes so nicely and has included this about the challenges facing our friends at Hairston Creek Farms and something that you can do about it!
"The community comes together in trying times, and now -- especially now -- a certain farm family needs its friends, its customers, and those who care about the local food supply to rally around. Sarah Rowland, co-farmer of Hairston Creek Organic Farm near Burnet has been diagnosed with an extremely aggressive cancer. Although the family has insurance, we all know that, in the details, a policy is never sufficient. And, when facing possibly the greatest calamity one can face, emotional support, as well as financial help, is surely needed.
Hairston Creek Farm, 4300 Co Road 335, Burnet, Texas 78611.... Thank you in advance."
Expansion Update
Not much to report this week. Things are moving right along as planned. Hopefully, you haven't been inconvenienced much or at all yet.
Wheatsville friend and fan (and Owner!) Suzanne Batchelor e-mailed me this week:
"On construction shopping hints -- shopping at night, when you drive a car, is better. Plus, I saved gas going and coming in sparser traffic.
And shopping on a bicycle anytime, of course! For that, I use soft-sided coolers ('6-pack' size and larger) for frozen items. They fit in bike baskets or backpacks, and the frozen items get home just fine. On a long trip, put a plastic bottle half-filled with water in the freezer ahead of time--that's your 'ice' to keep things cool longer.
And, on a bicycle, you make your own breeze!"
Great suggestions, Suzanne! Thanks! Do you have ideas to share? Let me know and I'll include them in future posts!
More fun than an aisle full of monks!
We were very pleased to have a vist from the Tibetan monks of the Gaden Shartse Monastery from India. They came and did a 30 minute blessing of Wheatsville and our expansion project. They did some chanting and some bell ringing and it was very moving and interesting. The sat in aisle 3, the center of the store and did their great ceremony. You can see pictures at http://wheatsville.coop/monksblessing.html We were greatly honored that they could spend time with us and bless our project and co-op with their warmth.
You're invited (as always!)
The next Wheatsville board meeting is Tuesday May 27th from 6-9pm at our temporary meeting space 406 West 30th Street (30th & Fruth, across from Trudy's) The agenda is available on-line at http://wheatsville.coop/bodagenda.pdf
Coffee with the board is on for the first Saturday of each month on the patio. Visit with the board from 10-Noon and enjoy treats, chatting and transforming society!
I hope that you all have a great week!
Dan
GM and e-mail guy!
Fun Videos of Wheatsville http://www.youtube.com/user/wheatsville
