Veggie Van Newsletter December 2 2013
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Transcript of Veggie Van Newsletter December 2 2013
![Page 1: Veggie Van Newsletter December 2 2013](https://reader035.fdocuments.in/reader035/viewer/2022071921/55cf9aad550346d033a2da2b/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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YMCA VEGGIE VAN
GUEST COLUMN
VEGGIE VAN PARTNERS
WITH Y GARDEN CLUB Since 2011, the YMCA Community Outreach Department has partnered with local organizations to create Healthy Living Hubs. These Hubs are located at New Hope Baptist Church, South End Community Outreach Ministries (SECOM), Baxter Community Center, and Roosevelt Park Ministries. Free weekly exercise classes for adults are offered at the Hubs as well as weekly
Garden Club programs for kids ages 5-12. In the Garden Club programs
kids actively participate in planting, growing, and harvesting crops during the growing season. Students learn about plants, nutrition, and caring for the environment through science demonstrations, crafts, games, and hands-on exploration of the natural world.
Every Garden Club ends with a healthy snack. The Veggie Van is now partnering with the Garden Clubs to provide locally sourced ingredients for snack. Recently, the Garden Clubs learned more about the local foods that
farmers and gardeners can grow in Michigan. Garden Club participants then practiced their cooking skills by creating a fruit and yogurt salad with Honey Crisp apples and celery from the Veggie Van. The Veggie Van is looking forward to providing more local snack options for Garden Club in the weeks and months to come.
Janelle Phillips, Garden Education Specialist
YOUR TRUSTED SOURCE FOR LOCAL FOOD NEWS
IN THIS ISSUE
Pg. 1 Guest Column: Veggie Van
Partners with Y Garden Club
Pg. 2 Feature: New Specialty
Products
Pg. 2 Meet Your Veggie Van Staff:
Ron Wheaton
Pg. 3 Make Your Shopping List
(HINT: Print Page 3!)
ENJOY THIS ISSUE?
Feel free to share this newsletter
with anyone who you think may
find it useful.
QUESTIONS,
COMMENTS, IDEAS?
Contact Sara Vander Zanden,
Healthy Living Agriculture
Manager, at 616.855.9680 or
YMCA OF GREATER GRAND RAPIDS
475 Lake Michigan Dr. NW
December 2, 2013
grymca.org/outreach
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WEEKLY FEATURE
NEW SPECIALTY PRODUCTS
Although the accumulating snow indicates it’ll be many months before we can
reintroduce Michigan berries, sweet corn, and watermelon, the Veggie Van is
committed to introducing new and exciting products, even in the winter months.
Read below to find out about our new grass-fed cheeses and our holiday baskets
that will make any foodie swoon.
GRASSFIELDS CHEESE:
Grassfields Cheese LLC is located in Coopersville, MI. The farm employs a “grass-based” rotational grazing method that places the health of their cows at the forefront—this means no antibiotics, GMO-
enhanced super-feed, or hormones. They craft their cheeses from certified organic raw-milk, which contains vitamins, minerals, and digestive enzymes (for good gut health!) that typical store-bought, pasteurized cheeses lack. The Veggie Van will feature individually portioned cuts from a classic Lamont Cheddar, robust Gouda, and a mild, low-
fat Edam. Look here for more information on Grassfields.
CRANBERRY RELISH HOLIDAY BASKET:
Used to the wobbly, gelatinous relish that appears in its questionable can-shaped form at so many holiday meals? Bring cranberry relish back to its original, tasty configuration with fresh and bright Michigan cranberries. This Holiday Basket includes:
A recipe card for a simple and delicious relish
Michigan cranberries and
Michigan apples
Fresh oranges
Fresh pineapple
Lemons
SAVORY QUICHE HOLIDAY BASKET:
There are places in the world that define family by the people we eat with—and there’s little more comfort to be found on a cold winter morning than sharing good food with the people we love. This savory quiche basket will provide a warm, hearty, and nutritious meal to share with those that you surround yourself. The basket includes:
A recipe card
Free-range eggs
Organic raw-milk cheese
Locally-grown kale
Mushrooms
MEET YOUR VEGGIE VAN STAFF:
RON WHEATON
Hometown: Cedar Spring, MI
Education: Bachelor of Arts from
Grand Valley State University
Time at the Y: Ron has been
with Y since September 2013. In
addition to assisting on the
Veggie Van, Ron is also the Y’s
Garden Maintenance Specialist for
the association’s community
gardens.
Ron’s Story:
Ron was born in Grand Rapids
and raised in Cedar Springs,
where he graduated high school
in 2007. Since then he has re-
ceived his associate’s degree from
GRCC, volunteered for a year on
the west coast with AmeriCorps,
biked across the country with a
non-profit called Bike & Build, and
is currently pursuing a bachelor’s
degree at Grand Valley where he
studies Sustainable Food Sys-
tems. This past summer he lived
and worked on Earthkeeper, an
organic farm in Kent City. He ex-
ercises solely so he can eat lots of
cookies, buys more books than he
has the time to read, and enjoys
a good nap.
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3
DECEMBER PRODUCE AVAILABILITY
MAKE YOUR SHOPPING LIST
Michigan Products
Apples .50 or 3/$1
Honey Crisp .75 or 3/$2
Beets 2/$1
Broccoli $2.50/quart
Brussels Sprouts $2.50/pint
Cabbage $2/head
Carrots $2.50/bag
Cauliflower $3 ea.
Celery $1.50
(NEW!) Grassfields
Cheese
$3.50/4 oz.
Cherry Tomatoes
(Heirloom—limited)
$3/pint
Apple Cider $3.50/.5 gal
Collards $2/bunch
Cranberries $2/12oz
Cucumbers .75 or 3/$2
Eggs $3/dozen
Eggplant $1.25 ea.
Garlic .75/head
Green Onions $1/bunch
Honey $8/jar
Kale $2.50/bunch
Kohlrabi $2/bunch
Leeks $.75
Mixed Greens $3/bag
Napa Cabbage $2/head
Onions (red & yellow) .75 ea.
Peppers (red and
green)
$1 ea.
Red Skin Potatoes $2/quart
Squash—Acorn,
butternut, delicata
$2 ea.
Sweet Potatoes .75 ea.
Swiss Chard $2.50/bunch
Tomatoes $1 ea.
Non-Local Produce
Avocados $1.25 ea
Bananas .25 ea
Grapefruit .75
Grapes $4/bag
Lemons $.75
Mangoes $1.25
Mushrooms $2.00
Oranges .75 ea.
Pineapples $2.50
Pomegranate $2.50
Seasonal Menu
Fall Harvest
Quinoa
$4
Butternut
Squash
Risotto
$4
Roasted Red
Pepper
Hummus
$3.75
Traditional
Hummus
$3.75
Applesauce $2.50
Pie Holes $2.50
Holiday Baskets
Cranberry
Relish
$15.00
Savory
Quiche
$15.00