Tyler Blance- Produce Merchandising

Cabotsmith5It’s the holiday season, and many of our local growers are enjoying a well deserved break from the busy growing season.  However, one of our growers, Richard Hourihan in Cabot, Vermont, is still growing strong!  Richard’s farm is unique.  He delivers fresh-picked produce in the summer and fall, and then delivers fresh-picked fir trees to us once the holiday season comes around.

I had the opportunity to talk a little with Mr. Hourihan about his farm and what he does for a living. How long have you been a local grower with Price Chopper? “I’ve been a proud Chopper Farmer since the early 2000’s.” What’s your favorite crop to grow? “My favorite thing in the world to grow is pumpkins.” Tell us a little about your tree farm operation. How many acres of crops do you grow? “I grow 60 acres of fir trees and then 130 acres of vegetables.  The tree business was how I started out.  I only grow balsam fir trees- they’re the best you can get and they’re beautiful. Our trees are chemical-free and grown naturally without fertilizer or sprays.” What’s the best part of doing what you do? “For me, the best part is the view.  My farm is located on top of a big hill, and the view is breathtaking.  I like to sit out here early in the morning, listen to the radio and enjoy the view around me.” Operating a summer/fall vegetable farm and a tree farm makes for a long farming season. What’s your favorite time of the year? “The day when my season’s over- just kidding!  I like spring, when I’m getting ready to plant everything and planning what I’m going to grow in the coming season for places like Price Chopper.  I like pulling out my seed catalog!” We’re proud to support growers like Richard and his family, from sweet corn to acorn squash, all the way to fir trees in December.  If you happen to be in the St. Johnsbury, VT area, check out the Cabot Smith Farm fir trees at our St. Johnsbury store on Memorial Drive!    

Written by: Tyler Blance- Produce Merchandising

Cherries are a classic fruit that everyone is familiar with.  When you’re shopping at your local Price Chopper this time of year, chances are you’ll find a freshly-stocked and vibrant cherry display.  I’m here to tell you a little story and give you some information on those cherries. StemiltHillCherries(2)We get our cherries from the Mathison family in Washington at Stemilt Growers- a family that was a pioneer in the cherry industry.  Stemilt is a Native American term that means “coming from the mountains”- Pretty cool!  Last week, a group of teammates from our Produce team took a trip out to visit the folks at Stemilt, located on the beautiful Stemilt Hill in Washington, to take a tour of the operation.  They were very impressed- the Mathisons have been farming the same land since 1893!  Kyle Mathison (pictured in overalls in the group photo) is a 4th generation cherry farmer whose passion in life is growing cherries.  Kyle’s cherry farming passion helps to create the beautiful, luscious cherries that you can find in your local Price Chopper!StemiltTripProduce On the nutritional end, cherries make a great snack.  Cherries are high in antioxidants and contain melatonin, which helps you maintain optimum brain function.  They’re low in fat and calories, cholesterol and sodium free, and on top of all that: they’re a great source of vitamin C and potassium. So there you have it! Next time you’re journeying through our produce department, you’ll know a little more about those beautiful cherries that catch your eye. There are lots of great recipes for cherries, but today I’d like to offer a simple, delicious way to create the classic cherry pie.  When 80’s hair band Warrant sang that oh-so-catchy “She’s My Cherry Pie,” they may have been referring to this easy and awesome recipe. Written by Tyler Blance- Produce Merchandising

Local Produce in our Brand New Marshalls Creek Store!

    Last week, we cut the ribbon and opened the doors of our brand new store in Marshalls Creek Pennsylvania, built in the beautiful countryside southeast of Scranton.  Our Marshalls Creek store is chock full of unique items and local products, but one thing we are particularly proud of providing for our Marshalls Creek chopper shoppers is local fruits and vegetables. GurdaLettuceJourneying through the produce department of this rural PA store, shoppers are presented with a variety of fresh, local produce from nearby areas.  A. Gurda Produce, a local grower in the Middletown, NY area happily supplied us with their beautiful locally grown lettuces and radishes straight from the farm.  Andy Gurda’s crops are grown in what’s known as the “Black Dirt Region” of New York State; the dark, rich soil was created at the end of the Ice Age!  Talk about a throwback. Marshalls Creek is a short drive away from the “Jersey Fresh” produce of the garden state: New Jersey.  We featured a variety of Jersey Fresh items for our shoppers to explore: Blueberries grown under the popular “Top Crop” name, basil, green and yellow squash and cucumbers straight from Jersey were all on display in our colorful, freshly-stocked produce department.  And to top it all off, we had a special visit from Top Crop’s own blueberry mascot and a member of the Donio farm operation!NJMCreekSquash Locally grown produce is something we take a lot of pride in supplying throughout the communities and areas we’re a part of, so we were happy to add Marshalls Creek into the mix.  As for the rest of our Chopper Shoppers, the local produce season is coming into full swing, so keep an eye out for locally grown fruits and vegetables in your neighborhood Price Chopper!  I’ll be updating you throughout the summer with locally grown happenings, so check back to see what’s growing on near you!

545362_10150591757831504_1039587465_nProduce for Kids® and Price Chopper are partnering for the Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign to raise funds for local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals®. From June 16 to July 27, the more produce you add to your shopping list, the more hope we can give to local children!

To learn more about the campaign, visit the Produce for Kids display, featuring Sportacus and Chica from Sprout® TV, in the produce section of all Price Chopper stores to pick up easy-to-prepare recipes and a shopping list of all participating products.

You can also visit the Produce for Kids Facebook page to enter the Get Healthy with Produce for Kids Sweepstakes for the chance to win a Sprout gift basket and grocery store gift cards.  In addition, Produce for Kids will be holding weekly giveaways on Facebook, Twitter and Instragram throughout the campaign.

As part of the campaign, popular Sprout characters will interact with kids at two Produce for Kids’ in-store appearances, featuring popular characters from the Super Why show, from 11:30am-2:30pm on June 29 at the Price Chopper located on 167 W. Main Street, Hopkinton, MA 01748 and from 11:30am-2:30pm on July 13 at the Price Chopper located at 4547 Milford Road, East Stroudsburg, PA 18302.Kids-Only-Button

The following companies proudly support the Get Healthy, Give Hope campaign and your local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals: A. Gurda Produce Romaine & Boston Lettuce, Radishes & Red C Potatoes; Dole® Salads; SUNSET® Campari® Brand Cocktail Tomatoes; NatureSweet® Glorys™ Perfect Ingredient Tomatoes, Olivia’s Organics™ Organic Packaged Salads; Shuman Produce – RealSweet® Vidalia® Onions; Summeripe® Peaches, Plums, & Nectarines; Turbana® Bananas

Visit www.produceforkids.com/pricechopper for more information.

 

Want To Try a Really Great Tomato?

If you haven’t tried Santa Sweets® Authentic Grape Tomatoes, or UglyRipe® Tomatoes, you’re in for a real surprise.  Santa Sweets Grape Tomatoes are so tasty, kids eat them by the handful right out of the package.  Santa Sweets UglyRipe® Heirloom Tomatoes offer that familiar old-fashioned, hearty tomato taste and meaty, beefsteak flesh like home-grown tomatoes. 521618_506437936060075_1715234041_nThese tomato varieties can help punch your favorite recipes up, too.  UglyRipes are so succulent, a routine BLT becomes a special event!  UglyRipes raise the standard Caprese salad to a new level.  Try quickly grilling an UglyRipe before slicing to serve on your grilled burgers.  Or serve them all by themselves in wedges with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. The Authentic Grape Tomatoes are the perfect base for a simple but yummy sauce.  Slice a couple of handfuls in half lengthwise, sauté them in olive oil with a dash of salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs, and then pour the contents of the pan — including the juices — over roasted or grilled skinless chicken or turkey breast. Try roasting them whole in a hot (400°F) oven with a little minced garlic, olive oil, a pinch of dried Italian herbs, and a dash of salt and pepper for a few minutes until they soften and the skins pop.  Then pour the entire dish over slices of a grilled beef or salmon steak. For a delectable twist on Caprese salad, try Caprese kabobs:  Thread a tomato, a fresh mozzarella cheese ball about the same size as the tomato, and a basil leaf on a skewer. Continue until the skewer is full.  In a small bowl, whisk together a little olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar.  Drizzle this mixture over the kabobs just before serving.  Looking for even more recipe ideas?  Visit www.santasweets.com.

Why Are Santa Sweets Tomatoes So Good?

Santa Sweets was the first company to market grape tomatoes in the United States, so they know a thing or two about their tomatoes.  First, Santa Sweets only selects the most flavorful tomato seed varieties to grow.  Santa Sweets Tomatoes are naturally non-GMO, grown directly in the soil and sunshine of open fields and left on the vine to ripen.  Once ripe, Santa Sweets Tomatoes are hand-picked and hand-packed for immediate shipping. What’s more, Santa Sweets farms are strategically located throughout North America so there’s always a growing season year-round — and they are packed to order and shipped fresh every day.

Grow Santa Sweets Famous Varieties in Your Garden This Season

Now you can grow your own Santa Sweets Tomatoes right in your own backyard!  Look for the rack of UglyRipe and Authentic Grape Tomato Plants in the floral section and in a few weeks, you can walk out your back door to hand-pick your own yummy Santa Sweets tomatoes for the freshest possible dishes. untitled55555 Interrupcion* and Price Chopper invite you to taste fresh, flavorful, Fair Trade Organic blueberries. We want to let you know you’re getting the best product out there at a good price and you’re doing something good too! Interrupcion* works with family farmers in Latin America to ensure the protection of our earth by employing sustainable agricultural practices and organic and biodynamic farming methods with the highest levels of food-safety. We eliminate the use of harmful chemicals and GMOs, and we safeguard our land and water resources for future harvests and generations. Clamshell (1) All our products are Social & Fairtrade Certified, which guarantees a minimum price for producers, fair pay for workers, and safe, dignified working conditions on farms. Every TASTE ME DO GOOD* product generates a small Social Premium that gets invested in producing communities, and adds up to big positive impact for workers and their families. For example, workers on Interrupcion* Member blueberry farms in Linares, Chile have generated over $23,500 in Social Premiums in 2011-2012 and have utilized this money to: • Construct and rebuild houses for community members whose homes were destroyed or lost in the 2010 earthquake. One 12-member family (3 members of which are farm workers) that were homeless in the aftermath of the earthquake received a brand-new house • Rebuild the church in Chanco, Chile that was destroyed by the earthquake • Purchase notebooks, shoes and school supplies for children in the community • Provide dental care and disease prevention workshops • Purchase low-cost medicine and First Aid supplies • Purchase bicycles for workers (2 mile commute to work) • Improve the local school by planting grass and a garden • Sponsor workshops on recycling, composting and organic farming • Create a greenhouse for organic seedlings In response to the cycle of poverty that are historically faced by the local indigenous Mapuche communities in Villarica, Chile Interrupcion* Member farms practice conscientious hiring to spur economic development and fuel opportunity expansion in the area. With over $6000 generated in social premiums workers have invested funds to: • Install indoor plumbing and hot water, thereby dramatically improving sanitation and overall health within the community • Purchase blankets and supplies for both the local nursing home and families with young children • Provide trashcans for all homes in the community • Install potable water for a member of the community who still did not have access to safe drinking water since the 2010 earthquake • Purchase bicycles for workers, thereby reducing time spent on transportation to and from the farm • Paying school and matriculation fees for children in the community, enabling more children to attend school and higher education institutions • Purchase TV / DVD player / projector for the community center where gatherings, talks, and events take place • Purchase soccer equipment for children in the community This is what we’re all about at interrupcion*: guaranteeing fair pay and safe work for the people harvesting the foods we enjoy and greater sustainability for the earth we all share. We are pleased to give you the option with Price Chopper to buy a fantastic product and make the world a better place at the same time. We think it’s good*. We hope you enjoy. Join the movement, Taste Me Do Good* on Facebook Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs PRILOSEC OVER THE COUNTER WILDBERRY Prilosec Over the Counter Wildberry is the same Prilosec Over the Counter tablet, now available with a flavor coating that gives you a burst of berry flavor.  Same medicine, same strength, same efficacy – now in Wildberry flavor! New Prilosec Over the Counter with Wildberry flavor should be taken the same way as the original Prilosec Over the Counter – per the directions on the package.  Swallow 1 tablet with a glass of water before eating in th morning every day for 14 days.  Swallow whole.  Do not chew, crush or suck tablets.  Prilosec Over the Counter and Prilosec Over the Counter with Wildberry flavor are both a 14 day course that may be repeated every 4 months (three courses per year). Look for Prilosec Over the Counter Wildberry in the Stomach Relief aisle. READY PAC BISTRO BOWL SALADS Ready Pac Bistro Bowl Salads – the perfect solution to your busy day!  Fewer than 300 calories and developed by our in-house chefs, you can load up your fridge and you’ve got a tasty nutritious lunch solution all week.  Bistro Salad varieties include:

Look for Ready Pac Bistro Bowl Salads in the Produce Department!

 
Written by Tyler Blance
Produce Merchandising Intern
 
 
 
 

Farmer Dave Shaul with his lettuce and summer squash!

Price Chopper has been buying from local growers for over 75 years. Currently, we do business with over 70 local growers; some deliver to our warehouse, some deliver directly to our stores. An important part of our locally grown program is Price Chopper’s involvement with 4H, a youth development organization that gives children the opportunity to grow and sell fresh produce in their communities. The Golub family has been supporting 4H groups since 1965. Children who belong to 4H can plant, grow, and sell their produce in our stores. Locally grown 2012 has been off to a great start this year. I’ve journeyed out to three local farms so far: Each farm has been an important part of our locally grown program each summer and fall. Shaul Farms, located right outside of Middleburgh, NY, has been working with Price Chopper since 1985. Back then, Dave and Jim Shaul would load up a pickup truck of straight-from-the-ground produce and head over to our Cobleskill, NY store (after a days work on the farm was completed) and bring in their fresh crops. These days, Shaul Farms supplies a number of Price Choppers all around the Capital District and Oneonta. Currently the farm is shipping lettuce to our stores, so keep an eye out for locally grown Shaul Farms lettuce! Davandjer Farms in Pine Island NY started with a simple 10 acre plot of land. The farm has grown into a much larger operation; currently they have around 190 acres of crops! Andrew Gurda (owner) and his team supply Price Chopper with onions, although some stores carry his lettuce and baby red potatoes. Look for the greyhound label on certain onion bags; it’s from Andrew and his farm! In addition to being an established local grower, Andrew supports and donates to Produce for Kids: an organization that encourages healthy eating among kids and families. [wpvideo 4t4F9Hbx] Paul Mazza Farms in Colchester Vermont has been in Price Chopper’s locally grown program for ten years. Paul Mazza (owner) has been farming on his own for 27 years: starting with 20 acres and growing his farm to 250 acres! Currently, Mazza Farms supplies Vermont area stores with fresh, delicious strawberries. “Vermont strawberries have more taste than Florida or California berries. There’s nothing like Vermont strawberries!” Mazza confidently claims. Price Chopper’s locally grown program will continue to run all throughout the summer. Local farmers have been working hard to provide people with fresh, flavorful produce, so enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor! I will continue to update you on locally grown happenings, so check back to see what’s growing on near you!

Farmer Paul Mazza and his daughter displaying his juicy strawberries!