November 2010 Newsletter

	Right Now Sweet, red and baking potatoes Fresh cider Pumpkins Holiday decorations Tomatoes Onions Apples Mums Indian corn Winter squash Coming Soon Christmas trees and decor Homemade desserts Today's Harvest November Hours: Monday-Friday:   10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday:    10 a.m.-2 p.m. Closed Sunday Forward this message to a friend Follow us on Facebook Hi Neighbor! Fall weather has truly arrived, the clocks will fall back soon, and the calendar has turned. November is here! We're excited about our second full holiday season here - come in and see why! Thank you to our sponsors, employees and you, our guests, for making the 2010 Today's Harvest Corn Maze and Haunted Maze a whole 'lotta fun and support for Children's Miracle Network and Ronald McDonal House Charities! See you next year! Holiday Help is Here!   Thanksgiving is only 3 weeks away! Let Today's Harvest help make your celebrations and family gatherings special AND stress-free. We have beautiful silk or live centerpieces that will brighten your holiday table Delicious local produce that will give your favorite holiday dishes the best flavor We'll do the baking for you! Beginning the week of Thanksgiving, our kitchen will churn out a variety of homemade pies ready for you to pick up and serve. You can order ahead! Extended holiday hours begin Thanksgiving week Christmas is Coming, Too! Plan on picking out your fresh, live Christmas tree at our place this year. Along with a great selection of quality trees, we'll have fresh or fake greenery and silk arrangements that will provide just the right touch for the season this year. Our store is stocked with great gift ideas, too: from household decor to popular beeswax products, to unique stocking stuffers! Don't forget to pick out a favorite holiday candle scent for yourself. Want to make your own holiday decoration? You can pre-register for a spot at our "Build A Centerpiece" evening at the store on December 9. More details to come, but you can call 937-877-6030 now to register! See you soon!



February 2010 Newsletter

Hi Neighbor!

Welcome February! Now that we're about halfway through winter, wouldn't flowers be a nice reminder that Spring will come again? Todays Harvest full-service floral shop is ready to help with your Valentine's Day order and other floral needs.

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue... February means flowers! They might not be growing outside in Ohio right now, but the roses, greenery and other flowers "blooming" in our flower shop are making our winter brighter. We have roses ready for your Valentine, beautiful vases to hold that special bouquet and many unique gifts for you to choose from in our store. Our hours will be: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Valentines Day Only! Sunday, Feb. 14, Noon-5 p.m. See you soon! Visit our website for more floral shop info and store hours.

Valentines Day Special Offer We're celebrating our first Valentines Day as a flower shop! Cash-n-Carry Assorted Roses are available for $14.95/dozen beginning February 9. Maybe you prefer an arrangement with roses or other flowers? You have three ways to order: 1# online through our Teleflora-linked website, 2) by calling us at #937) 877-6030, or 3) in the store. Pick up your order in store, or have us deliver it. Note: We will be delivering on Valentines Day, Sunday, February 14! How do you take best care of your flowers? Click here for flower-care essentials!

Stop in soon for a cup of hot cider or hot chocolate while you shop in the store or place your flower order. See you then!The Jordans

November 2009 Newsletter

Hi Neighbor!

If you've driven by the store, you've seen that we're all decked out for the holidays! Stop in and you'll see -- and smell -- that there's even more inside. We can't wait to show you!

Get Your Thanksgiving Goodies Here! Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you can find time this week to stop in and take advantage of our baking. We're making pies and other goodies to save you time on your holiday preparations. You can call ahead and order what you need. We'll have some extra butterscotch, pumpkin, and sugar cream pies on hand. We also have (and can make!) beautiful centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table or decor. Our full-service flower shop can supply you with a perfect gift arrangement to bring to your hosts' Thanksgiving if you are traveling. Our hours will be: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, Noon-5 p.m. See you soon! Follow our Twitter updates for the latest news from the store.

Get Your Christmas Tree Here! Todays Harvest is pleased to offer fresh Christmas trees beginning this Wednesday through Christmas. We will have three kinds of trees: White Pine - softer branches with long needles; spreading branches that provide great shape. Scotch Pine - well known for its dark green foliage and sturdy branches. Canaan Fir - uniform pyramid shapes with strong branches and short needles. All the trees were just cut and will range from 5 feet to 9 feet. You can also purchase greenery, wreaths, floral arrangements and more to make your decorations unique, yet timeless. Watch our holiday video message on our home page!

Come visit us for your floral, holiday or produce needs. See you soon!

The Jordans

 

October 2009 Newsletter

Hi Neighbor!

We've got big things planned for the holiday seasons here at Todays Harvest (read more below!). But don't forget we still have produce! Tomatoes are hanging in there, we have plenty of onions, cabbage and more. Pick out your pie pumpkins now so you can freeze and store pureed pumpkin for all winter. Stop in soon!

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See You This Week....and the Next...and the Next... Something BIG is not happening at Todays Harvest this week. We're not closing! As you've noticed, we've added a lot to the store since building, including Todays Harvest Flowers this year. We will now be open year-round, and we look forward to serving you as a full-service floral shop and much more. Beginning in November, our hours will be: Monday -- Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. We will have extended holiday hours, also, so you can take advantage of our homemade baked goods, Santa's Workshop for Kids, holiday floral arrangements, and hundreds of gift items. We can supply all your fresh greenery needs for wreaths and garlands (let us know soon if you think you'll want a lot -- it will help us order), as well as swags, candle rings and more. You might even see some Christmas trees for sale! During Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks, we'll bake so you don't have to. Stop in and pick up pies, bread and sweets for your holiday gatherings. See you in November! Check the website regularly for updated store hours!

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RECIPES: Sauerkraut Remove outer leaves and any undesirable portions from firm, mature, heads of cabbage; wash and drain. Cut into halves or quarters; remove the core. Use a shredder or sharp knife to cut the cabbage into thin shreds about the thickness of a dime. In a large container, thoroughly mix 2 tablespoons salt with 3 pounds shredded cabbage. Let the salted cabbage stand for several minutes to wilt slightly; this allows packing without excessive breaking or bruising of the shreds. Pack the salted cabbage firmly and evenly into a large clean crock or jar. Using a wooden spoon or tamper or the hands, press down firmly until the juice comes to the surface. Repeat the shredding, salting, and packing of the cabbage until the crock is filled to within 3 to 4 inches of the top. Cover the cabbage with a clean, thin, white cloth (such as muslin) and tuck the edges down against the inside of the container. Cover with a plate or round paraffined/waxed board that just fits inside the container so that the cabbage is not exposed to the air. Put a weight on top of the cover so the brine comes to the cover but not over it. A glass jar filled with water makes a good weight. An alternative method of covering cabbage during fermentation consists of placing a plastic bag filled with water on top of the fermenting cabbage. The water-filled bag seals the surface from exposure to air and prevents the growth of film yeast or molds. It also serves as a weight. For extra protection the bag with the water in it can be placed inside another plastic bag. The amount of water in the plastic bag can be adjusted to give just enough pressure to keep the fermenting cabbage covered with brine. Formation of gas bubbles indicates fermentation is taking place. A room temperature of 68 to 72 degrees is best for fermenting cabbage. Fermentation is usually completed in 5 to 6 weeks. Fully fermented sauerkraut may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for a few months, it can be frozen in sealed freezer bags, or it may be canned.

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In the Spotlight New feature this month! We will occasionally be spotlighting a product from our store that is unique or timely. In light of the upcoming "baking season", we thought our aprons were a perfect fit for the first installment. Aprons! Since you're going to be in your kitchen anyway, making meals for your families (and maybe more, during the holidays), why not do it in style? Our quilt-style aprons keep your clothes from getting stained and liven up the job that has to be done. The adjustable neck and waist tie string makes them perfect for all cooks. They would also make a great gift for the cook in your life. Our store also carries an assortment of cooking and baking untensils that make making the meal easier -- pastry brushes, spatulas, potholders and many more. And if you want to streamline the food prep even more, pick up one of the dip, baking, or dessert mixes we offer!

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Come visit us for your produce, flowers or gift needs. See you soon!

The Jordans

September 2009 Newsletter

Hi Neighbor!

We can't wait to see you all when you come in to pick out your pumpkins, gourds, mums and more fall items. But don't forget -- Todays Harvest Flowers can take care of your fresh and silk flower needs! Read on to learn more.

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Todays Harvest Flowers: Fall Floral Needs Met Here As the season changes in the Midwest, live and silk flower arrangements here at Todays Harvest are changing with it. We have beautiful fall wreaths and other silk arrangements in the vibrant fall colors to help you transform your home or business to reflect autumn. In addition, we invite you to choose Todays Harvest Flowers for: Homecoming corsages and boutonierres Cemetery saddles and grave blankets Thanksgiving centerpieces Todays Harvest will now be open year round to serve the floral and seasonal needs of our surrounding communities. That means we'll soon be ordering and making holiday and Christmas greenery and arrangements as well as other decorations. Stop in soon and let's talk flowers!

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Fall produce abounds this year Sound familiar? Pumpkins, gourds, corn shocks, mums? Yep, fall season is here! If you've been by the store lately, you've seen how the colors of fall flowers and produce spill out and around the store and parking lot. Autumn officially begins on Tuesday, and we're ready! PUMPKINS Our Todays Harvest homegrown pumpkins are unique and vibrant. They come in an abundance of sizes, shapes and shades, so be sure to leave plenty of time to pick just the right one. We look forward to sharing one of our best crops of pumpkins with you this year. MUMS Come and pick out the mums to plant now in your flower beds. They'll add bright, vibrant color throughout the fall and for years to come when treated right. Be sure to plant in a hole as deep as the root ball and water well as the plant gets established. Pick out other potted mums or hanging flowers for spot color in your outdoor fall decor. VEGETABLES Fall still means fresh vegetables! Many have been patiently waiting in the ground or field waiting for their chance to grace your table. The ever-nutritious sweet potatoes are ready, as are many types of winter squash. We still have fresh beets and will have freshly-picked Todays Harvest sweet corn for about 2-3 more weeks. Click here for a Corn Maze coupon!

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RECIPES: Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping Sweet Potato Pie 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces 2 large eggs 1/3 cup plus another 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 3 Tbsp maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp heavy cream 1 pre-baked pie crust 3 Tbsp butter 1 cup of pecans, half of them lightly chopped, the other half whole 1. Make the pie crust. (See pie crust recipe for instructions on pre-baking a pie crust.) If you use a store-bought frozen crust, you do not need to pre-bake it, just defrost it 10 minutes and prick the bottom all over with a fork before using. 2 Make the sweet potato purée. In a large saucepan, cover the sweet potato pieces with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the sweet potato pieces are soft when poked with a knife or fork. Drain. Purée in a food processor until smooth. You may need to add back a little liquid (a tablespoon or two of water) to get a smooth consistency. Let cool completely before using. 3 Prepare the pie. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place rack at bottom of oven. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and maple syrup until smooth. Add the sweet potato purée, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 3/4 cup of cream. Mix until completely smooth. Pour into cooled crust. 4 Bake the pie. Bake on lowest rack for 50 minutes, until filling has set. You may want to tent the edges of the pie with aluminum foil or a pie crust protector to prevent the pie crust edges from burning. Cool on rack for one hour. Then transfer to refrigerator and chill completely. 5 Make the pecan topping. Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and cook, stirring, until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp cream, and mix in. Add the pecans, mix to coat the pecans with the sugar mixture. Let cool for 1 minute. Pour mixture over cooled pie. Use a rubber spatula to spread topping over the top of the pie. Cool until topping has hardened, about 30 minutes.

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Promotion of the month: Harvest Package! Gather everything you'll need for perfect outdoor fall decorations at Todays Harvest, and save money while you do it! We're offering our "Harvest Package" for $30. It includes: Two 9" potted mums One bale of straw One corn shock One bundle of Indian corn One $1.50, one $3, and one $5 pumpkin Stop in and pick up your Harvest Package today!

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Q & A: Karen McWhinney, floral designer You might not ever get to see Karen McWhinney when you stop in at Todays Harvest. She's in the back, designing beautiful arrangements for TH Flowers and teaching us as she goes. Read on to learn more about our secret floral weapon. Q: How long have you been working with and arranging flowers? A: Well, since I was out of high school. So, 40-some years! Q: How did you become interested in doing this and learn how? A: I decided to go for floral training and went to a place in Richmond. There was a flower shop there that provided floral training after hours. Q: What do you enjoy working on the most? A: I like doing the general arrangements -- birthdays, anniversaries, that sort of thing. I prefer working with fresh flowers. Q: You've worked at many different flower shops over the years and done thousands of arrangements. What do you like about working for Todays Harvest? A: I really enjoy the people here. It's a very pleasant environment to work in. Thank you, Karen!

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Come visit us for your fresh produce, flowers or gift needs, and plan your corn maze visit, too. See you soon!

The Jordans