Written by Alex | March 2, 2017 | 2017 NewslettersNewsletterNewsletters

Coming Soon to our Greenhouse: Spring!

Newsletter 9 – Thursday, March 2, 2017

• Lady’s Story – Chapter 31• We have seeds…lots and lots of seeds!• We make seed planting easy!• America’s Best Flowers Fundraising Program• Fluffy Ruffle Ferns and Boston Ferns• We’ve got a lot to crow about!• Employment Opportunities• Has your email address changed?• Recipe: Flatbread Pizza with Spinach and Goat Cheese

Hours

Cottage Grove location openMon-Sat 9-5
Closed SundaysEdgerton location openMon-Fri 8:30-5:30
Sat 8:30-5:00
Sun 9-4

Lady’s Story – Chapter 31

My mom shut the door after I came in from playing, as usual.  It was time for me to take a little rest next to my ball and enjoy a well deserved (in my mind anyway) treat…I couldn’t ask for anything more…
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WAIT, what did I hear?  Oh glory hallelujah; my mom opened the fridge door!My dad is always saying, ‘Lady, when one door closes another one opens.’Gosh, my dad is smart!~Lady

We have seeds…lots and lots of seeds!

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It’s never too early to start planning for this season’s garden.  If you are planning a vegetable, herb or flower garden, bring your seed list out to either our Cottage Grove or Edgerton location. Choose from a huge selection of Livingston seeds at both of our locations.  Also available at our Cottage Grove location is an assortment of Renee’s seeds.
I left a packet of seeds in my pocket and my coat turned into a Chia jacket.

We make seed planting easy!

Some of the Flower and Vegetable Seed Starter KitsEverything but the seeds, water and sunlight! Click for Larger Image
To help with your seed-planting project, we have the Flower and Vegetable Seed Starter Kit, from Hsu, a Wisconsin based company.  This seed starter kit contains a 32-cell insert and watering tray and is filled with Hsu Professional Potting Soil.  Just lightly moisten the soil, pop in 1-2 seeds in each cell, in the depth directed by the seed package, and cover with soil.  Place in a sunny, warm area.  Mist with water to keep soil moist.  Stand back and watch them grow.  Then transplant when and where appropriate.
What kind of socks does a gardener wear?

Garden hose.

America’s Best Flowers Fundraising Program

An America's Best Flowers Gift Card Click for Larger Image
Spring 2017 is right around the corner!  People are beginning to think about vegetable gardens, shade trees, flowering shrubs and glorious flowers.   What perfect timing for your non-profit organization to participate in America’s Best Flowers fundraiser program and earn funds for your local charities, mission trips, school equipment, school uniforms, etc.America’s Best Flowers would like to help you succeed with your fundraising efforts! Our SPRING fundraising program runs through April 3, 2017.  We have designed this program to be quick, easy, and profitable.  In as little as 2-3 weeks or less, you can earn substantial money for your group by selling America’s Best Flowers gift cards.What else makes our fundraising program so fabulous?

  • Your group will receive 25% of the total value of America’s Best Flowers gift cards they sell! 
  • Our gift cards are valid at both our Cottage Grove and Edgerton locations!  
  • Our gift cards NEVER EXPIRE!

Click here for more information

Hard work doesn’t harm anyone, but I do not want to take any chances.

Fluffy Ruffle Ferns and Boston Ferns

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Ferns are relatively easy houseplants to grow.  They will provide you with lush green fronds throughout the year that will add a nostalgic beauty to your indoor garden.  They like moisture and cooler areas of a house so just keep their soil moist and give them an occasional misting.  Dry air and extreme temperatures do not make for a happy fern.An added bonus – they produce more oxygen than almost any other houseplant.   We have several varieties and sizes of ferns available in both hanging baskets or pots.  This week we are featuring the Fluffy Ruffle Fern (try saying that quickly 3 times) and the old stand by, the Boston Fern.Our ferns may be silent but WOW do they make a statement!
Q: Why did the rooster run away?

A: He was chicken!

We’ve got a lot to crow about!

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Hay, did you know that in the Chinese culture, this is the year of the Rooster?We have a flock of well-groomed and well-behaved roosters available at our barnyard (aka greenhouse) and we guarantee that our roosters will not make a mess or wake you at sunrise!
Q: What do you call a rooster who wakes you up at the same time every morning?

A: An alarm cluck!

Employment Opportunities

Are you looking for a short-term seasonal job?   Do you enjoy people, flowers and dirt?  If so, we may have the perfect job for you.  We are looking for a few good people to perform retail, customer service and cashier duties.  Plant knowledge is preferred for these positions.These job opportunities would be from approximately mid-April thru mid-June.  We are in need of candidates who can work weekends and several days during the week.  The total number of hours per week could be between 24 – 40 hours. Other job duties could consist of stocking and cleaning plants, sweeping floors, corralling run away shopping carts.Another position available is for a Greenhouse Production Associate.  The Greenhouse Production Associate is responsible for all aspects of plant maintenance including but not limited to: watering, moving, shipping, and disposing of all plants while maintaining the quality standards of America’s Best Flowers. Physical stamina is necessary for this position.We are in need of candidates who can work weekends and several days during the week.  This is a 40 hour per week position.If you are interested in either of these employment opportunities please email Marty Robbins at abfrobbins@yahoo.com or Betty Bless at abfbettyb@gmail.com.

Has your email address changed?

If you are a Loyalty Customer and have submitted your email address to us you will receive our newsletter by noon, every Thursday.If your email address has changed or if you are planning on changing it please remember to let us know by either calling us at 608-222-2269, sending us an email at abfbev@yahoo.com or just let us know the next time you are at the greenhouse.
Our newsletter can also be found on our website www.americasbestflowers.com.

Upcoming Events

Sat, Mar 25Small Space Gardening Class (11-Noon)
Pre-Registration Appreciated
Sat, Apr 1Vegetable Gardening & Seed Starting Class (10-11am)
Learn from an expert!
Sat, Apr 1Composting Demonstration (11-noon)
Learn the art of composting.
Sat, Apr 1Rose Care Class (1-2pm)
Planting, pruning & maintenance.
Sat, Apr 8 – Sun, Apr 9Spring Open House
We have your all-time favorite plants plus a few new ones for the season and a HUGE selection of new pottery.
Sat, Apr 8 – Sun, Apr 9Universal Saw & Tool Sharpening (9-3pm)
Get your tools ready for easier gardening.

Our Kitchen – By Bev Wilson

Sunday night I was invited to have dinner with my favorite oldest granddaughter so I could catch up with her and her parents.  Something that has gotten harder now that she’s off to college.  Her wonderful mom made these flatbread pizzas for us.  They are so good, I decided to get the recipe in your hands as quickly as I could so you can enjoy them too.  The recipe claims that two pizzas will feed two people.  I think most healthy appetites might like a little more.

Flatbread Pizza with Spinach and Goat Cheese

Recipe from Green Valley Kitchen at www.greenvalleykitchen.comPrep time: 8 mins
Cook time: 7 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 2This is a quick and tasty flatbread pizza with garlicky spinach and tangy goat cheese. Perfect for an easy meal – just add a mixed green salad and a glass of wine and dinner is served.
Flatbread Pizza with Spinach and Goat Cheese Click for Larger Image
• 2 Naan flatbreads – I used the Stonefire brand.• 1 T olive oil• 4 cups of baby spinach• 3 garlic cloves – minced• Pinch of red pepper flakes• 8 twists of black pepper from a pepper mill• ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese• 2 tbs grated parmesan cheese• 1 oz goat cheese

Directions

Feel free to add more ingredients if you want. Jenny added sliced grape tomatoes to the top of our pizzas, about 2 each. Black olives would be good, too.1.    Preheat oven to 400 degrees.2.    Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.3.    Add 1 T olive oil to the frying pan.4.    Add half the spinach to the frying pan and sauté until wilted – about 2 minutes.5.    Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper and the rest of the spinach to the frying pan and sauté until all is wilted – about another 2 minutes.6.    Remove frying pan from the heat and set aside.7.    Place flatbread pizzas on a baking sheet, pizza pan or baking stone. Jenny used a pizza pan.8.    Evenly spread the spinach mixture over the two flatbreads.9.    Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan evenly over the two flatbreads.10.  Add 5 or 6 small dollops of goat cheese evenly over each flatbread.11.  Bake in the oven for 5 minutes.12.  After cooking for 5 minutes, turn the broiler on and broil until cheese is nicely melted and slightly brown. This only takes a minute or two so watch carefully so it doesn't burn.The author recommends using firm mozzarella – the type you can easily grate – rather than fresh, soft mozzarella.
Watch the flatbread carefully when it's under the broiler so that it does not burn – it goes from brown to burnt very quickly!
SEE YOU SOON!!!