Written by Alex | April 21, 2011 | 2011 NewslettersNewsletter Tags: flowers, Gardening, jokes, recipies, stories
Easter Weekend
Newsletter 6 – Thursday, April 21, 2011
Youll love your garden … Its our promise!
Community Egg Hunt this Saturday
Saturday, April 23, from 10 to 2 we will host our annual community egg hunt for children six and under. Our famous pink Easter Bunny will be here, so be sure to bring along your cameras. We hold this rain or shine event inside so the weather wont stop us from having great fun with the children. Please plan to join us. While you are here you can pick up an Easter lily and pots of spring flowers to decorate your Holiday table.
What do you get if you cross an insect with the Easter rabbit?
Bugs Bunny.
Bring Spring Indoors
The cool weather outside is a great reason to bring spring inside with the fun of coloring eggs using herbs and other natural products. I did some on-line research and found lots of information available on the many different ways to dye eggs naturally. Below Ive summarized the main points and provided links for you.
Dyeing Eggs Naturally
To get started you will need:
Mordant helps color penetrate shell: alum, cream of tartar or white vinegar
A pot large enough to hold the number of eggs you are doing you might want to use several small pots to make different colors do not use aluminum
Water distilled works best or any chlorine-free water to cover eggs
Eggs start with clean, white shells for best results
Dyestuff this is where the fun comes in its time to experiment Americas Best has a huge assortment of naturally grown herbs, plant material and pansy blossoms you can use to create a rainbow of colors. For quantities and suggestions see
http://www.frontiercoop.com/learn/herbsavvy12.php
Or
http://herbgardens.about.com/od/herbalcraftsandgifts/ht/DyeingEggs.htm
Or
http://www.herbsociety.org.uk/hc-dye-eggs.htm
Basic Procedure
Put water, mordant and dyestuff in the pot Bring to a boil boil 20 30 minutes add either room-temperature raw or previously boiled eggs if raw turn burner to simmer and cook for another 10 minutes remove from heat. If using boiled eggs remove pan from heat and immerse eggs in hot liquid. Soak for 20 30 minutes up to overnight the longer the eggs are in the colored liquid the darker the color will be.
Another alternative is to blow the egg out of the shell before you begin so you are dying an empty shell. I remember doing this as a child. Wash eggs well take a sharp large needle poke a small hole in top (rounded) end. Repeat at the bottom (pointy) end twirling the needle around to make the hole a bit larger and also break the yolk inside the shell. Holding egg over a bowl, press a short drinking straw against the smaller hole, blow hard, forcing the raw egg through the larger hole. Rinse well before immersing in hot, colored water. For more complete instructions on how to blow out the eggs visit http://www.wikihow.com/Blow-Out-Eggs
Why did the Easter egg hide?
Because he was a little chicken.
Upcoming Events
Sat, Apr 23 | Community Egg Hunt Ongoing from 10am-2pm Rain or Shine! FREE candy. Children 6 and under. Bring your camera to take pictures with the Easter Bunny. |
Fri, Apr 29 – Sun, May 1 | St. Vincent de Paul’s "Pick-a-Pack" Event Come out and donate a $1.99 4 pack of tomatoes or Lady Bell peppers for their gardens. The veggies will be used for their community pantry. For every 4 pack sold, ABF will donate $.50 towards the SVDP gardens. |
Sat, Apr 30 | Earth Day Celebration FREE Children’s activities 10AM-2PM. Bring a white T-shirt to paint, make seed balls, plant cat grass, and more! |
Sat, Apr 30 – Sun, May 1 | Arbor Day Giveaway Receive a FREE Black Hills Spruce seedling, with purchase, while supplies last. Limit 1 per family. |
Sat, Apr 30 – Sun, May 1 | Container Workshop 10AM – 4PM. FREE soil and assistance. Create a beautiful container in our potting shed and we’ll clean up the mess. Bring in your own pots or buy one of ours. |
Tue, May 3 | Mother’s Day Make and Take Workshop 6:30 PM Plant a beautiful ceramic herbal or pansy garden to give Mom, Grandma, or a favorite aunt for $29.99. Reservations are accepted 608-222-2269. Pots include 2 lovely pots on matching ceramic tray in choice of yellow, lime green, tangerine or blue. |
Thu, May 5 | Mother’s Day Make and Take Workshop 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Plant a beautiful ceramic herbal or pansy garden to give Mom, Grandma, or a favorite aunt for $29.99. Reservations are accepted 608-222-2269. Pots include 2 lovely pots on matching ceramic tray in choice of yellow, lime green, tangerine or blue. |
Sat, May 7 – Sun, May 8 | Celebrate Mother’s Day |
How many chocolate bunnies can you put in an empty Easter basket?
Only one because after that its not empty!
Our Kitchen
Easter Egg Pie

- 1 (6 oz.) ready made graham cracker crust
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese – softened
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 3/4 cup cold milk
- 1 package (4 serving size) instant white chocolate pudding and pie filling
- 1 1/2 cups whipped topping
- 16 chocolate eggs – cut in half
- Easter colored M&M chocolate candies
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.
Gradually mix in the condensed milk until smooth.
Add the milk and pudding.
Mix until smooth.
Pour half of this mixture into the bottom of the crust.
Sprinkle chocolate egg halves over the pudding mixture.
Top with the remaining filling.
Cover the pie with a layer of whipped topping.
Chill in the refrigerator for one hour. Sprinkle the top with M & M chocolate candies and allow to chill for two or more hours before serving.
I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station,
Through which God speaks to us every hour,
If we will only tune in.
George Washington Carver

Edward Knapton says Keep on Smiling!
Sec – Treasurer Berry Hill Farms, Inc.
DBA Americas Best Flowers Garden Center
4311 Vilas Hope Road
Cottage Grove, WI 53527
608-222-2269 Fax 608-222-1234 Cell 608-698-5627