Written by Alex | August 20, 2015 | 2015 NewslettersNewsletter Tags: flowers, Gardening, jokes, recipies, stories
Get Mums & More at our Flea Mumket
Newsletter 27 – Thursday, August 20, 2015
Current Hours
Cottage Grove location open
Mon-Fri 9-7
Sat and Sun 9-5
Edgerton location open
Mon-Fri 8:30-5:30
Sat 8:30-5:00
Sun 9-4
I Get By with a little MUM from my Friends
Want to thank a friend for their kindness, or show someone you care? Now is the perfect time to show your appreciation with the gift of a beautiful mum or aster! The bundle of fresh color is so uplifting and will make up for color lost from annuals past their prime. Theyll bloom for several weeks to come, and will continue to remind your friend of your thoughtfulness.
Foil pot covers are also available in muted fall colors for a lovely accent and finishing touch. Look for them at the service desk and you can choose the colors of both the mum and foil cover for a unique combination. We also have annual fountain grasses and ornamental cabbage and kale that go great with mums and asters!
Flea Market this Saturday!
Yahoo! Its flea market time!!! Want to look for treasures, without the hassle of searching far and wide? Then search no more, and come to our fantastic flea market going on this Saturday, August 22nd from 9-3. Its conveniently compact, so theres no need to make a long journey to see everything. Were bringing together vendors with all sorts of fun stuff! Its always a surprise, as you really never know what youll find. You may find what you dont even know you need! Hope to see you there!
Theres still time to sign up to be a vendor! If interested in this or future flea markets, please click here for more information.
2015 Flea Market Schedule
August 22 | Saturday | Flea Market 9am – 3pm Rain or Shine |
Sept 19 | Saturday | Flea Market 9am – 3pm Rain or Shine |
Oct 17 | Saturday | Flea Market 9am – 3pm Rain or Shine |
What do you call a veterinarian with laryngitis?
A hoarse doctor.
20% Off Bird Baths
Bird baths are now 20% off! Pick one up for a nice accent piece thatll give your garden a little class. Not only stunning, they provide much-needed relief for your avian visitors on a hot, dry day. The birds will surely appreciate it, your garden will benefit from their appetite for insects, and youll get to observe the beauty of our feathered friends.
If not for the birds or yourself, get one for your cat! Give your bored little buddy hours of entertainment to watch out the window. Theyll get that incredibly focused I want it look, fidgety tail, and maybe even do that weird, meow-cackle thing. And thats just plain entertaining for everyone!
How did the hipster burn his tongue?
He drank coffee before it was cool
No Need to Squish Squash Bugs
the Bug Lady
Squash plants can grow to be a grand sight. With their large, impressive leaves and thick stems, sometimes they look like a living foliage bouquet. It can be quite a shock when part of your squash plant begins to wilt and the leaves turn yellow and brown. Many times, the culprit is the inconspicuous, squash bug. They feed on the leaves, stems, and fruits (ie squash) of all kinds of cucurbits, especially squash, pumpkin, and melons, as well as cucumber and zucchini. They suck the juice out of the plant and inject a toxin, causing the plant to wilt and the fruits to lose quality and nutrition.
Since squash bugs feed and cause damage at nearly every stage of their lifecycle and lay eggs all summer, continuous monitoring and control is necessary. Several tactics are necessary, and some of the best control measures can be found in this article on our new website.
If those control measures arent enough and theyre still causing damage, you can spot spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. They control all stages of squash bugs, but are most effective on the young stage (or ‘nymphs’). Our Bonide Neem Oil is suitable for organic gardening, has a relatively short residual, and is nice to have on hand for controlling a wide variety of other pest insects. Its necessary that the spray contact the squash bug, but it should be used sparingly, as it can also harm beneficial insects. As with any insecticide, you must read the label thoroughly before using. We have it available in a spray or concentrate.
Did you hear about the two silkworms that had a race?
It ended up in a tie.
Artists: We Want You!

An artists craft can only be properly appreciated when the right audience is introduced to it. At our annual Art in the Garden event, we attract art lovers of all kinds, who really enjoy creative art and unique crafts. Whether youre a serious artist looking to share your passion, or someone who just likes to make something useful or neat, wed love for you to participate as a vendor. Not only do you get to share your creations with the world, but you also get the opportunity to meet fellow artists, network, and share stories. Its a casual atmosphere among the flowers, where art lovers and artists meet, and have a darn good time!
If interested in participating as a vendor, please click here for information.
New Website, Tell Us What You Think
We are currently in the process of redoing our website in order to make it more helpful and user-friendly. Wed love to get your feedback as we continue to tweak it. Please check it out at www.americasbestflowers.com/new, and let us know the good and the bad, by emailing Ed at ed@americasbestflowers.com. You can also check it out on your smartphone!
Please specify in your email if you are viewing it on a computer or smartphone. Thanks!
Upcoming Events
Sat, Aug 22 | Flea Market 9am-3pm Rain or Shine |
Sat, Sep 12 | Art in the Garden Craft Fair 9am-3pm Talented artists display and sell their unique items. |
Sat, Sep 19 | Flea Market 9am-3pm Rain or Shine |
Sat, Sep 19 – Sun, Oct 18 | Scarecrow Days Mon-Fri 10am-4pm |
Sat, Oct 17 | Flea Market 9am-3pm Rain or Shine |
Sat, Oct 17 – Sun, Nov 15 | Miniature Garden Container Workshop 10am-3pm Every Weekend FREE soil and assistance. Create a beautiful miniature garden in our greenhouse. Customers may bring in their own EMPTY containers, but all accessories must be purchased from Americas Best Flowers. |
New Employee
The manager of a large office asked a new employee to come in to his office.
Whats your name? the manager asked.
John, the new guy replied.
The manager scowled. Look, I dont know what kind of a namby-pamby place you worked at before, but I dont call anyone by their first name! It breeds familiarity that leads to a breakdown in authority, he said. I refer to my employees by their last name only- Smith, Jones, Baker thats all. Now that we got that straight, whats your last name?
The new guy sighed and said, Darling. My name is John Darling.
The manager said, Okay, John, the next thing I want to tell you…
Our Kitchen
Here is Margarets favorite recipe from her familys cookbook. This makes 4-6 large servings, and if there are any leftovers, they keep wonderfully. When her sister makes this, she always adds the onion and broccoli to the basic recipe. Zucchini and carrots would also make a nice addition.
Margarets Favorite Lemon Pasta

- 1 # penne pasta, or bow ties
- 2 breasts boneless chicken, cut into fingers
- ½ medium sweet onion, chopped, optional
- 1 -2 C broccoli florets, optional
- 3 T olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- ¼ t red pepper flakes
- 3 T roughly chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ½ c grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 T olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, add chicken and onions (if using). Sauté until chicken begins to brown, 3-5 minutes. Add broccoli (if using) and stir gently. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes, until broccoli reaches desired doneness and chicken is cooked through. Remove to a plate, let rest a couple of minutes and slice chicken into bite size pieces.
Add garlic and red pepper flakes to same pan with remaining 1 T oil. Sauté until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta, toss and turn heat off.
Remove pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken mixture to the warm pasta, chopped parsley and zest and juice of lemon. Toss well. Top with Parmesan cheese just before serving.
*You can use pre-cooked chicken fajita meat if you dont want to take the time to grill chicken breasts.

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