It’s petite, full of color, and packs quite a punch. The Blue Sky Organic Farms Store has seen many incarnations within its four walls, but none quite like it is now. This transformation was due to the efforts of Katerina, the new farm store manager.
Come to think of it, the Farm Store reflects Katerina in many ways. Her lively energy, and background in natural health care and organic foods has brought many new products to our modest farm store. When asked about beginning work at Blue Sky, Katerina had this to say, “I’m quite new here. I just started November 3rd of last year. It is strange that is has only been 3 months! I feel completely at home in the store and on the farm, as if I’ve been here for much longer. Blue Sky is amazing and the produce here is beyond beautiful and delicious.” This says quite a bit considering Katerina has seen her fair share of produce working in the natural foods industry since 1996.
A visit to our Farm Store is more than just a simple shopping trip, it is an experience. What you will first notice immediately upon walking in, is the welcoming fragrance of artisan soaps, fresh herbs, and blooming flowers. Simultaneously your eyes will be drawn to the vibrant colors of our organic vegetables. The luscious green lettuces, cheery orange carrots, and satin red radishes are only heightened by the depths of burgundy and purple hues of kohlrabi, scarlet kale and red beets. If you’ve planned your trip out on Friday or Saturday, your senses will have the added pleasure of taking in the aroma of fresh baked bread.
The fun doesn’t stop there, peruse over a dozen new product lines featuring 100 new items, each selected to add greater health and vibrancy to your life. Katerina has worked tirelessly with our farm manager to bring high quality products from local artisans, and organic companies. When I foolishly asked Katerina if she had a favorite new item in the store she replied, “How can you ask me to choose!? I have a special love for locally made items like Strawberry Hedgehog Soap, Enlighten Skinfood, Boscia Woodworks Cutting Boards, Noble Bread. I could go on and on! We recently brought in the most amazing Coffee & Coconut Milk (vegan) chocolate from StoneGrindz. And I don’t want to name names, but I heard your audible joy the other day when you tried it, Gilli..” Yes, it’s true and I have no shame in it! Something that good, deserves recognition.
We have fun here at Blue Sky identifying the right products to bring in, especially when it comes to taste testing the chocolate! “That’s the thing about working for a small business. There’s not a lot of watering down. There’s not a long list of opinions and networking and politics. There’s basically a very small team of like-minded and opinionated people who aren’t willing to compromise on quality and you end up with only favorite items in the farm store. We either grow it or we love it. The end.” You said it Katerina, we aren’t willing to compromise on quality. This why we put a tremendous amount of effort and passion into growing our organic crops and selecting trusted products for the Farm Store. “What it really comes down to for me is that I want to eat real food grown under the sun the way mother nature intended, without the BS and a list of ingredients you can’t pronounce.”
Agreed, this one of the many reasons we farm organically. It should be an inherent right to trust that the food you are consuming will fortify your body and nourish your spirit. That is where we come in! Fill your home with the bounty of mother nature by shopping at our Farm Store. We would love to see you! Enjoy finding natural, organic products for your home, dinner table, and self-care routine at our Farm Store on the following days and times:
- Tuesday 12pm-6pm
- Thursday 12pm-5pm
- Friday 12pm-5pm (fresh bread in store)
- Saturday 10am-5pm (fresh bread in store)
Our Open Farm Day is coming up, too! On February 25th from 12pm-3pm we will be holding an Open Farm Day event. This free event will provide an opportunity for you and your family to explore the farm and farm store, learn about organic farming, and interact with our farm animals. This day is full of educational opportunities, as well as delicious food created with ingredients from our farm.
In conclusion, if we haven’t made it obvious yet, we want to see you! Join us in celebrating organic, healthful foods. Allow your senses to be stirred by the colors, fragrances, and tastes of our Farm Store. Meet Katerina! Share with us organic and or local products that you love. Who knows, maybe we will start carrying it! We love what we do, and we love hearing from you! As Katerina says, “I love sharing my excitement about things that are truly exceptional. Working at Blue Sky really lets me do all these things.”
Before we bid you adieu, checkout Katerina’s favorite recipes. Cheers to good health! See you soon!
Recipe 1: Peel a kohlrabi, slice it super thin, eat. Delicious! (okay not really a recipe, but can’t deny a favorite snack)
Recipe 2: Peel and roast Blue Sky red beets, cut into wedges. Thinly slice red cabbage and place over a bed of Blue Sky spring mix. Top spring mix and cabbage with roasted beet wedges. Add crumbled feta cheese, a couple sprinkles of chili powder, and most importantly roasted pepitas. Dress with a simple dressing made with lemon juice, a bit of mustard, olive oil, salt &pepper.
We know how much you enjoy doing what you are doing Katerina. We also know how you feel about taking care of your customers and their satisfaction. Both are an excellent combination for success. We wish you personally and professionally, and Blue Sky Organic Farms great success.
We are proud of you. All the best!
Jaime