Welcome to April! It is starting to warm up but there are still some rain clouds. This is a busy month with spring celebrations, travel, garden renovations and everyday busy lives. We would like to share our fresh cut vegetables with you and help you stay healthy through all of your activities.
Springtime Recipes For Every Celebration
Springtime celebrations are everywhere during the month of April. Students are on spring break, families are taking vacations and many are celebrating religious holidays. Whatever you celebrate with family and friends, Mann would like to be at the dining table with you!
Here are just a few Mann favorites to add to your spring menu:
- Broccoli Cole Slaw Pineapple Salad
- Mock Noodle Soup
- Grilled Green Beans
- Green Beans with Cherry Tomatoes
- Sugar Snap Pea Nicose
- Citrus Shrimp Salad with Sugar Snap Peas & Romaine
Ways to Save on Fuel
In many areas gas has climbed over $4.00 a gallon in the past few weeks. Those of us that commute daily to work need to conserve as much as possible. Here are some ways that can help do that:
Find the best prices for gas on the web. GasBuddy.com and GasPriceWatch.com help you search by zip code in your browser. You can also send an email or text to gas@gasbuddy.com and get a reply with the 5 lowest prices in your area.
Use GPS or mapping tools. You will save gas because you are not driving around lost looking for your destination.
Keep track of your mileage when you fill up, to make sure your car is performing as it should. Take the miles driven since your last fill up and divide them by the amount of gallons you just purchased. This will tell you what your cars current miles per gallon are (mpg).
If your current mpg is less than expected or promised by your make and model it is probably past time for a tune up. Regular oil and filter changes will enhance your cars performance.
Don’t use the air conditioner unless absolutely necessary. Also unplug your phone charger when not in use.
Fill your tank before it reaches empty. The more air in your tank, the more evaporation of your fuel.
Best times to get gas are early in the morning or later in the evening. Some stations raise their prices during rush hour. Try to fill up Tuesday through Thursday. Many stations raise their prices Friday through Monday, especially during the summer months.
High speeds and quick starts burn more fuel. By using your cruise control and maintaining a speed of 62 mph on the open road, you can save 15% compared to driving 75 mph.
Remove excess heavy items from your car. Large heavy loads weigh down your car and hamper mileage performance.
Mann Product Distribution News
Mann’s Fresh Vegetables are now available in Honolulu, Hawaii at Foodland Markets, Times Markets and Safeway Markets.
Green Beans are available at 25 Produce People stores, 120 Overwaitea stores, 197 Savemart stores and 50 Grocer Supply stores.
Mann has launched a new Food Service item, Arcadian Harvest Lettuce. This is a new exciting blend of European lettuce species, bred from various combinations of Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Tangos, Lolla Rosa, Batavia and Oaks. This new product is being sold washed and ready to eat to Sysco, Produce Alliance and U.S. Foodservice. Trader Joe’s has also announced that it will be using this blend in some of their single serve salads.
National Garden Month
April is National Garden month. In most areas the snow has passed and the rain is almost over. It’s time to get outside and plant a garden with flowers and vegetables. A garden is good exercise, money saving and a way to bring family, friends or neighbors together outdoors. If you don’t have a yard, flower boxes on a deck are a good place to start tomato plants, herb gardens and flowers from seeds or starter plants.
Community gardens are another option. Once you have found a plot for your garden and have agreed on the conditions here are a few tips for the garden members to make things go smoothly:
1. Establish if there are any fees or dues the members must pay and when they are due.
2. Divide the plots and assign them to the members.
3. Make sure members know they are responsible to keep their area weed free, watered and that dead blooms and plants will be removed by them on a weekly basis. Individual plot maintenance is vital to keep the program going.
4. Members agree to keep trash and litter out of the plots and pathways.
5. Members agree to plant tall crops where they will not shade neighboring plots.
6. Harvesting crops in other plots is by permission only.
For other ideas to start a community garden go to www.communitygarden.org
This is the second year we are planting a community garden at Mann Packing Company. We are planting tomatoes, herbs, radishes, pumpkins and flowers. We also have a pear tree that is just blossoming. We will update you in a few months with some pictures.
Mann’s Spring Promotion
Starting mid-April, Mann will place instant redeemable coupons on 100,000 packages of 8-ounce Stringless Snap Peas and 12-ounce Green Beans. The offer is good for $1 savings for any two packages of Mann’s products purchased.
National Humor Month
April Fools Day kicked off National Humor Month for the 36th year! People always say, “Laughter is the best medicine”. Well medicine supports that theory. The act of laughter promotes the production of endorphins in our body. Endorphins are what make us feel so good when we exercise. Laughter also reduces stress hormones like cortisol. It stimulates circulation and enhances your intake of oxygen, soothes tension, assists in relieving pain, just to mention a few things. Mayo clinic staff has been exploring the positive side effects of laughter for quite sometime. Go to Mayo Clinic Laughter Stress Relief for more tips on the benefits of laughter.
Then try some laughter enhancing exercises of your own:
- Tell one joke a day to someone
- Read a funny book or watch a silly TV show
- Have friends over for comic night in your living room
- Go to a live stand up comedy night
- Have a joke contest at work or home
- Make kids laugh. Make a stranger laugh. Make your boss laugh. Make an elderly person laugh. Make yourself laugh.
- Laugh at yourself
Life is too short to take everything so seriously that we forget to smile and laugh each day. If you have a friend or co-worker that never smiles or is always serious, this month is your opportunity to show them the way to lighten up and physically feel better!
Consumer Questions & Answers
Question 1:
Jean from Kansas City, KS: Why are there little yellow flowers on the flourette of the Broccolini?
Answer 1:
The small yellow flowers are part of the edible plant. They should be kept on and eaten with the flourettes and the long stocks.
Question 2:
Jerry from Phoenix, AZ: Can I steam the snap or snow peas in the bag? It doesn’t say anything on the package.
Answer 2:
Most people eat the snaps and snows raw or use them in a stir fry. If you would like to steam them in the bag for a side dish, our bags are microwaveable. Just place them in the microwave seam side up, and microwave between 1-2 minutes. No need to put holes in the bag. Don’t overcook or they will become tough.
Another important day this month is April 22nd, Earth Day. Take a moment on Earth Day and make a promise to yourself to do one thing to help the earth with some type of conservation or recycling. “The earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth”, Chief Seattle.
Sincerely,
Susan Cameron
Mann Packing Co.
Fresh Vegetables Made Easy!