January 2017 Newsletter for SVO

Happy New Years! Happy 2017!

We hope everyone had a good holiday season! We enjoyed our two week break with a lot of relaxing and family time. We know 2016 wasn't the greatest year for the world but have hopes that 2017 will make up for it, and we hope everyone has a fantastic 2017!

We still have our annual survey available until the end of January. As a thank you there is a coupon at the end that can be used on your next order. We truly value your feedback, and it helps us improve where we can. 

Our next Instagram sale will be starting sometime during the week of the 16th. Be sure to be following us to know when the sale starts! 

The Pacific Northwest has been getting a good amount of snow. The snow has melted here in the valley; however, Portland still has a decent amount of snow which has been interfering with deliveries and shipments. We thank everyone who have bared with us. This is the first winter where the snow has actually effected more than a day of normal operations.

With the snow melted, we've been starting to prune our blueberries. If you have blueberries in your back yard now is a good time to start thinking about trimming them up, and be sure to check out our blog post on pruning.

Our normal office hours are:

Monday - Friday 10 am to 4 pm PST 

Our Featured Products in the online Shop:

Freeze Dried Blueberry Powder

Freeze Dried Blackberry Powder

Dried Aronia Berries

New Products Coming Soon:

• Red Raspberry Powder
• Black Raspberry Powder
• Aronia Berry Powder

Cold Weather Shipping 

Cold Weather Shipping is back! For those who are new to this, every year when it’s cold (nation-wide) we are able to send our frozen berries by ground rather than 2 day air, which saves a lot of money! We can only offer this while it’s cold out, usually fall through the early part of spring. You do need to call us if you would the ground shipping though. Our online store is not set up for it. You can call us at 541-752-0460 Monday through Friday 10 am to 4 pm Pacific Standard Time.

**PLEASE NOTE: We are not responsible for shipping delays due to weather conditions**

Blueberry Breakfast Cake

A deliciously moist, lightly sweet "coffee" cake bursting with juicy ripe blueberries.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• Zest from 1 lemon
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (divided)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 2 cups fresh, ripe blueberries
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Lightly grease and flour an 8-inch springform pan. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Remove two tablespoons of the flour and set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the butter, lemon zest and ¾ cup of sugar. Beat for several minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until light and fluffy.
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla just until incorporated.
6. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Beat on low until incorporated. Add ⅓ of the buttermilk and blend until smooth. Repeat adding ⅓ of the flour then ⅓ of the buttermilk until both are incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
7. Toss the blueberries with the reserved 2 tablespoons of flour. Gently fold the blueberries and any extra flour into the batter using a rubber spatula. Take care not to rupture the blueberries.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar and bake in a 325 preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.

January Updates

We have been busy around the farm!

As we kick off the new year we are busy around the farm pruning our blueberries like we do every year. This is also the time of year for those of you at home to start thinking about pruning those bushes you have in the back yard. If your new to blueberry care we got your back, with our blog post about how to prune your bushes. We will also be talking about some tricks we do around the farm to keep things happy and healthy later in the month, so keep an eye on our blog! 

Our Office is Back to Regular Winter Hours We are happy to be back from the Holidays and have returned to having normal Winter hours. We are open Monday to Friday 10 am to 4 pm Pacific time.  Please Note: We will be closed on January 20 for Employer/Employee Annual Meeting, we appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience as we will not be taking order by phone, or shipping any orders. Any orders that are placed via online will be shipped out the following day, January 21, 2015.

Better Shipping Rates are Still Available!  Have a hankering for some delicious frozen berries, but don't want to pay an arm and a leg in shipping? We have great news! We are still able to ship by ground for our frozen berries! If your interested please give us a call at 541-752-0460 to place your order. We are unable to offer better shipping rates through our website, so you need to call us. This offer also excludes Alaska and Hawaii, sorry guys.

January Pinterest Board Theme: This month our theme is "Resolutions" and focuses on a happier, healthier you in the new year. There are also some delicious recipes we have included. If your a full time Pinner then please follow us for great inspiration and for news from around the farm and information on our products! Click here to go to Pinterest.  Recipe: Lemon Blackberry Breakfast Cookies These delicious creations are gluten, egg, and dairy-free! Ingredients: 3-3/4 cups old fashioned oats, divided OR 1-1/3 cup oat flour plus 2 cups old fashioned oats, divided (make sure they're certified gluten free if you are gluten intolerant) 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup ground flaxseed 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 1 medium banana) 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons honey 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted 1 Tablespoon lemon zest 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon) 1lb blackberries, rinsed then patted dry (frozen or fresh) Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside. Add 1-3/4 cups oats to a food processor then process for 3-4 minutes or until very fine to make oat flour. Add oat flour, remaining 2 cups oats, baking soda, salt, and ground flaxseed to a large bowl then mix to combine. Add applesauce, banana, honey, coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice then mix until just combined. Carefully fold in blackberries then let batter sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Scoop 1/4 cup batter (I used an ice cream scoop) onto prepared baking sheet then wet hand with water and press down to flatten slightly (cookies will not spread.) Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown around the edges and set on top. Cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or wrap individually in plastic wrap then freeze in a freezer bag. Wrap in a paper towel then microwave for 20 seconds to thaw. Inspired from Iowa Girl Eats