years... - Rancho Vignola

Best of the New Crop
From the Farm to
Your Community
Crop News
Inside California's climate crisis
Where Did The Years Go?
Looking back over the decades
Harvest Events
New events! New locations!
Plus:
Recipes, contests & more!
years...
35
Best of the New Crop
New Crop Price List: Early September
• Wholesale Order Deadline: September 28th
www.ranchovignola.com
35 Years & Counting
1980
T
his year, Rancho Vignola celebrates another
significant anniversary: our 35th season of ‘The
Best of the New Crop’! In this issue we ask the
question: Where did the years go? Looking at the
past, present and future, we evoke memories while
maintaining focus on the road ahead.
Rancho Vignola’s president, Richard Vignola,
tackles the issue of climate change and how
it’s impacting the food industry globally, with
a particular focus on the dire drought situation
in California.
General manager Simon Vignola and office
manager Indra McMorran take off for the sunbaked state of California and present current
crop news from our southern neighbours.
A constant reminder of the passing years are the
staff members who come and go. We said goodbye
to some long-term employees this year, and
welcomed new ones into the fold. It takes a strong,
cohesive and harmonious crew to bring the harvest
to you, and we feel blessed to have such a dedicated
team of great staff to work with.
ess with
So glad to do busin ard to
orw
you again. Looking f
!
another healthy year itte
- Brig
Calgary, AB
With highlights and updates from our
sponsored athletes, a resurrected recipe contest,
and another gift basket give-away, we’ve given
you lots to pore over with this issue of our
summer newsletter. This is Rancho Vignola’s
35th year of bringing the very freshest nuts and
dried fruit from the farm to your community.
Sue Vignola & Rancho mascot
Witty the Super Walnut hand out
samples in Vernon, BC.
Our first-ever Sidney
Harvest Event was a huge
success and brought hundreds
of people to the Mary Winspear Centre
in the lovely seaside town. Kootenay
customers are next in line, with a new
Harvest Event to take place in Tarrys,
BC this year. See page 10 for more
on our Harvest Events, and make
sure you plan a visit to see and taste
everything we sell!
Happy harvest!
Inside...
The Rancho crew at our Armstrong warehouse.
35th Anniversary Promotion 3
Testimonials
3
Crop News 4
Almonds & Climate Change
6
Wholesale Ordering
7
35: Where Did the Years Go? 8
Harvest Event News 10
Athlete Update11
Rancho Recipes
12
From the Rancho Office
15
Rancho Cooling15
New to Rancho?
!
e
om
c
l
e
w
Rancho Vignola is a family-owned & operated distributor
of fresh crop nuts, dried fruit and quality confection.
• We source our products once a year at harvest time.
• We offer pre-ordering at wholesale prices in September.
• We ship wholesale orders across Canada.
• ANYONE can order wholesale!
Box 397 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0
Toll-free: 1-877-639-2767 • Fax: 250-546-6653
info@ranchovignola.com
www.ranchovignola.com
• To purchase in person, visit our annual Harvest Events!
Contact us!
Visit www.ranchovignola.com or get in touch by email or phone.
Find us online
Page 2
www.ranchovignola.com
Summer 2015
2015
How do nuts & dried fruit fuel your body?
To celebrate Rancho’s 35th anniversary, we are giving away prizes to 10 lucky people!
HOW DO NUTS & DRIED FRUIT FUEL YOUR BODY?
Tell us online in any one of the following ways:
Tag us (@Rancho Vignola) in a Facebook post with your story.
Tweet your tale of nuts & nutrition, using the hashtag #ranchovignola
Tell your
story!
Fuelled by Rancho
Sponsored athlete
Shanda Hill
Email us (subject line must include 'Rancho's giveaway').
Winners will be awarded a credit of $25 towards their next order.
Submission deadline is September 6th, 2015. Winners will be announced on our website September 7, 2015.
Credit can be applied to any order placed before December 31, 2015. One entry per person. Contest open to any nut & dried fruit lover in Canada.
ts & I tell
I love your produc
. Been ordering
every one I know
u. Everything
for 4 yrs from yo
azingly
is so fresh and am
od is my game.
healthy. Clean fo
ter too!
Love your newslet
- Deb
Fanny Bay, BC
your
E
V
O
L
o
t
Continue introduce
product and rs every
new custome an order is
g
year. Placin EA SY!!!
amazingly
Cheryl A B
Canmore,
d
n
a
,
e
t
i
s
b
e
w
r
u
o
y
o
t
hI ave to saypaWrt OespWecial y. Fantastic!
the orderinygou Rancho Vignola! - I v a n a
Sur ey, BC
hank
T
Wow, you
fantastic. r ordering website
I
So easy an haven't seen a bett is real y
thought o d user friendly. See er one!!
f everythin
m
g! Bravo s you've
!
- Mary
S
Ver ue
non, BC
Just wanted to compliment you once
again!! What a great website and efficient
system you have for ordering online...
...Thanks for running a business that is
always pleasant to deal with and provides
a WONDERFUL product. You are ALL
appreciated!!
- Trish
Telkwa, BC
Summer 2015
John is ready to fill some boxes during
shipping season in the Armstrong warehouse.
We put ongoing effort into ensuring a smooth and efficient online ordering system.
It makes us so happy to hear when our hard work pays off, and helps make a customer's
ordering process a little easier. If there's anything we can do to keep improving our
systems, please let us know!
Rancho Vignola customers are the best in the world!
Without you, we wouldn't be here doing what we love: sharing fresh, delicious
food to nourish us all. Thank you for being a part of our community.
www.ranchovignola.com
Page 3
1980
Crop News
In May, Indra McMorran and Simon Vignola travelled to California to
say hello to some of our growers. They gathered news on the current
crop conditions, plus forecasts for the harvest season ahead.
Dates
Peaches, Pears, Apricots, Cherries
Our first stop takes us far south to desert country
in the Indio area to meet with Rancho Vignola's
old friend and associate Greg Raumin of Jewel
Dates. News from the date plantations is for a
good, healthy crop with stable prices, although the
fluctuation of the US dollar may have some effect
come harvest time. Fortunately, in these times
of water shortages, date palms are fairly drought
tolerant. In other news, Jewel Dates have recently
installed new customized equipment for faster
processing of those tasty date nut rolls.
Raisins
Young Deglet dates bunched for
pollination in Thermal, CA.
We had a very interesting visit over
the grapevines at Lion Raisins,
learning about the recently developed
‘dried on vine’ (DOV) technique.
Unlike the traditional technique of
laying the grapes on brown paper
on the orchard floor, the DOV
method protects them from the
Raisins wrapped and laid to
dry in the traditional method.
sun and other contaminants. Since
this technique requires cutting of the vines in mid-August,
it is not appropriate for all varieties, some of which require
more time on the vine to develop their sugar content.
For now, Thompson raisins are the variety most suited
to this method. With many California farmers converting fruit orchards
to more lucrative almond and walnut plantations, fruit
for drying is becoming scarce, which will likely lead to
higher prices come fall. Our supplier, Traina
Dried Fruit, also reports an ever-increasing
demand for organic fruit, which they can
barely meet. Our visit was to Traina’s new
state-of-the-art facility right in the heart of
Patterson, although their traditional sun drying
is still carried out at the old family homestead
a few miles up the road. We’re happy to report
they will be able to offer us those delicious
organic Bing cherries again this year!
I ’ve been enjoy
in
- I didn’t reali g the fresh tasting nuts
z
ha ve to taste e walnuts did NOT
bitter!
- Faith
Whitecourt, A
B
Walnuts
Mid Valley Walnuts, our supplier of commercial walnuts for
many years, showed off some new equipment for packing
their delicious nuts for shipping. Improvements include new
cracking equipment, as well as an automatic pallet builder.
Prices for conventional walnuts should remain stable this year,
depending on how the season progresses. Ferrari Farms, our
supplier of organic walnuts, is reporting lower amounts of triple
bunches on the trees, which indicates a lighter crop year. This,
plus the demand for organic walnuts, will see the price continue
to rise for this important brain food. Fresh cherries are another
important crop for this grower, and the cherry season was in full
swing during our visit.
Page 4
Simon inspects the organic walnut
crop at Ferrari Farms in Linden, CA.
www.ranchovignola.com
Summer 2015
2015
Abel, Annie, Shawn, Fayedra, Rusty, and canine mascot
Acapella of Fine Dried Foods gather with us to talk fruit.
Mangoes, Pineapple
After last year’s devastating crop failure, we
received the welcome news from our friends at
Fine Dried Foods that this year’s mango crop is
once again looking great! Continuing improvements
and refining the drying process to eliminate
inconsistencies are always a priority with this seasoned
grower/processor. Fine Dried Foods reports the demand
for their dried mangos is through the roof, and
they could easily sell ten times more product!
We’re fortunate that our long association with them
keeps us near the top of their customer list. Their outstanding
pineapple is also forecast to be a great crop.
Prunes
Simon meets Barb Roux,
sales & export director
at Taylor Brothers Farms
near Sacramento, CA.
Many of you who purchased full cases of prunes during
the 2014 season may have noticed the shipping boxes from
a new supplier. Taylor Brothers is a multi-generational
family business that is now one of the major producers
of prunes in California, and well known for exceptional
quality in their organic products. We are thrilled to
have discovered the Taylor Brothers and look forward
to a long and ‘fruitful’ relationship!
Indra & Simon visit organic
farmers and long-time friends of Rancho
Isidro & Maisie Jane Hurtado in Chico, CA.
Almonds
It’s been amazing for us at Rancho Vignola to watch the rapid growth of thirdgeneration farmers Maisie Jane’s California Sunshine Products since Sue and
Richard first met them over 10 years ago. Growing not only a great business
in the Chico area, but a family as well, Maisie Jane’s packaged products have
experienced huge growth and are now shipped US and Canada-wide. Maisie
Jane’s family business is committed to bee preservation, promoting bee-friendly
and sustainable farming, with an array of hives and a resident beekeeper on
site. When we asked Maisie and her husband Isidro about the continuing
drought, they explained that they are not so affected, being in the northern part
of the state - plus they maintain their own wells. Maisie is a third-generation
farmer who grew up working on her dad’s almond plantation. Her father, Ben
Bertagno, says, “It used to be that most everyone had a direct connection with a
farmer, whether it was a blood relative or a friend. Now, there are fewer people
with these relationships with farmers. If consumers only knew the challenges
and processes farmers go through, they’d appreciate their food more.” At Rancho Vignola, we couldn’t agree more, which is why we’re committed
to maintaining our relationships with farmers and processors world-wide, and
bringing their stories to you.
Looking forward to the 35th year of the new crop harvest!
Summer 2015
www.ranchovignola.com
Organic almond trees reach for the sky
at Maisie Jane's California orchard.
Page 5
1980
ALMONDS
and Climate Change
Almonds are not the main source of California’s water issues
T
here is no longer any doubt that climate change is the new
reality. California is in the fourth year of a drought that is
starting to have an impact on its food production, and almond
growers have recently been taking the brunt of criticism for
high water consumption. This ill repute is largely unfair: from
a nutritional density perspective, almonds deliver much better
value, and in fact require less water, than many crops that are far
less nutrient-rich. Gallons per ounce values vary with different
sources, but all agree that California’s biggest water sucker by far is
the commercial meat industry. Getting meat and dairy to your plate
takes exponentially more water than almond production, and those
huge animal factory farms have a lot to answer for. Almost 50% of
California’s water supply either directly or indirectly goes to the
production of meat and dairy.
Almonds use about 10% of California’s total water supply each year,
but they are also its most lucrative exported agricultural product,
adding $6.5 billion to the state economy and producing 80% of the
world’s supply. In these days of world trade, California’s drought
is certainly not just a local problem, but a global one. In a year
with practically no water coming from rain or alpine snow
melt, that’s enough to send ripple effects throughout the
world. With less water to go around, the main effect
will be higher production costs, and this is felt
far beyond US borders.
Rancho Vignola’s
California almonds
come from the northern
areas, where water
shortages are not as
severe as other parts
of the state. Yuba and
Stanislaus Counties
still have plenty of
water to grow almonds,
Innocent almonds bask in the California sun.
using up-to-date watersaving irrigation methods. Our main suppliers, Stewart & Jasper
(Newman, CA) and Maisie Jane’s (Chico, CA), both use modern
water-saving irrigation methods and have their own water wells. In
addition, Maisie Jane’s organic orchard is a well-established family
operation committed to sustainable, eco-friendly farming methods.
California’s drought is impacting food prices across the board.
Many crops and animal producers may be forced to relocate
elsewhere. For Canadians, these higher prices may urge more of
us to eat locally, growing leafy greens and vegetables at home and
eliminating the need to transport these items that have relatively low
nutritional density over thousands of kilometres. Alas, super foods
such as almonds and many other tree nuts don’t grow in our northern
climes, so it's their high nutritional value that justifies the cost
of transporting them. Despite any increased prices, raw almonds still
provide far better nutritional value for your money than many other
crops, and remain one of the healthiest foods available.
- Richard Vignola
Preheat oven to 275ºF. Have an ungreased pan
ready, large enough to fit the nuts in a single layer.
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until
they form soft peaks when beaters are lifted.
Add brown sugar, ¼ cup at a time, beating well
until mixture is stiff and glossy. With a large
spatula, stir in melted butter. Gently fold nuts into
meringue mixture until they are evenly coated.
Spread coated nuts evenly on the pan. Bake about
1 hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes to keep
nuts separate, until meringue is dry and nuts are
crunchy. Let cool in pan, stirring occasionally.
Page 6
Candied Toffee Almonds
Works with any nuts, and always a hit!
Ingredients
2 egg whites, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter, melted & cooled to room temperature
1 to 1½ lb raw almonds, cashews,
walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or
macadamia nuts (or a mixture of
your choice)
www.ranchovignola.com
Summer 2015
2015
Wholesale Ordering
From a customer
A
nnette Rosendal is the coordinator of PeaceFull Pantry, a large
and successful buying club in northern Alberta. As Annette and
many of our other customers can attest, it’s not easy keeping so
many people organized, and volunteer burnout can be high if things
are not well thought out. For her club of over 200 members, Annette
keeps things organized by using software available online
(www.buyingclubsoftware.com), which helps her sort individual
orders and figure out how much bagging and packaging
needs to be done once the product arrives. This is
probably worth looking into for anyone trying to
coordinate a big group of people into one large order.
Be sure to click on their blog section, where you can
find a video of Annette discussing her club and how
it has helped her community support local farmers
and suppliers of real food!
Annette’s story:
PeaceFull Pantry started in 2007 as a way for people in the
northern Alberta town of Peace River to access high-quality, organic
and natural foods via wholesale and farmer-direct ordering. I built
the buying club based on the social enterprise business model -
making profit while looking after people and the environment. This
has provided an opportunity to give back to the local community in
various ways, including donations to the Women's Shelter, supplying
expertise and help in a school garden, and gifting food to people
who need an extra boost, such as new mums and those with illness
or injury. Rancho Vignola has very similar philosophies and, after
a trial run of the product, ordering from Rancho was a natural
decision, as the high quality and freshness of the products is far
beyond anything store-bought. Rancho orders are sent to me via email or the
specialist software online that is vital to automating
and coordinating these big orders. I then place the
group order on the Rancho website as soon as online
ordering opens. We do a wholesale order in the fall
for the larger sizes and better prices, then repack and
bag down as necessary.
We also place another
order during the Spring
Sale for the smaller sizes, which
reduces how much repacking
needs to be done.
- Annette Rosendal
Want to run your own buying club? Start here!
Find People
Considerations
• Similar food preferences & priorities
• Fun & easy to cooperate with
• Willing to help organize
Where to look
•
•
•
•
•
•
Your family and friends
Other parents at your kids’ school
Other students at your campus
Your book club
Your church community
Your sports team or gym buddies
(active people LOVE quality food!)
• Your knitting circle
• Your neighbours
• Your work colleagues
Make a team!
Summer 2015
Define Roles
Find A Location
In smaller groups, one person may
have multiple responsibilities
For meetings
For organizing orders (Pack Day)
Coordinator
Considerations
- Often the group founder
- In charge of inviting new members
- Organizes & oversees all meetings
- Handles all communication with supplier
Order Manager
- Consolidates member orders into one big group order
- Oversees separation of orders on Pack Day
Treasurer / Invoice Coordinator
- Totals up orders and collects payments
- Consolidates money and pays group order
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Cleanliness
Ease of access for order delivery
Power outlets
Washing station / sink
Counter space
Cool storage (food safe)
SUPPLIES
- Scales & scoops
- Bags & twist ties
- Hair nets, gloves, aprons
- Cleaning supplies
Membership Coordinator
(only needed for big groups)
Where to look
- Keeps track of all members
- Ensures email/phone list is up to date
- Informs members of meetings & order info
• A group member's house
• Church or community centre
• Commercial kitchen space
www.ranchovignola.com
Page 7
1980
Celebrating 35: Wher
B
y early spring each year we’re already thinking about the harvest to come, and all the preparation that must be done
before we are ready to launch the new season. With this, our 35th year in business, we feel it’s important to look
back on where we started, where we are now, and where we are headed...
1990+ Back to Vernon
1980+ How it all began
We, Sue and Richard Vignola, are running Sunseed Natural
Foods, a popular store in downtown Vernon, BC. We meet
Carl Isaac, a gentleman from the Enderby Mennonite
community, newly returned from California with a pick-up
full of fresh nuts and beautifully soft dates, and we begin
promoting the California harvest each Autumn. A consistent
and appreciative customer base grows to anticipate this
annual bounty, and Carl Isaac becomes our business
partner for the next twenty years. Each November we
travel to remote Mennonite farms in Alberta for the annual
‘Truckload Sale’ of freshly harvested nuts and dried fruit.
The Vignola family, circa 1982:
Sue, Richard, Natalia and Simon.
Page 8
Finding a ten-acre parcel of land and a functioning homestead off
of Silver Star Road makes the move back to Vernon exciting. Going
by the name Vignola Enterprises, operations are carried out from
our home office and wherever we can find suitable rental facilities
to receive the product shipments. With Richard’s idea to deliver
our products directly to Hutterite colonies throughout the
prairies, the annual wholesale ordering system continues
expanding. The list of products continues to grow as
we source more organics and offer a wider selection
for families and buying clubs across Canada.
Meanwhile, the November ‘Truckload Sales’
attract an ever-wider customer base.
Richard brings home the harvest, fresh
from the California sunshine.
Hutterite women gather for the annual
delivery of their fruit & nut order.
The Rancho Vignola cr
historic Forge Valley
1985+ Moving on
1995+ The search for a home, and a new name
After selling our natural food store, we take our
young family on an extended trip to the U.K. and
Europe. Returning eight months later, we settle in
Kelowna so that our children, Natalia and Simon,
can attend the Kelowna Waldorf School. The
seasonal ‘new crop’ business continues to grow
through word of mouth, and we receive products
and process orders out of ever-changing rental
locations throughout the Okanagan. In 1985, the
September wholesale price list is only one page
long, but shortly thereafter it quickly grows to
two full pages!
Business is booming, we’re gaining fixtures and fittings, and it’s
becoming harder to move around. A beautiful old wooden building in
the heart of Vernon, formerly a fruit packing plant, catches Richard’s
eye and Forge Valley Storage becomes our home for the next ten
years. 1996 sees the creation of our new name, Rancho Vignola.
We begin producing a four-page newsletter to correspond with our
customers, keeping them up to date on crop news and recipes. Work
begins on the development of our very first website. It is during the
fall of 1999 that we hear of the sudden death of our partner, Carl
Isaac, who will be forever commemorated in our hearts.
www.ranchovignola.com
Summer 2015
2015
ere Did The Years Go?
2010+ Thirty Nutty years already!
2000+ Y2K arrives and we’re still here
Although we staged our very own computer crash, racing an old PC
down our toboggan hill, the rest of the country survives Y2K unscathed
and a new century is born! We begin sponsoring our first athlete, local
snowboard cross racer Tom Velisek. We depart on the first of our many
‘Travels in the Rancho Mobile,’ which takes us from Vancouver Island
to the Yukon and Canada’s Northwest Territories, visiting customers
and making new friends along the way. Our 2003
season sees the launch of a brand new logo and
an efficient toll-free line, followed in the new
year by another first: our Spring Clearance Sale in
March. An online shopping system for our wholesale
customers is tentatively introduced. Our
annual sales, now called Harvest
Events, expand to include Vernon,
Salmon Arm and Kelowna.
rew outside
y Storage.
Customers flock to the Harvest Event at
Paddlewheel Park Hall in Vernon, BC.
With the new legislation for almond pasteurization
firmly entrenched in the US, we are excited to bring
in unpasteurized organic almonds from Australia.
Circumstances encourage us to take over the storage
business located in our building, and Rancho Cooling
is born. We begin filming fun little cooking videos in
the newly renovated Rancho Kitchen at the Vignola
homestead. Witty the Super Walnut is introduced
as Rancho's first mascot, and enjoys an
impressive amount of public exposure
in our local community and beyond.
Our next travels see us in Italy and
Turkey, taking cooking classes,
learning all about the local crops,
and visiting plantations. In 2014,
we launch our first Harvest Event
on Vancouver Island, in the charming
seaside town of Sidney.
A fresh batch of Rancho's Own custom made,
organic fruit and nut mix.
Sue presents her recipe for savoury
roasted almonds to the video camera.
2015+ The road ahead…
2005+ The move to Armstrong, BC
Rancho Vignola reaches its 25th year. The September
wholesale price list is now four pages long and features
Rancho’s first house-made custom mix: Rancho’s Super
Anti-Oxidant Goji Mix. Our charitable donations and support
programme keeps growing to include not only food banks
and orphanages, but also musical, sports and theatrical events
in our community and beyond. To encourage fundraising
campaigns using Rancho Vignola products, we create printed
guidelines and a customized order form. In 2008-2009, our
travels take us to Mexico, Vietnam and Indonesia. But the
biggest news of all is our move (in 2006) to a much larger
and more efficient warehouse in the neighbouring town of
Armstrong. After many years of being crammed together in
a dark, freezing cold room, the space and comfort of our new
offices is absolute luxury!
And so onwards. We are solidifying plans to make our current location
in Armstrong our permanent home. Myself and Richard edge closer
to retirement, while son Simon and his close-knit management team
maintain responsibility over Rancho Vignola’s daily operations. Our
sister business, Rancho Cooling, continues to grow as it takes on more
storage customers, including some of our favourite local farmers and
food producers. We’re looking at organic certification for our packaging
room, and, a little further into the future, equipment for producing our
very own dry roasted nuts.
Where did the years go? I would say to growing… Growing a
business, growing children, growing a community, and always striving
to help make the world a better place. Since the beginning, it has felt
like an honour and a privilege to be in this nutty business, sharing our
passion for fresh, newly-harvested foods. We thank you for the years of
support, and hope Rancho Vignola can continue to bring you ‘The Best
of the New Crop’ for generations to come!
- Sue Vignola
Summer 2015
www.ranchovignola.com
Page 9
1980
Harvest Event News
Changes for the 2015 season
West Kootenays
NEW T!
EVEN
For years, people have asked us when we would make it to the
Nelson area, and we're thrilled to announce the time has come!
Rancho Vignola's first ever Kootenay Harvest Event will
be held at Tarrys Hall.
1986 Hwy 3A (just north of Castlegar)
Cloverdale
Cloverdale, BC is hosting its second Harvest Event. Come and stock up on your
favourite goodies at Shannon Hall at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
6050A - 176th Street
K
BAC N!
I
AGA
Sidney
Thank you to everyone who came out to our first Sidney Harvest Event in
2014. It was a huge success and we are very excited to return this year! Come
find us at the Mary Winspear Centre.
2243 Beacon Avenue
Salmon Arm
The Salmon Arm Harvest Event is relocating to accommodate the
customer increase over the last few years. Come taste the harvest
at the SASCU Recreation Centre.
2550 10th Avenue NE
NEW ON!
TI
LOCA
Abbotsford
Long-time customers will be glad to hear that we'll be back in Abbotsford
this November! Come see us at Windsor Greenhouses.
29635 ‘0’ Avenue (and #18 Ross Rd.)
A complete list & dates
of all our Harvest Events
can be found online at
www.ranchovignola.com
Page 10
Thanks so much for having such
great - and fresh - products with
the organic choices.
Thanks also for all the support you
give groups in the community.
- Judy
Cranbrook, BC
www.ranchovignola.com
See & Taste
les
Live demos & free samp
ts!
en
at Rancho's Harvest Ev
Jackson stocks up on his
favourites in Camrose, AB.
Summer 2015
Fuelled by Rancho
W
2015
ATHLETE UPDATE
e begin by congratulating Alysson
Marshall and Heidi Widmer on all
their accomplishments, and wish them
good luck with their future endeavours.
They both have retired from skiing, but
are excited for new adventures!
Kevin Hill
Kevin Hill, 2015 X Games gold medalist in snowboard
cross, has made his dreams come true, proving that hard
work and dedication to the sport really pays off! During
his off-season, Kevin is training six days a week at the
gym to gain strength and size for the winter ahead. He
is also continuing his BMX racing this summer, as well
as many of the other sports the Okanagan has to offer.
We congratulate Kevin on his participation in the 2014
Winter Olympics in Sochi, and can’t wait to see what
the 2015/2016 season will bring for him! Josh Dueck
Paralympic gold medalist Josh Dueck
Photo by Cap-It
also announced his retirement in
November, 2014. His new adventures are Josh & Lacey Dueck with their daughter Nova,
prepared for family adventures on the road!
taking him throughout North America,
mentoring young athletes who have recently acquired a spinal
Dahria Beatty
cord injury. Rancho Vignola is proud to continue sponsoring Josh
This past winter was Dahria
as he embarks on this inspirational new venture.
Beatty’s first season racing as a
Follow Josh in his continuing journey: www.thisamazinglife.com
senior athlete and it was filled
with many firsts, one of which
Shanda Hill
was winning the Open Women’s
NorAm Cup at Sovereign Lake
'I'm very passionate about Rancho products, and use them
Nordic Centre in Vernon, BC. In
every day in every way!'
early 2015 Dahria represented
Shanda competed in her first triathlon, the Full Iron Distance, in
Canada at the Nordic U23
the fall of 2014. In the last few months, she has competed in over
World Championships in
200 km of trail and road running races! Shanda is gearing up to
Almaty, Kazakhstan, where
participate in her first
she placed 20th in the Classic
80 km mountain race,
Sprint, the top North American
followed by her second
result of the day. With the new
triathlon, Challenge
training season underway, she
Penticton 2015. Her most
Dahria Beatty wears the Leader's bib after
is already looking forward to
memorable experience this
winning the 5k at the 2015 Haywood Ski
returning to Sovereign
year was a 180 km road bike
Nationals in Thunder Bay, ON.
Lake next December
ride with her father.
to race at the NorAm, and preparing for the Tour
of Canada World Cup in March 2016, where
she will be racing in Quebec and Alberta
Above: Shanda Hill in her happy
place as she hits the trails.
against the world’s top athletes!
Right: The Rancho team ready for
the 2014 Armstrong IPE parade.
Rancho Out & About
Rancho Vignola sponsors a number of events
throughout the year. From triathlons and other
athletic events to music festivals and theatre
performances - we like to show our support!
Summer 2015
www.ranchovignola.com
Cross Country Ski Championships held at
the Telemark Ski Club in Kelowna, BC.
Page 11
1980
Recipes
from the
Rancho Kitchen
H
ere at Rancho Vignola, it's no secret that we love
food - and not just any food, but the best we can
find! We believe sharing good food brings together family,
friends and communities, in addition to nourishing
bodies and minds.
Wild Rice & Cashew Salad
Yummy and nutritious! Great to make ahead for company or summer
gatherings. Submitted by Stephanie Mundeling of Sicamous, BC.
Ingredients
2 cups wild black rice (uncooked)
5 cups water
2 cups roasted cashew nuts (I use salted)
1 large tin (19 oz/540 ml) chickpeas, drained
2 cups raisins plumped with ½ cup boiling water
½ cup chopped green onions
We’re excited to announce that our
Recipe of the Year contest is back!
Submit your favourite recipes, and the best will be awarded a $100
Rancho credit. Recipes must include at least one Rancho product,
and if there's a story behind your recipe we'd love to hear it!
Dressing
⅓ cup olive oil
2 tbsp liquid honey
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1½ tbsp curry powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
The deadline for entry is August 31, 2015. The winner will be
notified before the wholesale ordering period begins on September 8.
Submit your recipes directly on our website, in the 'Recipes' section.
Put rice and water in a pot, cover and bring to boil. Stir to prevent
sticking, then turn down to simmer. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes,
stirring occasionally. In the meantime, plump raisins in covered
bowl. Let rice and raisins cool. Drain raisins. Mix all ingredients
in a bowl with the dressing.
NOTE: If you make this ahead, add cashews just before serving.
Dark Chocolate Coconut Truffles
A delicate yet rich truffle to satisfy any coconut lover's cravings.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups unsweetened shredded
coconut
½ cup cream cheese
⅓ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup dark chocolate domes or
dark chocolate chips
1 tsp extra virgin coconut oil
Page 12
Being passionate about food and cooking has led us to
create a whole section of fabulous recipes on our website.
If you haven’t explored our recipe collection yet, you
should head on over to www.ranchovignola.com/recipes
and check it out!
Alternatively, recipes may be submitted by:
Email: info@ranchovignola.com
Fax: 250-546-6653
Post: Box 397, Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0
Fine print: By entering the contest, you consent to your recipe being shared on our
website, social media and/or print materials with credit to you, the author.
Place the coconut, cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a
standing mixer or food processor. Mix until everything is well combined.
Roll dough into balls, a little over 1'' in size. Place them on a cookie sheet
lined with wax or parchment paper and freeze for about one hour.
In a small saucepan or double boiler, melt the chocolate and coconut oil
over medium low heat, stirring constantly.
Using a fork, dip each ball into the chocolate, coating it completely. Let it
drain off for a few seconds before putting it back onto the wax paper.
Once you've coated all your truffles with chocolate, refrigerate until set.
Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.
www.ranchovignola.com
Summer 2015
2015
Strawberry Goji Smoothie
Quick, easy and nutritious!
Ingredients
1 banana
1 heaping cup strawberries
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tbsp dried goji berries
1 tbsp chia seeds
Pre-soak goji berries until plump
and juicy. Place all ingredients in
a blender and blend on high until
smooth. If you find it a bit thick,
drizzle in some water or milk
while blending until you reach
your desired consistency.
shew
a
C
Cream of Leek Soup
This vegan soup fills you up, and warms you inside & out!
Ingredients
¾ cup raw cashews (soak for 3 hours to soften)
4 medium potatoes
5 cups vegetable broth
3 large leeks
2 small onions, or one large
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp coconut oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Boil potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a
fork. Meanwhile, sauté the leeks, onion, thyme, garlic,
salt and pepper in the coconut oil until the leeks and
onions are soft and starting to turn translucent.
Put your cashews & vegetable broth in a blender and
blend until the mixture is smooth, about three minutes.
If you would prefer a thinner soup with chunks, set
aside some or all of the potatoes and/or sautéed leeks.
If you’re blending in some or all of the potatoes and
leeks, add them to your blender with the cashew
mixture and blend on high again for another three
minutes or until smooth.
Place your soup on the stove and bring up to desired
temperature before serving. Garnish with caramelized
onions or something green such as chives or parsley.
Date Squares
A dessert that's been around for many years, and for
good reason! Using Barhi or Medjool dates instead of the
traditional Deglet gives this dish a whole new flavour.
Ingredients
8 oz, or approximately 1 ¾ cups, pitted Barhi dates (you can use any
dates you have on hand, but we love Barhis in this recipe!)
½ cup water
1 cup all purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
⅛ tsp salt
½ cup butter
1 cup palm sugar or brown sugar
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
Combine pitted dates and ½ cup water
in a saucepan on high heat and stir
while bringing to a boil. Once your
mixture boils, reduce heat to medium
while stirring and mashing the dates into
a paste. Remove from heat and set aside.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and mix to combine. Add the
butter, cutting it into the flour. Mash with a fork, or use a knife to start with if
your butter is cold. Combine until the mixture resembles very coarse crumbs.
Add sugar, oats and nuts to the flour & butter mixture, using a fork to
combine. If your mixture is too dry add 1 tablespoon of water at a time,
mixing well in between. You should be able to grab a small handful of the
mixture and squeeze it into a ball without it completely falling apart, though
some crumbling is okay.
Scoop half the mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking dish, and use
your hands to press it in as firmly as you can. Spread your date mash evenly
over this bottom crust. Next, add the rest of your crust and lightly press it in;
you don't want to use too much force but you want it to evenly cover the dates
and stick together.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350ºF for 25 minutes, or until the crust looks
dark golden brown.
Let your date squares cool before cutting and serving - the cooler they are,
the firmer they'll be. Enjoy!
Summer 2015
www.ranchovignola.com
Page 13
1980
Lunch Wraps
Using Rancho's Own Organic Breakfast Mix, or a mix of whatever nuts, seeds &
dried fruit that you have on hand, these are easy to make and super tasty!
Ingredients
1½ cups cooked shredded chicken or pan fried tofu
2 tbsp mayo
1 tbsp mustard of choice
⅓ cup Rancho's Breakfast Mix
1 apple
Handful of spinach
Salt & pepper to taste
Tortilla shells or lettuce for wrapping
Optional: shredded cheese (cheddar works well)
Chop the apple into small chunks, mix with chicken or tofu, mayo,
mustard, breakfast mix and salt & pepper.
Place the filling into a tortilla shell or lettuce leaf and add spinach
(and cheese if desired). Wrap up and enjoy!
Makes 2-4 wraps.
Super Summer Fun!
Witty the Super Walnut makes friends & feeds
the crowds at the annual Sunshine Festival in
downtown Vernon, BC.
Sharing snacks w
ith soccer
stars Summer &
Bailey.
High Five!
luna
s with little A
Making friend
, Crystal.
and her mum
Hangin' with the Matysiak family at the
Rancho Vignola booth.
Gift Basket Giveaway
How well do you know Rancho's history?
Answer the following question and you could win one of our glorious gift
baskets, filled with a luscious assortment of fresh Rancho products!
• What year did Rancho Vignola launch a new logo and toll-free line? •
Email or call us with your answer (don’t forget to include your full name and contact info)
info@ranchovignola.com • 1-877-639-2767
The draw will be made September 1st, 2015
Page 14
Good luck!
www.ranchovignola.com
Summer 2015
Hello from the Office!
2015
by Indra McMorran
A
s our friends &
customers know, we
Indra, Amelia & Kylie from the Rancho office.
at Rancho Vignola are
passionate about food! As a seasonal business specializing
in new crop whole foods fresh from harvest, we spend a lot of
time getting to know our products and our growers. It gives me
great pleasure to see that our customers are also taking interest
in the growing practises and stories around the food they
purchase from us. Here, I want to answer a few of the many
questions asked of our office staff.
What’s the difference between
raw and unpasteurized almonds?
We carry a variety of almonds, among them the raw supreme
almonds from California and the organic raw unpasteurized almonds
from South Australia. In 2007, the USDA passed a law that stated
all almonds grown and sold within North America must go though
some form of pasteurization to minimize the risk of unsafe bacteria.
There are five methods of pasteurization that qualify: oil roasting,
dry roasting, blanching, the use of propylene oxide, and steam
processing. The almonds we buy from California have undergone
steam processing and the process is a surface treatment only. To keep
them from being cooked, the almonds are not heated all the way
though, and can still be successfully sprouted afterwards.
The unpasteurized almonds from South Australia are not subject to
the same US laws and so haven’t undergone any treatment after their
shelling. Thus they are specified as unpasteurized.
Why does product sometimes look
different from year to year?
Due to fluctuations in weather and countless other
conditions around the growing of products, there can be
differences both in appearance and flavour from year to
year. Don’t panic! This variation is normal when dealing
with naturally grown foods, fresh from harvest!
What’s the difference between
the date varieties?
We carry three different varieties of dates: Medjool, Deglet
and Barhi. The most popular and well-known date is the
Medjool, the largest and juiciest of the three. The Deglet
date is smaller and more firm. While tasty to eat as is,
these are most commonly used in baking, and you
often see them in grocery stores around Christmas time.
The Barhi date is very soft, moist, and much smaller and
rounder in shape than the Medjool. The flavour and texture
has an almost caramel quality.
Do you have an organic
option for that product?
While we strive to offer as many organic products as we can, at
times they can be hard to source. The good news is that consumer
demand for organics continues to grow, and as the demand grows
so does the selection of products we can bring to you!
Have more questions?
You can also check out the FAQ page on our website, and product-specific information that is listed in the Products section.
As always, if you didn’t find your answer you can email us at: info@ranchovignola.com
R
ancho Cooling is a commercial frozen,
refrigerated and dry storage warehouse
facility located right next to Rancho Vignola
in Armstrong, BC. We store locally produced
vegetables & fruit, meat, wine, juice, as well as
many different value-added food products.
We are gaining a reputation for providing
exemplary customer service, so if you or someone
you know is in need of frozen, refrigerated or dry
storage, please contact us:
Spread the Word!
• Are you a wholesale customer?
• Do you know someone who might be interested
in ordering wholesale too?
You can refer them to us and qualify for a 5%
commission credit based on their first three
consecutive wholesale orders!
Complete details and referral submission form available at:
250-938-5062 • cooling@ranchovignola.com
www.ranchovignola.com/refer.html
www.ranchocooling.com
Summer 2015
www.ranchovignola.com
Page 15
Smile!
Greeter Girls
Rancho
Cloé & Cory find a little gift from the
nt.
Eve
warehouse at the Airdrie Harvest
Patsy & Jane show
their friendly sides
to customers in Sidn
ey, BC.
Fresh Flavours
Rayann
e
the Cam works the dis
pla
rose Ha
rvest E y at
vent.
ch of
Richard mixes a fresh bat
t Mix in
Nu
&
it
Fru
n
Rancho's Ow
the Armstrong warehouse.
Bring 'Em On!
Fabienne gets read
y for the throngs
of hungry custom
ers in Vernon.
lp
Here to He
y assist
elen happil
Ronda & H
B.
Camrose, A
customers in
Try This!
oking
New Crop Co
nd out
f Heidi Fink ha
Jayme & Che
ey.
stomers in Sidn
samples to cu
azing
ips up am
Robyn wh rnon, BC.
Ve
recipes in
!
Welcome
ers at the
ets custom
Katie gre est Event.
arv
Airdrie H
We Did It!
Susie works on a gorgeous
assortment of Gourmet Gifts
in the Armstrong warehouse.
Brain Fo
od
Witty the
Sup
with Harv er Walnut shares sa
est Event
staff in Ca mples
mrose.
Model Staff
Nyssa & Brent str
ike a pose at the
Vernon Harvest Ev
ent.
Gareth celebrates a
successful Harvest
Event in Sidney, BC.
hews
Cheryl pan roasts fresh cas
.
AB
e,
for sampling in Airdri
100%
Page 16
www.ranchovignola.com
Summer 2014