Disney’s Family Fun says, Give your funny Valentine Card Box a ’steady diet of Valentine Cards. Each card holder is made from a solid-color tissue box.”

To make the cat, glue a card-stock forehead, ears, and tail to the box. (Download our templates for these shapes.) Use glue to attach thin wire whiskers, a heart-shaped card-stock nose, and 1-inch-wide googly eyes.

For the Alien Monster, glue soft felt teeth inside the box’s opening and a card-stock heart nose just above. Curl two pipe cleaners into springs by wrapping them around a pen, then glue a 1-1/2-inch-wide googly eye to the end of each spring. Insert the other ends through the box and secure them with tape inside.

Vote here for Thomaston Georgia to win the Disney Block Party.

Read more at A Tale of Two Tomatoes…rebuilding our local food system with Bluebird Market CSA Distribution.

Variety

1. Approximately 97% of vegetable varieties grown in 1900 are now extinct.

2. There are hundreds of heirloom varieties to choose from.

Flavor

1. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are usually sold within 24 hours of being harvested.

2. A fully ripened tomato has more natural sugars.

3. Traveling tomatoes are picked green and then gassed with ethylene prior to shipping.

Food Miles

1. From field to fork, an average dinner travels 1500 miles.

2. Locally Grown Lucy Tomato is picked and delivered to market within a day or two.

3. Traveling Tom Tomato can take up to 2 weeks to reach your supermarket. During his journey he’s been picked green, waxed, boxed, and gassed.

Dollars & Cents

1. Since 1935 the USA has lost 4.7 million farms.

2. When you buy local, more than 90 cents of every dollar you spend goes to the farmer.

3. These farmers then earn only 20 cents of your dollar; the other 80 cents goes into production.

Turnip Fries from Local Growers are a Delicious Healthy Alternative

So you want the best tasting, more nourishing and more affordable veggies for your group, school, church, community event, catered affair or party?

Supersize your CSA share for all the best affordable local veggies in season…

Especially when hosting a community event like B.R.A.G (Bike Ride Across Georgia)…buy local seasonal veggies from our area farmers rather than trucked in produce from supermarket chains or food wholesalers.

Bluebird CSA is an awesome way to support our community by buying from local growers and bakers.

Email:  bluebirdmarket@gmail.com

Local Delivery available.

1. Community Events like B.R.A.G. (Bike Ride Across Georgia)
2. Parties
3. School Lunches
4. Church Suppers
5. Local Eateries, Restaurants

Know of an event or restaurant where you would like the choice of having farm fresh tomatoes rather than those shipped cross regions and gased to ripen?  Let us know and we will be happy to provide with all the best farm fresh organic nourishing veggies.

Read more about veggies that are picked green and gased in “A Tale of Two Tomatoes”

Truly sharing a cup of tea led to a small group of lovely local artisans making plans to go out and tell their friends at other Middle Georgia arts events how delightful it is to live, work, play and create arts in Thomaston, Georgia.

Ladies love unwrapping presents… and Bluebird Arties were delighted to find at their plate Valentine Gifts… including a red drawstring mini-purse filled with Mary Kay lipsticks, lip liners, a Giftcard for a Free Pampering Session, a Complimentary Facial, Satin Hands and Lips Treatment, Color Makeover and a $10.00 Gift Certificate!

While sharing a cup of hot tea at the home of Diane Dunn, Bluebird Artisan Guild members discussed how spring will bring fun opportunities in Thomaston for Middle Georgia artists.  Plans were made to invite local artists into the Guild and embrace our local arts culture as a united group of self taught artisans working together.   Online networking ideas and reading news stories about upcoming shows made the tea party an informative as well as a fun social gathering. 

One local artisan shared the idea for Bluebird Arties to each have a Bluebird display logo for their booth when traveling to neighboring events in Middle Georgia.  The aim of these ambassadors for the arts is to encourage tourism to Thomaston for local festivals. 

Tasty Salmon Pate’ was served at the Guild Valentine luncheon.  Heart shaped teacups and saucers in bright lime, pink and purple were filled from pink teapots of Lemon, Royal Raspberry and Green teas.  Cottage baked goods were served on a lovely 3 tier  serving piece along with valentine candies and mints.

We also took notes in a daytimer book and pen gift set and enjoyed a fun assortment of Valentine Party favors including a lovely heart fan, temporary Princess tattoos, red and pink tiaras and fun lip whistles…

Middle Georgia Artisans interested in becoming involved with Forward Bluebird Arts are invited to email:  bluebirdarts@gmail.com 

“Just about every non-organic food product available to consumers has some sort of connection with Monsanto…Ultimately, there are better, healthier ways to make cheaper food. Until then the best thing we can do is to demand further investigations and buy organic products whenever practical.”

Read more on Wallet Pop….

We hope you will buy organic.

We support local, organic farmers.

Bluebird Artisan Guild Members will be sending fan messages today using the Language of the Fans at the Bluebird Artisan Guild Valentine Tea Party….”fans were held by aristocrats of the Heian period when formally dressed. Fans were part of the social status for the Chinese people. A particular status and gender would accord a specific type of fan to an individual. During the Song Dynasty, famous artists would often be commissioned to paint picture on the surface of a fan.”

Diane Dunn, a jewelry artisan, is hosting the Bluebird Artisan Guild Tea Party on Monday, February 9, 2010 at 334 E. Lee Street from 12:30-1:30.

All area artisans and arties are welcome to join the fun…

Learn the Victorian Fan Language at Teacakes and Teddybears here.  Personalized fans make lovely wedding favors for outdoor parties.

Read more about the history and trivia of tea parties here.

Read more about The Language of Fans here and the art history of fans here.

Watch ‘The Language of the Fan’ in The Royal Collection and art history of unfolding fan pictures here.

See quilt created using Cleopatra’s Fan Quilting Pattern. 

Valentine Heart Fan Tea Party Favors courtesy of Forward Bluebird Arts Guild.

Josephine declares, “never without my fan.”

It’s ‘Eat Red Week’ at Bluebird Market as we support the effort to choose heart healthy foods like cherries, peppers, red grapes and tomatoes…Read more…

Chocolate Cherry Drink Recipe here.

According to the New York Times, …”those who indulged twice or more a week had a 66 percent reduced risk of dying from a subsequent heart event.”

Each week at Bluebird Market we focus on learning how nourishing foods bring vibrancy, longevity and energy.  Week 6 in the ’Becoming Nutrient-Rich’ Series (for Valentines Day)…is the benefits of chocolate.

Because Bluebird CSA loves it’s shareholders and is so appreciative of our Founding CSA Members, each will receive a lovely locally grown Valentine Flower Bouquet in this week’s share boxes. 

What is the meaning of Gerber Daisies as a flower gift?  …expressing cheerful sentiments, beauty and innocence.

Read more about Gerbers expressing the gift of cheer and brightness.

Read more about Gerber Daisies ranking #4 in NASA’s Top 10 Clean Air Plants Study.

Thanks to another top local grower– who is Certified Georgia Grown– in our Middle Georgia CSA program, our shareholders will receive gorgeous gerber daisies for all the best wishes for a Happy Valentine’s.  Color selection will be chosen by the grower as shown in the manner of the photo of their bright colored gerbers.

Valentine Flowers Bring Meaning

1. Carnations…love and fascination
2. Gerber Daisies…beauty and innocence
3. Iris…faith, hope and wisdom
4. Orchids…rare and delicate beauty
5. Lilies…friendship and devotion
6. Roses…love and appreciation
7. Sunflowers…warmth and adoration
8. Tulips…perfect love