From Brownfield to Butterfly Garden: Garden Tour at PFC

Join Native Plant Expert and past president of Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones Dave Wendling to find out what is blooming in the gardens. The garden beds include a berm and swale with over 40 species of native plants including wildflowers, shrubs, trees, grasses, and sedges.

Dave will give a brief history of the prior uses of the site where PFC is located and will explain the special value of these plants for holding stormwater, cleansing the soil polluted by previous industrial development, and providing food and shelter for birds and for the many pollinators and other insects endangered by human methods of industrial farming, urban/suburban development, and landscaping.

In addition to his involvement with Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones Dave is president of the Michigan Botanical Club SW Chapter, co-owner of the PFC, and land steward for the Michigan Nature Association.

Note: The gardens are maintained by Steve Allen and Gina Frasson-Hudson of Geum Services.

This is a free event. No registration required. Check for updates on the Facebook event page.

Lunchtime Performance on the Front Porch: Alexia Faison

Tuesday, July 30 from 12-12:30pm

Please join us at PFC on the Front Porch at lunchtime for performance!

Alexia Faison is 5 years old. She is a sweet kid and a bundle of positive energy. She will be performing a set of music showcasing classical, pop, folk, improvisation, and her own compositions. She will be joined by her teacher Josh Holcomb, with whom she studies at the Suzuki Academy Kalamazoo. Come and show your support for this bright young talent!

Lunchtime Performance on the Front Porch: Veda Cavanagh

Tuesday, July 23 from 12-12:30pm

8 year old, Veda Cavanagh is already an accomplished violinist. She has performed all around town, including at the Art Hop, Friendship Village, The Fountains at Bronson Place, Crosstown Parkway Apartments, The Epic Center, MRC Artworks, and the Kalamazoo Farmers Market. Her repertoire extends from childrens’ songs to classical music, to fiddle music, and she can even sing and play some songs on the ukulele! Veda studies music with her teacher and co-op owner Josh Holcomb at the Suzuki Academy Kalamazoo. Veda’s parents are co-op owners Steve and Theresa Cavanagh. Steve operates the Mattawan Creamery. 

Join us at PFC on the Front Porch at lunchtime for a performance!

#LoveLocalPFC

Next time you stop into the co-op or visit the Farmers Market for your favorite local products, snap a pic!

 

A selfie with a chilled Mamaleelu Cold Brew on your patio? Your DoughChicks KaraComet fueling you on the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail? Share the moment on Instagram, use the hashtag #LoveLocalPFC, and you could win a prize from PFC.

 

Share your picture for your chance to win some prizes!

1. Follow @pfc_kzoo on Instagram.
2. Take a photo of or with your favorite local product that you can find at PFC Natural Grocery & Deli or the Kalamazoo Farmers Market.
3. Share your photo on Instagram using the hashtag #LoveLocalPFC in the caption and tag PFC @pfc_kzoo.

Contest Rules: Entries must contain #LoveLocalPFC in the Instagram post's caption and be posted between July 14, 2019 and December 31, 2019 at 11:59pm EST. No purchase necessary. Winners will be randomly drawn and announced each month. Prizes must be picked up at PFC at 507 Harrison Street, Kalamazoo, MI. Prizes will not be shipped. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, administered, endorsed by, or associated with, Instagram.

*We're extending the contest, yayyyyy!

*Your entry will be reposted (with credit) on PFC Instagram, and may be used on other PFC social media platforms or in-store signage.*

Where's Waldo in Kalamazoo? 2019

Where's Waldo in Kalamazoo?

Waldo is hiding in a number of businesses throughout Kalamazoo during the month of July, including PFC!

How to participate:

1) When you spot Waldo at any one of the participating businesses, collect a store stamp (or signature).

2) When you’ve collected at least 10 different store stamps/signatures, bring them to Bookbug, your Find

Waldo Local headquarters, to claim an “I Found Waldo” button and a “$1 Off” coupon (limited to first 125 Waldo spotters).

3) If you collect at least 20 of the 25 possible store stamps/signatures, bring your passport to Bookbug to get a button and a coupon PLUS be entered in a drawing for a 6-volume deluxe set of Waldo books and other great prizes.

4) Plan to attend the Waldo grand celebration and prize drawing at 2 pm on July 28 at Bookbug!

Ask a friendly PFC staff member to help you get started, or visit Bookbug (3019 Oakland Dr, open Mon-Sat 9a-9p and Sun 9a-6p) for all the details.

A huge thanks to Bookbug for organizing this awesome scavenger hunt!

2019 Annual Meeting

 

Join Us at PFC for the Annual Meeting!

Sunday, July 14, 2019 from 4:30-7pm

You're invited to the biggest co-op party of the year! Everyone welcome!

Free Hot Dogs & Veggie Dogs! Bounce house! And a chance to win prizes by showcasing your talents at the PFC Talent Show!

4:30pm - Begin gathering for food and family-friendly activities

5-6pm - End of PFC Board Elections, brief owners meeting, and conversations about your co-op

6pm - The PFC Talent Show!

• Email pfctalent@gmail.com to sign up for the talent show, or to get more info.

 

We're Looking for Volunteers!

Are you interested in lending a hand? We'd love to have you help with setup, teardown, or general support during the event. Please reach out to Katie at media@pfckalamazoo.coop to get more details and sign up.

Native Garden Tour at PFC: June 15, 2019 at 1pm

Join Native Plant Expert and Co-founder of Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones Tom Small to find out what is blooming in the gardens. The garden beds include a berm and swale with over 40 species of native plants including wildflowers, shrubs, trees, grasses, and sedges.

Tom will explain the special value of these plants for holding stormwater, cleansing the soil polluted by previous industrial development, and providing food and shelter for birds and for the many pollinators and other insects endangered by human methods of industrial farming, urban/suburban development, and landscaping.

The objective in planting the PFC gardens was to complement the way PFC provides healthy food for the Kalamazoo area human community by providing healthy food and habitat for the rest of the whole community of life. Come and learn the other part of the story of the PFC community and what you can do on your own property to help, protect, and restore the community of life!

Tom Small is the co-founder of the Kalamazoo Area Chapter of Wild Ones, Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. He is also the co-author of Using Native Plants to Restore Community, now in its fourth printing. He is currently on the technical advisory committee helping to develop and implement a new Natural Features Protection ordinance for the City of Kalamazoo.

Note: The gardens are maintained by Steve Allen and Gina Frasson-Hudson of Geum Services.

Mark yourself as "Interested" on the Native Garden Tour Facebook event page to receive event updates!

Grow-It-Yourself Day Mothers Day Plant Sale 2019

Sunday, May 12, 2019

at PFC Natural Grocery & Deli (507 Harrison Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49007)

It's time for PFC's Grow-It-Yourself Day Mothers Day Plant Sale! We'll have local, organic plant starts for all kinds of home gardening projects, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs from Cinzori Farms. The PFC Deli team is cooking up a special Sunday brunch for the hot bar from 10am to 4pm. It's a great time to load up on plants for your garden!

Mothers Day Brunch - 10am to 4pm

Find more information on the Plant Sale Facebook event.

2018-19 PFC Wellness Class Schedule

Wellness Classes are now available at PFC! This new set of classes aims to teach you fun & healthy wellness recipes, help you become more knowledgeable about the benefits of different ingredients, and try new things!

$25 per person, with a child aged 12-17 free with adult purchase.

Register for a Wellness Class in-person with a friendly PFC cashier at 507 Harrison, Kalamazoo.

Dec 16th 3:30-5pm Vitamin Gummies with Angie Fox

Angie Fox from Kalamazoo Herbals will be at PFC teaching us how to create our own Vitamin Gummies. Join us in this fun, new class to grow comfortable with making gummies, learn more about their benefits, and explore 3 Vitamin Gummies recipes. We will make and take a sample of each recipe--Herbal Gummies, Vegan Vitamin C Gummies, and Elderberry Gummies. Find the event on Facebook here.

Feb 10th 3:30-5pm Vitamin Gummies with Angie Fox

Angie Fox from Kalamazoo Herbals will be at PFC teaching us how to create our own Vitamin Gummies. Join us in this fun, new class to grow comfortable with making gummies, learn more about their benefits, and explore 3 Vitamin Gummies recipes. We will make and take a sample of each recipe--Herbal Gummies, Vegan Vitamin C Gummies, and Elderberry Gummies. Find the event on Facebook here.

Mar 24th 3:30-5pm Wellness Class TBD with Angie Fox

Angie Fox from Kalamazoo Herbals will be at PFC during this time hosting a Wellness Class. More details to come soon! Find the event on Facebook here.

*Classes are subject to cancellation due to low enrollment.

*Cooking Class Vouchers are not eligible for Wellness Classes.

Small Business Saturday & Cider Monday 2018

Small Business Saturday: Saturday, November 24, 2018

Small Business Saturday, November 24, is coming up quickly! It's the annual holiday shopping tradition that urges everyone to support their favorite small businesses. Shopping at local businesses and buying fair trade goods invests in a future that works for all of us.

On November 24, PFC will have some demos, samples, sales, & more going on throughout the day to make your holiday shopping experience fun, meaningful, & convenient!

Angie from Kalamazoo Herbals will be at the counter by the entrance sampling her Fire Cider and Elderberry Syrup during Small Business Saturday, November 24, from 10am until noon. Her Elderberry Syrup is absolutely divine, and SO healthy for your immune system! She crafts this special mixture with organic ingredients, including Raw Honey, Cinnamon, Ginger, and more. Fire Cider is also a potent, all-natural immune-booster. It utilizes heat to mobilize the system into increased-functioning. A must-have for all the winter bugs going around!

Come in, snag a bottle of Kalamazoo Herbals' concoctions, & chat with Angie about all the benefits of Elderberry Syrup and Fire Cider at PFC on Small Business Saturday, 10am to noon!

From 11am to 1pm, the DoughChicks will be at PFC sampling their Crunchy Brittle. Naturally Grain-Free, Dairy-Free, and Gluten-Free, Crunchy Brittle is a sweet and salty snack with cashews, seeds and organic coconut sugar. It’s full of protein and a great paleo treat! Use it for granola, or sprinkle some on top of ice cream. Add some crunch to your favorite salad too!

Visit PFC on Small Business Saturday from 12:30p to 3p for a Make-Your-Own Bath Bomb event with Kristy from Milk and Quackers! Combine Milk and Quackers' lovely colors & soothing scents for a personalized gift that supports local business. Kristy will have a number of bath bomb crumbles for you to layer in a jar! More of Kristy's handmade bath products will be available for purchase at PFC too!

More information about Small Business Saturday on Facebook.

Cider Monday: Monday, November 26, 2018

UPDATE: Due to snow-related issues, PFC is unable to serve apple cider to shoppers today. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused. We are offering a FREE Local Frozen Turkey to those who make a $150+ purchase at the co-op today, while supplies last.

Created by Toadstool Bookshops in New Hampshire, Cider Monday is "a direct and delicious assault on the Monday after Thanksgiving known as the infamous Cyber Monday." 

Enjoy Free Apple Cider samples and come get some face-time with your neighbors and friendly co-op staff during the busiest online shopping day of the year. We're hoping we can all be more intentional with our purchasing and the message we send with our dollars this winter.

Why think before you click? Locally owned businesses deliver more for your dollar. You benefit from expertise of local retailers--you're 3x more likely to discover something new at a local store. You connect with your community. You trade neighborhood news with your smiley co-op cashier, bump into friends in the produce aisle, and share a meal on the Front Porch. You strengthen your local economy. Independent retailers create more than 2x the number of jobs than Amazon for the same amount of revenue. You cast a vote for the American Dream, supporting local entrepreneurs and supporting a future that works for all of us.

More information about Cider Monday on Facebook.