News & Events

Butterflies, Bees, and Hummingbirds, oh my!
September 14, 2015 / Penny

New Arrivals:

helenium rotgoldA raft of wonderful plants attractive to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Nearly all are eastern or prairie natives.   Some are sharply discounted to 40% off, especially last year’s plants; a number of these gallon or larger pots are two-fers!
Did you know that Chives can be critical to monarch butterflies? A great many other herbs and annuals are also helpful to our butterflies and skippers and bees too!
Did you know that many of the showy fall asters are also butterfly plants?
Fall and winter are a great time to educate oneself, especially if you’re considering a butterfly garden or butterfly-friendly garden at all. There’s a lot of terrific information on the internet. Here’s a  sample site to get started: http://www.wildwoodhimitage.com/butterfly.html
We also have a medley of mixed pots containing 1-3 of the following: Salvia, Boltonia, Veronica, Solidago, Oenothera, Verbena hastata, Verbena bonariensis, Pycnanthemum, Phlox divaricata, Heliopsis, Coreopsis (yellow), Baptisia australis, Stonecrop/Sedum, and others loved by butterflies, bees and/or hummingbirds on sale at 40%
Below are listed a smattering of the pollinator/butterfly/hummer plants currently on board at Perennials Preferred:
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Our Favorite Gazpacho
August 31, 2015 / Penny

It is with great dismay that we hear from our customers that their gardens were not the stellar  harvest they have had in the past.  The abundance and variety may not be what it was but we have seen tomatoes in abundance and just enough cucumbers for fun so we thought this easy and yummy recipe would be perfect for making use of what you have.

Ingredients

8 – 10 large Tomatoes
1 Cucumbergazpacho-
1 Clove Garlice
1 Small Onion
1 Green Pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 Tsp Ground Cumin
3/4 c. EVOO
1/4 c. Sherry
1 piece of bread (wheat, rye, french) tried them all and depending on the flavor you like they are good

Instructions

Prep vegetables – clean and de-stem.   Peel cucumber and garlic, remove seeds from the green pepper.

Soak bread in water and then squeeze out liquid.

Cut onion, cucumber and tomatoes in to 1 inch chunks, mince the garlic and put in food processor, add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Chill and serve cold.

Onion Pie Recipe for the Last Cold Snap – we hope!
April 21, 2015 / Penny

zwiebelkuchenAs we begin planting our gardens, another cold snap is about to hit.  So we thought we share a recipe from Oma (German Grandma) on how to make Onion Pie – Zwiebelkuchen.  (recipe circa 1932)  Enjoy it now before it stays warm and save it for fall when your onions start coming up.  Don’t have onions….know worries we have plenty on hand to get you started.

Ingredients

Dough

  • 3 c. flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. instant yeast
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 5/8 c. lukewarm water

Filling

  • 6-8 large onions
  • 2 tbsp. butter
  • 2-3 strips of bacon crumbled
  • 4 tbsp. flour
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 1/2 tbsp. Caraway Seeds

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Mix yeast and salt into flour and then add the warm water, mixing until a smooth dough forms.   Form dough into ball, put into a bowl to rise. Lightly oil the top and cover with a towel.  Let rise at least an hour.

To make the filling finely chop the onions and then saute with the butter adding the butter as needed.  Once onions are soft remove from heat.  Mix flour and cream until completely blended add eggs, salt, caraway seeds and onions.

Take risen dough and roll out on pizza pan – be sure to form a crust all around the perimeter.  Spread filling over dough.  Sprinkle bacon over top.  Bake until crust become golden brown.

Enjoy!

The Art of Giving
November 24, 2014 / Penny

Well, folks, it’s been a goodly while since we posted here in the blog. Cobwebs galore! Yikes!

Anyway, what prompts the sudden post, you ask? None other than Holiday Time! Like it or not, you guys, the holiday season is upon us, and it’s time to start thinking about gifts for all those friends and loved ones. Sure, you could get them gift cards and socks. Those things are alright, we guess, but what about getting them something unique?

Like… maybe some incredible, local, handmade foods?  Maybe some art, you guys?

Good news! Perennials Preferred is hosting not just one, not just two, but three weekends of its Holiday Gifts & Art Mart this season.  Come join us to see a wide variety of absolutely amazing creations from local artists and vendors and, if you stop by the weekend of December 5th through the 7th, come and get a complimentary family portrait on the house!

There will be so many amazing things to see that our fingers would fall off if we typed them all out, so instead we’re going to offer up THIS LINK, which you can click to get the complete story on everything we’re going to have here at the store.  It’s going to be tremendous.

…We’re a little bit excited.  Can you tell?

Markets Left and Right
April 1, 2014 / Penny

Recently we said we were hoping to have our friends the Millers bring their organic produce market to Perennials Preferred on Saturdays as well as Wednesdays. Well, good news!  They’ve been kind enough to agree to visit us twice a week! So, if Wednesdays suit you better than Saturdays, you’re in luck!  Come on by!
We also have word that Hopewell in Mesopotamia has committed to selling at our two markets when they are able. This organization began with the genius of Clara Rankin who felt that gardening and farming were good for the mind as well as the body. Here’s a short description of their mission:
who we areWe help people reunite with their families; find and keep jobs; learn to rely on friends; live independently; understand the importance of medication; and experience success

Our Strategic Goal for 2009-2012

Hopewell is a therapeutic community located on a 300-acre farm in rural Mesopotamia, Ohio.

We help adults with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression and other forms of serious mental illness

  • believe in their own potential
  • develop the skills to manage their mental illness
  • transition from Hopewell to a more independent living situation

We believe that everyone can experience success, find a life of purpose and feel hope.

Our highly qualified staff creates an environment of caring and acceptance while providing first-class, licensed mental health services.

Find more on Hopewell at www.hopewell.cc