Rancho Vignola's 2011 Summer Newsletter

Armstrong BC Toll free: 1-877-639-2767 info@ranchovignola.com

Harvest Events 2011

www.ranchovignola.com From the Farm to your Community

Rancho Vignola’s Harvest Events are the perfect introduction to our top quality nuts, dried fruit and confection. Come see us, browse our product display, and taste everything we have to offer!

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Delicious dried fruit, nutritious nuts, decadent chocolate delights, Gourmet Gifts and more - this is an event you won't want to miss!

November 4th & 5th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

For details and any changes, please visit our website or call our toll free line:

www.ranchovignola.com • 1-877-NEW-CROP

Vernon

Families in Food Through the Generations

Vernon Recreation Centre Auditorium

Pictured are just a few of the growers and processors we've been doing business with for many years. Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters: families producing great food to share with their communities far and wide.

Rancho Vignola salutes and celebrates the family farms and businesses who are continuing into the next generation!

3310 - 37th Ave (just off Highway 97)

Salmon Arm

November 11th & 12th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Holiday Inn

1090 - 22nd Street NE (on the hill near the RCMP station)

Kelowna

November 12th & 13th Saturday: 10am - 5pm • Sunday: 10am - 5pm

Parkinson Recreation Centre 1800 Parkinson Way

Abbotsford

November 18th & 19th Friday: 9am - 5pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Windsor Greenhouses

#18 Ross Road, Abbotsford (access from ‘O’ Avenue)

ALBERTA

A great place to have a nibble!

Camrose

November 11th & 12th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

We welcome customers of all ages!

Camrose Regional Exhibition

4250 Exhibition Drive (Highway #13 - 1/4 mile east of Camrose)

Harvest Event Online December 1st - 15th

Order at www.ranchovignola.com

Page 16

www.ranchovignola.com

Airdrie

November 18th & 19th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Town and Country Centre

275 Jensen Drive (Ten minutes drive north of Calgary on Hwy #2)

Summer 2011

New Crop Price List: Early September • Wholesale Order Deadline: September 28th www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Page

All in the family...

F

ather and son Richard and Simon Vignola recently traveled to California to visit some of the farms that Rancho Vignola has been doing business with for many years. During the same period, mother and daughter Sue and Natalia were holidaying in Australia where they too carried out some farm visits. During these visits, we were struck by how many farms are run by families comprised of second and third generations. Having just celebrated Rancho Vignola’s thirtieth anniversary last year, and with our younger family members now stepping up to assume more responsibility, the generational theme of this year’s newsletter began taking shape!

In some ways a family operation is an ideal business model.

Family members usually demonstrate loyalty and a commitment to the business which may be difficult to find in an employee.

WHOLESALE ORDERING

In a Nutshell

Passing on a business may be considered a valuable gift in these days of job insecurity and economic uncertainty. However, balancing individual desires and differences with the interests of the family and the business raises its own issues. For example, how do we celebrate the traditions and successes of the past while focusing on the future and a rapidly evolving business climate?

The wholesale price list will be available on or before the 10th of September. You can access the wholesale price list either by downloading it in PDF format through our website or by regular mail. Customers with email addresses will receive an announcement when the price list is ready. Please let us know if you also require a paper copy, as we prefer to avoid sending out paper unnecessarily.

We are looking at these questions and pondering the answers ourselves as we transition from a grassroots business to one that will continue to grow and be successful in a rapidly changing economy. We also feel very fortunate to have a family business which embraces a nationwide community who share in our love of fine fresh foods! Here's to another happy harvest!

- The Vignola family

Welcome!

Rancho Vignola is a family owned and operated distributor of fresh crop nuts, dried fruit and quality confection. If you're new to Rancho Vignola, here are a few more things you should know!

• We operate seasonally during the autumn harvest, from September through November.

• We maintain personal relationships with growers and suppliers worldwide.

• We offer ordering opportunities for both wholesale and retail customers.

• ANYONE can order wholesale!

• Wholesale orders must be at least $500 - this is the only requirement!

• Wholesale orders are shipped direct to customers all over Canada.

• For customers wanting smaller quantities and extras for the holiday season, Rancho Vignola holds annual Harvest Events in communities across BC and Alberta.

• For customers unable to attend one in person, we also hold a Harvest Event on our website in early December - the perfect opportunity to try out a few products and have them shipped right to you without having to place a large wholesale order.

Visit us at www.ranchovignola.com for further information, or get in touch directly by email or phone.

We look forward to hearing from you this harvest season, and to bringing you the Best of the New Crop!

Page 2

Please note this is an absolutely firm order deadline – any orders received after the deadline will not be guaranteed delivery, and will be dealt with on a first in, first served basis.

www.ranchovignola.com

Welcome 2 Crop News 3 Rancho Sponsorship 4 More Good Nut News 6 Fundraising 6 Gourmet Gifts 7 Rancho on the Road 8 Community Spirit 10 Harvest Event Snapshots 11 Rancho Recipes 12 Hello from the Rancho Office 14 Wholesale Ordering Policies 15 Harvest Event Schedule 16

Box 397 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 Toll-free: 1-877-639-2767 Fax: 250-546-6653 info@ranchovignola.com

www.ranchovignola.com Follow us on

acebook and

Standard Freight Policy: We will cover all freight costs to major centres on our regular shipping routes across central Canada. Customers are responsible for any interline charges incurred for delivery beyond the freight depot.

Small Towns in all Provinces: Freight charges may be applied for delivery to smaller centres outside of major cities across central Canada. You will be notified of any additional charges before your order is shipped. Please note that additional shipping charges still represent only a fraction of the total freight cost, the majority of which is covered by us. Again, customers are responsible for pick up or for shipping charges beyond the freight depot as per our standard freight policy.

Northern and Eastern Regions: Shipping charges to remote northern areas, eastern Quebec, and Atlantic Canada will be determined on a case-by-case basis and discussed prior to shipment.

Return Policy

Order Minimum: $500 - product available in full cases or 5lb bags Order Deadline is Wednesday, September 28th

INSIDE...

Shipping Charges

Payment

All first-time wholesale customers are required to pre-pay before the order is shipped. For existing customers with established credit terms, payment is required within 15 days from receipt of the order. We accept payment by credit card, PayPal, cheque (one cheque only) and money order.

Discount for Early Payment

We are pleased to offer a 2% discount to all customers who pay for their wholesale orders in full by the 15th of October.

Order Shipment

Order shipment begins early November and continues all month.

Sometimes we experience delays of a particular product due to unforeseen circumstances such as ports being closed or backed up. Please be aware that our warehouse crew are working diligently to get your orders shipped to you as quickly as possible. We will try to meet your requests for delivery by a specific date, but any customers setting up their own sales (or advertising a delivery day to their club members) are advised to err on the side of caution and plan for later in November. Please note: Any special delivery requests must be made by October 15.

Orders are sent pre-paid by commercial freight carrier or courier service to a freight depot in your nearest town centre. Generally, orders will be delivered right to your door. However if residential deliveries are unavailable in your area, you may be required to pick up your order from the depot. If you live in a remote area not covered by our regular freight carriers, an interline service may be required and the cost of this service covered by you. If you wish to pick up at our Armstrong warehouse, please let us know when placing your order and you will be contacted when your order is ready.

Rancho Vignola stands behind all of our products and we will gladly take back any product that is not up to our standards. Please check your entire order as soon as you receive it and contact us immediately if you have any concerns. We cannot accept any product returns later than 30 days after order shipment.

Referrals We offer 5% commission to existing wholesale customers for referring friends, family members, or other contacts, who go on to place a wholesale order. The amount of the commission is determined by the new club's wholesale order total and is awarded for three consecutive years from the first wholesale order.

Commissions earned are calculated at the end of the season and are applied as credit towards your next season's order.

In order to be eligible

• You must be an existing wholesale customer for at least one year and continue to place wholesale orders.

• You must provide your referral's full name, address, email, and phone number before their first order is submitted.

• Referrals must pay separately and have a separate shipping address from sponsors.

Box 397 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 Toll-free: 1-877-639-2767 Fax: 250-546-6653 info@ranchovignola.com

www.ranchovignola.com Follow us on

acebook and

witter!

witter!

Summer 2011

Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 15

HELLO from the Rancho Vignola office !

2010 was a busy year for us, with more wholesale orders than ever, and we are already getting ourselves organised and are excited for the upcoming season! We are especially looking forward to having more staff, more space (if you've ever walked into the office during shipping season you'll know what we mean!) and a more streamlined shipping system now that we are settling in to last year's policy adjustments.

With new customers joining us every year, we are constantly reminded of how unique our once-a-year operation is to most people. We hope this timeline will give you a better idea of what the wholesale season is like for us and answer a few of the questions we receive most often.

Early September

We prepare and send out the wholesale price list.

If we have your email address, you will receive an announcement when the price list is ready for download. Please contact us if you have any problems accessing the price list, or if you have questions!

September 11th to 28th

The office is full of busy people answering questions and accepting orders.

It is very helpful to get your order in early if you can. Product availability permitting, we generally ship orders in the sequence we receive them.

Order deadline September 28th. In the last few days leading up to the deadline, we are working overtime to get your orders into our system. Our deadline is firm since we place orders with our suppliers the very next day based on all wholesale orders received!

October

Products start to arrive fresh from the harvest.

Products are packaged down and bagged as they arrive in the warehouse. In the office, we process order payments, calculate shipping costs, and go over order details with customers.

November

Most products have arrived and order shipment begins!

Depending on harvest conditions for various crops we may still be waiting for some items. We understand you are eager to receive your delicious products, so we are doing our utmost to get your orders out as quickly as we possibly can, shipping well over 100 orders per day!

November also sees the Harvest Events team hitting the road (see back page for details.)

December

Our online Harvest Event is open from the 1st to the 15th, offering you an opportunity to purchase our products in smaller quantities with no ordering minimum.

In the office we don't usually get a break between the wholesale season and this Harvest Event, and if important crops are late we may even continue to ship wholesale orders into December.

Wholesale orders are always prepared for shipment before orders placed in December.

Page 14

Featured FAQs

How do I know whether you received my order?

• If you order online, you will get an automatic email (if this doesn't arrive, please check your junk mail filter first, then contact us). If you order by email or fax, we will be in touch within a couple of days to confirm that your order has been received. If you don't hear from us within three business days, please contact us.

Crop News California’s Sacramento Valley experienced some very severe weather during late May. Violent storms passed through the region, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall, hail and even several tornadoes. Some growers experienced significant problems such as almond trees being ripped from the roots, but overall the damage was not considered too disastrous. On the plus side, the cold weather has kept the pest population under control and the rainfall has lessened the demand on water supply for irrigation, a major problem in previous years.

Climate change continues to wreak havoc with many parts of the world. Australia has experienced extremes of both flooding and drought, one of the casualties being a devastated macadamia crop in the Queensland region. Our organic grower in the Byron Bay area has such a reduced crop that he is unable to supply us this year. We are researching additional source countries for a supply of these delectable nuts, as well as other new items.

Young pistachios soaking up the California sun

Can I make changes to my order?

• You are welcome to make changes to your order at any point before the ordering deadline. After the deadline you can remove items from your order as long as you maintain the minimum, but since we've already ordered the products from our suppliers most additions are made on a provisional basis, and shipment of your order may be delayed until we determine whether it can be filled.

For more FAQs see our website:

www.ranchovignola.com

Whether you have a long history with us or we're meeting you for the first time, we look forward to helping you this year!

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

After a good winter, and despite the cool spring, almond farmers are expecting to produce a bumper crop, up from 2010. Worldwide demand for these popular nuts continues to increase, and every single pound will be required to meet the need!

Walnuts

Heavy rain in the spring has resulted in the walnut crop producing very dense clusters of nuts on the trees, leading to expectations for an abundant crop. Our organic growers, Ferrari Farms, told us they are dealing with an increased population of the huskfly, a pest which lays its eggs in the green outer hull of the walnut, causing it to turn black. As organic growers, they must rely on a costly organic spinosad spray to control this issue.

Why aren't orders shipped to wholesale customers before your Harvest Events?

• Wholesale orders are generally not shipped until all the products are available. While we do provide a wide variety, the product list for our Harvest Events is much smaller than what is available to you wholesale, and events are held even if some anticipated products do not arrive in time. Shipping still continues during the Harvest Events so that wholesale customers are not unnecessarily delayed.

Almonds

The grape vines were just beginning to bloom during our visit to our long time organic raisin grower Mike McCutcheon. Mike was busy replacing the wooden trellises the vines grow on with a new metal system. Metal trellises will prevent the rot associated with wood and open up the foliage. This will allow more room for blooms and reduce mildew.

Above: Mike McCutcheon introduces Simon Vignola to this year's crop of young grapes

Summer 2011

Prunes

Prunes are considered by many to be a sensational super fruit due to their digestive and other health benefits. The cool weather in the spring has impacted pollination resulting in a smaller crop but with fruit of a good size and quality.

As always, the latest crop and product news will be available with the wholesale price list in early September. Here’s to a successful growing season for all! www.ranchovignola.com

Page 3

Rancho Vignola supports...

Freshest Nut Butter Ingredients:

Project CHEF: Cook Healthy Edible Food

2 cups nuts (this is the most you can blend at one time in a standard food processor)

Project CHEF is an experiential, curriculum-based school program that is currently running smoothly in Vancouver, BC. Created and run by former school teacher turned chef Barb Finley, the program is aimed at children in grades four and five, and teaches students about healthy food: where it comes from, what it tastes like, how to prepare it and how to enjoy sharing it around a table.

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Spread nuts evenly on a cookie sheet and roast for approximately 10 minutes, or until you catch that lovely roasted nut smell. Time will vary depending on the type of nuts you're using, so be sure to set a timer and check them often. All nuts can burn really fast - keep a close eye on them!

Investing in the development of our future generations has become a priority for us at Rancho Vignola. What better way to support this cause than to help develop programs that grow stronger, more well nourished kids!

Chef Barb, we are proud to be a part of your encouraging program.

Ingredients:

Kids learn to follow their recipes carefully for the best results

The Project CHEF team is delighted to have Rancho Vignola as a sponsor for the program. In our menus we try to introduce kids and families to quality wholesome ingredients. Rancho’s amazing dried fruits give flavour, natural sweetness and goodness to our Hodge Podge Porridge. When was the last time you heard a child say they loved porridge? We hear it all the time!

We have also got kids hooked on eating pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds) for a tasty crunch in salads. You don’t need packaged croutons or ‘bacon-ish’ bits when there are healthy alternatives.

The kids and parents love your products and so do we.

Thank you for supporting Project CHEF.

Dried Fruit Spread

300g - 350g dried fruit (apricots, figs, raisins, Incan berries, pineapple - whatever you happen to have.

Experiment with different combinations!)

3 cups unsweetened orange juice (any kind of natural unsweetened fruit juice will do)

A word from the chefs...

Sue's Savoury Nuts Ingredients:

4 cups raw nuts (Sue swears by macadamias or cashews for this recipe, but almonds and most other nuts work just as well) Bragg Liquid Soy Seasoning Nutritional yeast Fine dulse flakes Optional additions: Spike seasoning, garlic powder and/or other favourite savoury herbs.

Page 4

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Cooking isn't ea sy for everyone but th at doesn't mean we don't all love food! Keeping it simple and delicious works every time...

Simmer all ingredients until fruit is soft. Let the mixture cool, then puree in a blender or food processor.

Transfer to airtight jars or containers and keep refrigerated.

Enjoy on toast, in hot cereals, in smoothies, or on crackers with some ripe cheese as a delicious appetizer!

Chef Barb talks up good ingredients in the classroom

- Chefs Barb, David, Kathy and Melissa

Let them cool, then put them in a food processor and blend until smooth. This can take anywhere from 5 - 10 minutes. If necessary, pause and scrape the sides as your mixture gets clumpy. Be patient, once those nuts start to release their oils the mixture will change and you'll have your beautiful nut butter!

You may add a pinch of salt to taste if you like, or a touch of sunflower or nut oil to aid in the blending process.

Neither is essential, nuts alone will give you great results!

Summer 2011

Spread nuts onto a cookie sheet and pop them into a pre-warmed oven set at 250ºF. Time for 20-25 mins. Remove and transfer into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle generously with Bragg Seasoning and mix well. Add nutritional yeast and dulse flakes. Mix thoroughly, then transfer back to cookie sheet and toast in the oven for another 30 mins or so. If you like them extra toasty, increase heat to 300ºF. Let cool and separate the clumps by hand before placing in a serving bowl. www.ranchovignola.com

recipe tured this a fe e ’v e W our for it t the clam u b re fo e b die down! refuses to Rancho aily in the d d e y jo n E and nch room Vignola lu ut every o b a just brought to d to! are invite party we

Page 13

Josh Dueck

Recipes from the

Rancho Kitchen

"I'm only as good as the food that nourishes me - that's why partnering up with the legendary leaders of healthy eating makes so much sense.

I love the selection of great snacks and food choices from Rancho Vignola, at home and on the road!"

Canadian Alpine Skier Paralympic Silver Medalist

Customers are always asking us for ideas on how to use our products, besides just eating them.

The more people realize the immense nutritional benefits to be gained by adding nuts and dried fruit to their everyday diets, the more we realize the need for creative and simple ways to use Rancho products.

Tahini 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds 1 tbsp lemon juice or olive oil Blend in a food processor until smooth.

Store in an airtight container for up to one month.

NOTE: Lemon juice will make the tahini more tangy,

whereas olive oil will give a smooth flavour and texture. Your choice will be a matter of taste, and what you will be using it for.

The following recipes may not be quite as straightforward as the tested and true justpop-it-in-your-mouth-and-chew technique.

However with just a little bit more effort you can make these extremely easy and flexible recipes at home, and before you know it you'll be getting all that fresh nutritionpacked goodness without even thinking about it! Maybe you'll even be able to replace some of your store bought snacks and spreads with far healthier alternatives, without compromise in indulgence, and all made by you!

Jayme's Hummus 1 can chickpeas (or 2 cups cooked) 2 cloves garlic (add more if you like) 2 tbsp tahini 1.5 lemons (you need 4 tbsp juice and some zest) 1 tsp apple cider vinegar drizzle of olive oil pinch cumin, sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Josh Dueck is a delightful, spirited young man with an intense drive and ambition.

He dreamed long and hard to become an Olympic athlete and last year, during the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Whistler, he won silver in the men’s slalom sit-ski event!

Congratulations Josh on your hard work and your ability to overcome adversity to become the best of the best. Rancho Vignola is thrilled to have you on our team!

"Rancho helps me out a lot with my athletic sports because being vegetarian and traveling the world makes it very hard to get the right amount of nutrition in my diet. With the dried fruits and nuts I'm able to get the right proteins in my diet and energy I need when competing on the world circuit."

Kevin Hill is an active, strong role model for kids and adults alike. He thrives on competition and as a result he has become a champion in two different extreme sports! Last year he visited elementary schools around his community and spoke with more than 5,000 kids, encouraging them to make positive lifestyle choices in working towards their goals.

Kevin, we appreciate your enthusiasm and positive message!

Professional Canadian Snowboard Cross Athlete "Rancho has kept me well fuelled for my training with the best dried fruit and nuts! It's their amazing spirit of giving that puts Rancho Vignola a step above other companies, and we need more like them in the world."

Powered by Rancho

Quick and easy recipes mean more time with friends! www.ranchovignola.com

National BMX Racer X Games Silver Medalist in Snowboard Cross

Tom Velisek

Rinse chickpeas with hot water. Blend garlic and chickpeas in a food processor or blender. Add in the rest of your ingredients and blend well. Add more olive oil to reach desired consistency if necessary. Start small though, too much oil will affect the delicate flavour of the tahini.

Page 12

Kevin Hill

Summer 2011

Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 5

MoreGood Nut News!

If you have Type 2 diabetes – i.e. your blood glucose (sugar) is higher than it should be – consider replacing some of the carbohydrates in your diet with a handful or two of nuts. According to a new study, eating about half a cup of nuts each day can help people with diabetes lower their blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

These new findings add to mounting evidence that nuts confer important health benefits. Numerous studies have linked nuts with protection from heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. Also, despite nuts’ high fat content most studies, including this one, haven’t linked them with weight gain.

tion, Bossert from Corona ars My good friend Jill ye your company a few Alberta, discovered licious nut mix and r de ago, and I tasted he me too! She ordered ve so ha to d decided I ha oup d this year I got a gr an , ar ye for me last ve on my own. I ne r together and ordered uch - but I'm ordering m thought I liked nuts almonds and cas of nt ou am e !

3-4 times th my kids devour them ce sin , ar ye shews this r, be sy time in Novem I look forward to a bu l my nuts! g al soaking and sproutin

Know Your Nuts

The study involved an unsalted, raw nut mixture including almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews and macadamias. Each nut variety has its own unique blend of nutrients - to learn more, look up the study referenced below, or visit our website for more nutty information!

The Rancho crew celebrates 30 years of the Best of the New Crop!

Reference: August issue of ‘Diabetes Care’ by David Jenkins, of the Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

Original article published in the Globe and Mail Wed. July 12, 2011.

I am a member of our local museum in Three Hills, AB. Museums are alw ays looking for ways to raise money for all the projects they un dertake, so when I saw Rancho Vignola's advertisement for gro ups to take on the sellin g of their products in our area I thought, "That is something ou r his torical society could do to raise funds for the museum." Eight yea rs later we are still doing it! The projec t is done once yearly, tak ing about three months' time to comple te.

Jennifer

Hughenden, Alberta

Ever considered

Fundraising?

In September we take orders from our custo mers with payment (retail) and place an order (wholes ale) with Rancho Vignola, who ship it to us in November. Since it is ordered by the case it must be bagged when we receive it. Th is is a fun time as about ten to twelve me mbers of the Society ga the r together to do the bagging, complete with a delicious home ma de lunch. Our customer list grows a little every year as peop le he ar about us.

The time and effort of our group is well worth while.

This is a very pleasurab le experience thanks largely to the wonderful servic e we get from Rancho Vignola. They are so well organized and so pleasant and fair to deal with and that includes their staff. I feel like I know all of the m personally, not just Richard and Sue. We are looking forward to another sale with them this year.

O

rdering from Rancho Vignola wholesale means there's room to resell and make a profit. For those willing to put in some work packaging down full cases into small bags for reselling, there are great profit margins just waiting to be taken advantage of!

Eleanor Parker Three Hills, Alberta

We have a complete information package available for those of you interested in setting up a successful fundraiser using Rancho Vignola's fresh and nutritious products. Please contact us to learn all about it!

Page 6

Harvest Events 2010

www.ranchovignola.com

A year for the history books...

Summer 2011

Summer 2011

Sue Vignola has a chat with centenarian Mrs. Rose Lessing who has been attending our Camrose event with her daughter Donna Kutzner for many years

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 11

Community Spirit

Handmade in our Armstrong BC warehouse with Rancho’s signature fresh crop nuts, dried fruit and premium confection.

eats ancho tr ds out R estival n a h s p Mel Killi asket Music F om at the K

Gourmet

Enjoying wholesome macaroni and cheese freshly made with the help of Project CHEF, Vancouver BC

by Jayme McKillop

Gifts

I

am, first and foremost, a community participant and food advocate.

My job with Rancho Vignola is incredibly satisfying as it encourages me to work with many other community minded foodie folk across the Okanagan. I am passionate about bringing awareness and change to how we prepare and eat food.

Sweet or Savoury Nut Trays

The community surrounding Rancho Vignola has grown and changed so much over our thirty years in business. Part of my job has been to track these changes, as well as spread our wings into new areas and find more people who share our interest in good food.

Reusable trays bursting with flavourful nuts fresh from the fall harvest. Check your September wholesale price list for this years selection.

The introduction of the internet and our focus on increasing our online presence has helped spread the word about Rancho Vignola much further afield. Our ‘Rancho community’ has grown more diverse than ever before! It has been so much fun for me to track our contact base on Facebook and Twitter, as it increases daily. I enjoy seeing who else finds Rancho Vignola as fun and interesting as I do!

Spending summers in our beautiful mobile booth and hanging out at various music festivals and fun events hasn’t been too bad either! Last year, Rancho Vignola bought a tent and the accessories necessary to travel around to community events and music festivals, promoting our products. What a wonderful way to get our name out and meet some new people! Anyone who knows me knows that’s what I truly like best - to meet new people and talk food!

Dried Fruit Platters cal ith lo ing w s at the z o o Schm epreneur er of entr Chamb as n m Verno rce Christ 10 e 20 m Com ecember ,D Lunch

Jayme & son Cyrus get ready to share some Rancho goodies at the Armstrong IPE parade

Colourful, abundant and exquisite designs handmade to impress!

Through these networking experiences, I am increasingly aware that families are beginning to pay much closer attention to the importance of real food in their lives. Anyone can learn and be a part of preparing food, even the youngest family members. Stories, knowledge and valuable time are all shared as you work together to prepare, eat, and clean up after a meal.

Even if it can only happen once a week, having the whole family participate in the preparation of meals encourages much healthier habits for children as they grow and learn to live on their own.

And isn’t that the best thing we can offer?

Please feel free to share any events in your community that you would like to see Rancho Vignola involved in. Send us an email, a tweet, or post us a link on Facebook!

Looking forward to another wonderful season...

Gourmet Gift Baskets

A diverse assortment of Rancho’s fine products beautifully arranged in an attractive basket, perfect to reuse for next summer’s family picnics!

Jayme & Natalia representing Rancho at the Nakusp Music Festival

Jayme McKillop

On the sweet side...

Handmade with Rancho’s fine, fresh confection, smaller gifts that are satisfying for the sweet tooth.

Rancho Vignola Marketing Coordinator

Fancy Gift Bags

Rancho Vignola won an award!

The ‘Green Community Award’ is ng. sponsored by the City of Armstro We're so honoured - thanks!

Page 10

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Plump with dried fruit, flavoured nuts or fine confection. Finished with a festive bow, ready for gift giving!

Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 7

Rancho on the Road From the

California sunshine...

T

he photos you see here were taken during a recent trip to California with my father Richard. Although I've been to California before, this was my first opportunity to visit with some of the farmers and suppliers my parents have been dealing with for years.

Among the growers we visited, there are many which are still family owned and operated. As the second generation in our family business, I was surprised to see how many of my father's associates in the farming world are also in the process of passing on their business operations to their own sons and daughters.

e supplier of n, our long tim Mike McCutcheo achios, explains and organic pist organic raisins to control l boxes will help how his new ow hio orchards. ns in the pistac rodent populatio

My parents have always explained the importance of maintaining personal relationships with the people who grow our food, and this philosophy is at the forefront of Rancho Vignola's guiding principles.

It's this direct connection to the farmers that really sets us apart from other businesses and it was exciting for me to finally meet the people who grow the delicious dried fruits and nuts that I was raised on.

...to the

plains of South Australia

T

o say that John Maragozidis of Goanna Produce is enthusiastic about growing organic almonds is an understatement! Natalia and I are paying a visit to John’s almond orchard in Gawler River, South Australia, just after the harvest in mid-April and during Australia’s autumn season. A short train ride north from Adelaide takes us through rolling hills not far from the major wine growing region of the Barossa Valley. John meets us at the train, and our visit begins at the homestead, where we are warmly received by John’s family.

As John proudly escorts us around his almond orchard, we are struck by his infectious enthusiasm for the land and everything growing, as well as the creatures living there. Frequently bending r of our John Maragozidis, growe to scoop up dirt, John onds, alm organic unpasteurized excitedly points out that the soil’s t tha shows Sue the living soil healthy composition is due to the es tre nourishes his precious earthworms which appeared in droves a few seasons ago after the Emigrants from Greece, John’s parents brought their switch to organic farming. The farming experience to the Adelaide Plains of South orchard floor has been transformed back into a living organism, Australia. With its Mediterranean-like climate, the area is perfect for and the results of such healthy trees are evident in the incredible growing almonds. While his parents farmed conventionally, John almonds they produce. began to learn of the benefits of organic growing practices and, after purchasing his own forty acre farm, With forty acres under organic production and another ninety he brought it to full certified organic currently in conversion, Goanna Produce is working to reduce status in 2006. the impact chemical farming has on the planet. We thoroughly enjoy our visit to this beautiful orchard, and Rancho Vignola is proud to support farmers like John Maragozidis. To not only be committed to organic principles, but to also truly love producing delicious and nutritious almonds in their natural state is indeed something to be proud of.

Sue Vignola

Sue samples freshly harvested almonds, still in the shell!

Simon Vignola l l Aborigina a traditiona t ou ru s lu ie U tr to Sue visit ue during a iq n ch te l e ve tra eart of th k) in the h (Ayers Roc Outback Australian

.

Richard in the Mojave Desert ? ing Practising hang glid

Father and son in front of the iconic giant fig at the Valley Fig Growers processing facility in Fresno, CA. Below: Bing cherries absorb the hot California sun on custom made drying trays at Traina Dried Fruit in Patterson, CA.

Page 8

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Mother and dau ghter on an or chard v is it in the b eautiful Australi an coun tryside Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 9

Rancho on the Road From the

California sunshine...

T

he photos you see here were taken during a recent trip to California with my father Richard. Although I've been to California before, this was my first opportunity to visit with some of the farmers and suppliers my parents have been dealing with for years.

Among the growers we visited, there are many which are still family owned and operated. As the second generation in our family business, I was surprised to see how many of my father's associates in the farming world are also in the process of passing on their business operations to their own sons and daughters.

e supplier of n, our long tim Mike McCutcheo achios, explains and organic pist organic raisins to control l boxes will help how his new ow hio orchards. ns in the pistac rodent populatio

My parents have always explained the importance of maintaining personal relationships with the people who grow our food, and this philosophy is at the forefront of Rancho Vignola's guiding principles.

It's this direct connection to the farmers that really sets us apart from other businesses and it was exciting for me to finally meet the people who grow the delicious dried fruits and nuts that I was raised on.

...to the

plains of South Australia

T

o say that John Maragozidis of Goanna Produce is enthusiastic about growing organic almonds is an understatement! Natalia and I are paying a visit to John’s almond orchard in Gawler River, South Australia, just after the harvest in mid-April and during Australia’s autumn season. A short train ride north from Adelaide takes us through rolling hills not far from the major wine growing region of the Barossa Valley. John meets us at the train, and our visit begins at the homestead, where we are warmly received by John’s family.

As John proudly escorts us around his almond orchard, we are struck by his infectious enthusiasm for the land and everything growing, as well as the creatures living there. Frequently bending r of our John Maragozidis, growe to scoop up dirt, John onds, alm organic unpasteurized excitedly points out that the soil’s t tha shows Sue the living soil healthy composition is due to the es tre nourishes his precious earthworms which appeared in droves a few seasons ago after the Emigrants from Greece, John’s parents brought their switch to organic farming. The farming experience to the Adelaide Plains of South orchard floor has been transformed back into a living organism, Australia. With its Mediterranean-like climate, the area is perfect for and the results of such healthy trees are evident in the incredible growing almonds. While his parents farmed conventionally, John almonds they produce. began to learn of the benefits of organic growing practices and, after purchasing his own forty acre farm, With forty acres under organic production and another ninety he brought it to full certified organic currently in conversion, Goanna Produce is working to reduce status in 2006. the impact chemical farming has on the planet. We thoroughly enjoy our visit to this beautiful orchard, and Rancho Vignola is proud to support farmers like John Maragozidis. To not only be committed to organic principles, but to also truly love producing delicious and nutritious almonds in their natural state is indeed something to be proud of.

Sue Vignola

Sue samples freshly harvested almonds, still in the shell!

Simon Vignola l l Aborigina a traditiona t ou ru s lu ie U tr to Sue visit ue during a iq n ch te l e ve tra eart of th k) in the h (Ayers Roc Outback Australian

.

Richard in the Mojave Desert ? ing Practising hang glid

Father and son in front of the iconic giant fig at the Valley Fig Growers processing facility in Fresno, CA. Below: Bing cherries absorb the hot California sun on custom made drying trays at Traina Dried Fruit in Patterson, CA.

Page 8

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Mother and dau ghter on an or chard v is it in the b eautiful Australi an coun tryside Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 9

Community Spirit

Handmade in our Armstrong BC warehouse with Rancho’s signature fresh crop nuts, dried fruit and premium confection.

eats ancho tr ds out R estival n a h s p Mel Killi asket Music F om at the K

Gourmet

Enjoying wholesome macaroni and cheese freshly made with the help of Project CHEF, Vancouver BC

by Jayme McKillop

Gifts

I

am, first and foremost, a community participant and food advocate.

My job with Rancho Vignola is incredibly satisfying as it encourages me to work with many other community minded foodie folk across the Okanagan. I am passionate about bringing awareness and change to how we prepare and eat food.

Sweet or Savoury Nut Trays

The community surrounding Rancho Vignola has grown and changed so much over our thirty years in business. Part of my job has been to track these changes, as well as spread our wings into new areas and find more people who share our interest in good food.

Reusable trays bursting with flavourful nuts fresh from the fall harvest. Check your September wholesale price list for this years selection.

The introduction of the internet and our focus on increasing our online presence has helped spread the word about Rancho Vignola much further afield. Our ‘Rancho community’ has grown more diverse than ever before! It has been so much fun for me to track our contact base on Facebook and Twitter, as it increases daily. I enjoy seeing who else finds Rancho Vignola as fun and interesting as I do!

Spending summers in our beautiful mobile booth and hanging out at various music festivals and fun events hasn’t been too bad either! Last year, Rancho Vignola bought a tent and the accessories necessary to travel around to community events and music festivals, promoting our products. What a wonderful way to get our name out and meet some new people! Anyone who knows me knows that’s what I truly like best - to meet new people and talk food!

Dried Fruit Platters cal ith lo ing w s at the z o o Schm epreneur er of entr Chamb as n m Verno rce Christ 10 e 20 m Com ecember ,D Lunch

Jayme & son Cyrus get ready to share some Rancho goodies at the Armstrong IPE parade

Colourful, abundant and exquisite designs handmade to impress!

Through these networking experiences, I am increasingly aware that families are beginning to pay much closer attention to the importance of real food in their lives. Anyone can learn and be a part of preparing food, even the youngest family members. Stories, knowledge and valuable time are all shared as you work together to prepare, eat, and clean up after a meal.

Even if it can only happen once a week, having the whole family participate in the preparation of meals encourages much healthier habits for children as they grow and learn to live on their own.

And isn’t that the best thing we can offer?

Please feel free to share any events in your community that you would like to see Rancho Vignola involved in. Send us an email, a tweet, or post us a link on Facebook!

Looking forward to another wonderful season...

Gourmet Gift Baskets

A diverse assortment of Rancho’s fine products beautifully arranged in an attractive basket, perfect to reuse for next summer’s family picnics!

Jayme & Natalia representing Rancho at the Nakusp Music Festival

Jayme McKillop

On the sweet side...

Handmade with Rancho’s fine, fresh confection, smaller gifts that are satisfying for the sweet tooth.

Rancho Vignola Marketing Coordinator

Fancy Gift Bags

Rancho Vignola won an award!

The ‘Green Community Award’ is ng. sponsored by the City of Armstro We're so honoured - thanks!

Page 10

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Plump with dried fruit, flavoured nuts or fine confection. Finished with a festive bow, ready for gift giving!

Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 7

MoreGood Nut News!

If you have Type 2 diabetes – i.e. your blood glucose (sugar) is higher than it should be – consider replacing some of the carbohydrates in your diet with a handful or two of nuts. According to a new study, eating about half a cup of nuts each day can help people with diabetes lower their blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

These new findings add to mounting evidence that nuts confer important health benefits. Numerous studies have linked nuts with protection from heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s disease. Also, despite nuts’ high fat content most studies, including this one, haven’t linked them with weight gain.

tion, Bossert from Corona ars My good friend Jill ye your company a few Alberta, discovered licious nut mix and r de ago, and I tasted he me too! She ordered ve so ha to d decided I ha oup d this year I got a gr an , ar ye for me last ve on my own. I ne r together and ordered uch - but I'm ordering m thought I liked nuts almonds and cas of nt ou am e !

3-4 times th my kids devour them ce sin , ar ye shews this r, be sy time in Novem I look forward to a bu l my nuts! g al soaking and sproutin

Know Your Nuts

The study involved an unsalted, raw nut mixture including almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews and macadamias. Each nut variety has its own unique blend of nutrients - to learn more, look up the study referenced below, or visit our website for more nutty information!

The Rancho crew celebrates 30 years of the Best of the New Crop!

Reference: August issue of ‘Diabetes Care’ by David Jenkins, of the Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

Original article published in the Globe and Mail Wed. July 12, 2011.

I am a member of our local museum in Three Hills, AB. Museums are alw ays looking for ways to raise money for all the projects they un dertake, so when I saw Rancho Vignola's advertisement for gro ups to take on the sellin g of their products in our area I thought, "That is something ou r his torical society could do to raise funds for the museum." Eight yea rs later we are still doing it! The projec t is done once yearly, tak ing about three months' time to comple te.

Jennifer

Hughenden, Alberta

Ever considered

Fundraising?

In September we take orders from our custo mers with payment (retail) and place an order (wholes ale) with Rancho Vignola, who ship it to us in November. Since it is ordered by the case it must be bagged when we receive it. Th is is a fun time as about ten to twelve me mbers of the Society ga the r together to do the bagging, complete with a delicious home ma de lunch. Our customer list grows a little every year as peop le he ar about us.

The time and effort of our group is well worth while.

This is a very pleasurab le experience thanks largely to the wonderful servic e we get from Rancho Vignola. They are so well organized and so pleasant and fair to deal with and that includes their staff. I feel like I know all of the m personally, not just Richard and Sue. We are looking forward to another sale with them this year.

O

rdering from Rancho Vignola wholesale means there's room to resell and make a profit. For those willing to put in some work packaging down full cases into small bags for reselling, there are great profit margins just waiting to be taken advantage of!

Eleanor Parker Three Hills, Alberta

We have a complete information package available for those of you interested in setting up a successful fundraiser using Rancho Vignola's fresh and nutritious products. Please contact us to learn all about it!

Page 6

Harvest Events 2010

www.ranchovignola.com

A year for the history books...

Summer 2011

Summer 2011

Sue Vignola has a chat with centenarian Mrs. Rose Lessing who has been attending our Camrose event with her daughter Donna Kutzner for many years

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 11

Josh Dueck

Recipes from the

Rancho Kitchen

"I'm only as good as the food that nourishes me - that's why partnering up with the legendary leaders of healthy eating makes so much sense.

I love the selection of great snacks and food choices from Rancho Vignola, at home and on the road!"

Canadian Alpine Skier Paralympic Silver Medalist

Customers are always asking us for ideas on how to use our products, besides just eating them.

The more people realize the immense nutritional benefits to be gained by adding nuts and dried fruit to their everyday diets, the more we realize the need for creative and simple ways to use Rancho products.

Tahini 1/2 cup raw sesame seeds 1 tbsp lemon juice or olive oil Blend in a food processor until smooth.

Store in an airtight container for up to one month.

NOTE: Lemon juice will make the tahini more tangy,

whereas olive oil will give a smooth flavour and texture. Your choice will be a matter of taste, and what you will be using it for.

The following recipes may not be quite as straightforward as the tested and true justpop-it-in-your-mouth-and-chew technique.

However with just a little bit more effort you can make these extremely easy and flexible recipes at home, and before you know it you'll be getting all that fresh nutritionpacked goodness without even thinking about it! Maybe you'll even be able to replace some of your store bought snacks and spreads with far healthier alternatives, without compromise in indulgence, and all made by you!

Jayme's Hummus 1 can chickpeas (or 2 cups cooked) 2 cloves garlic (add more if you like) 2 tbsp tahini 1.5 lemons (you need 4 tbsp juice and some zest) 1 tsp apple cider vinegar drizzle of olive oil pinch cumin, sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Josh Dueck is a delightful, spirited young man with an intense drive and ambition.

He dreamed long and hard to become an Olympic athlete and last year, during the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Whistler, he won silver in the men’s slalom sit-ski event!

Congratulations Josh on your hard work and your ability to overcome adversity to become the best of the best. Rancho Vignola is thrilled to have you on our team!

"Rancho helps me out a lot with my athletic sports because being vegetarian and traveling the world makes it very hard to get the right amount of nutrition in my diet. With the dried fruits and nuts I'm able to get the right proteins in my diet and energy I need when competing on the world circuit."

Kevin Hill is an active, strong role model for kids and adults alike. He thrives on competition and as a result he has become a champion in two different extreme sports! Last year he visited elementary schools around his community and spoke with more than 5,000 kids, encouraging them to make positive lifestyle choices in working towards their goals.

Kevin, we appreciate your enthusiasm and positive message!

Professional Canadian Snowboard Cross Athlete "Rancho has kept me well fuelled for my training with the best dried fruit and nuts! It's their amazing spirit of giving that puts Rancho Vignola a step above other companies, and we need more like them in the world."

Powered by Rancho

Quick and easy recipes mean more time with friends! www.ranchovignola.com

National BMX Racer X Games Silver Medalist in Snowboard Cross

Tom Velisek

Rinse chickpeas with hot water. Blend garlic and chickpeas in a food processor or blender. Add in the rest of your ingredients and blend well. Add more olive oil to reach desired consistency if necessary. Start small though, too much oil will affect the delicate flavour of the tahini.

Page 12

Kevin Hill

Summer 2011

Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 5

Rancho Vignola supports...

Freshest Nut Butter Ingredients:

Project CHEF: Cook Healthy Edible Food

2 cups nuts (this is the most you can blend at one time in a standard food processor)

Project CHEF is an experiential, curriculum-based school program that is currently running smoothly in Vancouver, BC. Created and run by former school teacher turned chef Barb Finley, the program is aimed at children in grades four and five, and teaches students about healthy food: where it comes from, what it tastes like, how to prepare it and how to enjoy sharing it around a table.

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Spread nuts evenly on a cookie sheet and roast for approximately 10 minutes, or until you catch that lovely roasted nut smell. Time will vary depending on the type of nuts you're using, so be sure to set a timer and check them often. All nuts can burn really fast - keep a close eye on them!

Investing in the development of our future generations has become a priority for us at Rancho Vignola. What better way to support this cause than to help develop programs that grow stronger, more well nourished kids!

Chef Barb, we are proud to be a part of your encouraging program.

Ingredients:

Kids learn to follow their recipes carefully for the best results

The Project CHEF team is delighted to have Rancho Vignola as a sponsor for the program. In our menus we try to introduce kids and families to quality wholesome ingredients. Rancho’s amazing dried fruits give flavour, natural sweetness and goodness to our Hodge Podge Porridge. When was the last time you heard a child say they loved porridge? We hear it all the time!

We have also got kids hooked on eating pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds) for a tasty crunch in salads. You don’t need packaged croutons or ‘bacon-ish’ bits when there are healthy alternatives.

The kids and parents love your products and so do we.

Thank you for supporting Project CHEF.

Dried Fruit Spread

300g - 350g dried fruit (apricots, figs, raisins, Incan berries, pineapple - whatever you happen to have.

Experiment with different combinations!)

3 cups unsweetened orange juice (any kind of natural unsweetened fruit juice will do)

A word from the chefs...

Sue's Savoury Nuts Ingredients:

4 cups raw nuts (Sue swears by macadamias or cashews for this recipe, but almonds and most other nuts work just as well) Bragg Liquid Soy Seasoning Nutritional yeast Fine dulse flakes Optional additions: Spike seasoning, garlic powder and/or other favourite savoury herbs.

Page 4

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Cooking isn't ea sy for everyone but th at doesn't mean we don't all love food! Keeping it simple and delicious works every time...

Simmer all ingredients until fruit is soft. Let the mixture cool, then puree in a blender or food processor.

Transfer to airtight jars or containers and keep refrigerated.

Enjoy on toast, in hot cereals, in smoothies, or on crackers with some ripe cheese as a delicious appetizer!

Chef Barb talks up good ingredients in the classroom

- Chefs Barb, David, Kathy and Melissa

Let them cool, then put them in a food processor and blend until smooth. This can take anywhere from 5 - 10 minutes. If necessary, pause and scrape the sides as your mixture gets clumpy. Be patient, once those nuts start to release their oils the mixture will change and you'll have your beautiful nut butter!

You may add a pinch of salt to taste if you like, or a touch of sunflower or nut oil to aid in the blending process.

Neither is essential, nuts alone will give you great results!

Summer 2011

Spread nuts onto a cookie sheet and pop them into a pre-warmed oven set at 250ºF. Time for 20-25 mins. Remove and transfer into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle generously with Bragg Seasoning and mix well. Add nutritional yeast and dulse flakes. Mix thoroughly, then transfer back to cookie sheet and toast in the oven for another 30 mins or so. If you like them extra toasty, increase heat to 300ºF. Let cool and separate the clumps by hand before placing in a serving bowl. www.ranchovignola.com

recipe tured this a fe e ’v e W our for it t the clam u b re fo e b die down! refuses to Rancho aily in the d d e y jo n E and nch room Vignola lu ut every o b a just brought to d to! are invite party we

Page 13

HELLO from the Rancho Vignola office !

2010 was a busy year for us, with more wholesale orders than ever, and we are already getting ourselves organised and are excited for the upcoming season! We are especially looking forward to having more staff, more space (if you've ever walked into the office during shipping season you'll know what we mean!) and a more streamlined shipping system now that we are settling in to last year's policy adjustments.

With new customers joining us every year, we are constantly reminded of how unique our once-a-year operation is to most people. We hope this timeline will give you a better idea of what the wholesale season is like for us and answer a few of the questions we receive most often.

Early September

We prepare and send out the wholesale price list.

If we have your email address, you will receive an announcement when the price list is ready for download. Please contact us if you have any problems accessing the price list, or if you have questions!

September 11th to 28th

The office is full of busy people answering questions and accepting orders.

It is very helpful to get your order in early if you can. Product availability permitting, we generally ship orders in the sequence we receive them.

Order deadline September 28th. In the last few days leading up to the deadline, we are working overtime to get your orders into our system. Our deadline is firm since we place orders with our suppliers the very next day based on all wholesale orders received!

October

Products start to arrive fresh from the harvest.

Products are packaged down and bagged as they arrive in the warehouse. In the office, we process order payments, calculate shipping costs, and go over order details with customers.

November

Most products have arrived and order shipment begins!

Depending on harvest conditions for various crops we may still be waiting for some items. We understand you are eager to receive your delicious products, so we are doing our utmost to get your orders out as quickly as we possibly can, shipping well over 100 orders per day!

November also sees the Harvest Events team hitting the road (see back page for details.)

December

Our online Harvest Event is open from the 1st to the 15th, offering you an opportunity to purchase our products in smaller quantities with no ordering minimum.

In the office we don't usually get a break between the wholesale season and this Harvest Event, and if important crops are late we may even continue to ship wholesale orders into December.

Wholesale orders are always prepared for shipment before orders placed in December.

Page 14

Featured FAQs

How do I know whether you received my order?

• If you order online, you will get an automatic email (if this doesn't arrive, please check your junk mail filter first, then contact us). If you order by email or fax, we will be in touch within a couple of days to confirm that your order has been received. If you don't hear from us within three business days, please contact us.

Crop News California’s Sacramento Valley experienced some very severe weather during late May. Violent storms passed through the region, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall, hail and even several tornadoes. Some growers experienced significant problems such as almond trees being ripped from the roots, but overall the damage was not considered too disastrous. On the plus side, the cold weather has kept the pest population under control and the rainfall has lessened the demand on water supply for irrigation, a major problem in previous years.

Climate change continues to wreak havoc with many parts of the world. Australia has experienced extremes of both flooding and drought, one of the casualties being a devastated macadamia crop in the Queensland region. Our organic grower in the Byron Bay area has such a reduced crop that he is unable to supply us this year. We are researching additional source countries for a supply of these delectable nuts, as well as other new items.

Young pistachios soaking up the California sun

Can I make changes to my order?

• You are welcome to make changes to your order at any point before the ordering deadline. After the deadline you can remove items from your order as long as you maintain the minimum, but since we've already ordered the products from our suppliers most additions are made on a provisional basis, and shipment of your order may be delayed until we determine whether it can be filled.

For more FAQs see our website:

www.ranchovignola.com

Whether you have a long history with us or we're meeting you for the first time, we look forward to helping you this year!

www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

After a good winter, and despite the cool spring, almond farmers are expecting to produce a bumper crop, up from 2010. Worldwide demand for these popular nuts continues to increase, and every single pound will be required to meet the need!

Walnuts

Heavy rain in the spring has resulted in the walnut crop producing very dense clusters of nuts on the trees, leading to expectations for an abundant crop. Our organic growers, Ferrari Farms, told us they are dealing with an increased population of the huskfly, a pest which lays its eggs in the green outer hull of the walnut, causing it to turn black. As organic growers, they must rely on a costly organic spinosad spray to control this issue.

Why aren't orders shipped to wholesale customers before your Harvest Events?

• Wholesale orders are generally not shipped until all the products are available. While we do provide a wide variety, the product list for our Harvest Events is much smaller than what is available to you wholesale, and events are held even if some anticipated products do not arrive in time. Shipping still continues during the Harvest Events so that wholesale customers are not unnecessarily delayed.

Almonds

The grape vines were just beginning to bloom during our visit to our long time organic raisin grower Mike McCutcheon. Mike was busy replacing the wooden trellises the vines grow on with a new metal system. Metal trellises will prevent the rot associated with wood and open up the foliage. This will allow more room for blooms and reduce mildew.

Above: Mike McCutcheon introduces Simon Vignola to this year's crop of young grapes

Summer 2011

Prunes

Prunes are considered by many to be a sensational super fruit due to their digestive and other health benefits. The cool weather in the spring has impacted pollination resulting in a smaller crop but with fruit of a good size and quality.

As always, the latest crop and product news will be available with the wholesale price list in early September. Here’s to a successful growing season for all! www.ranchovignola.com

Page 3

All in the family...

F

ather and son Richard and Simon Vignola recently traveled to California to visit some of the farms that Rancho Vignola has been doing business with for many years. During the same period, mother and daughter Sue and Natalia were holidaying in Australia where they too carried out some farm visits. During these visits, we were struck by how many farms are run by families comprised of second and third generations. Having just celebrated Rancho Vignola’s thirtieth anniversary last year, and with our younger family members now stepping up to assume more responsibility, the generational theme of this year’s newsletter began taking shape!

In some ways a family operation is an ideal business model.

Family members usually demonstrate loyalty and a commitment to the business which may be difficult to find in an employee.

WHOLESALE ORDERING

In a Nutshell

Passing on a business may be considered a valuable gift in these days of job insecurity and economic uncertainty. However, balancing individual desires and differences with the interests of the family and the business raises its own issues. For example, how do we celebrate the traditions and successes of the past while focusing on the future and a rapidly evolving business climate?

The wholesale price list will be available on or before the 10th of September. You can access the wholesale price list either by downloading it in PDF format through our website or by regular mail. Customers with email addresses will receive an announcement when the price list is ready. Please let us know if you also require a paper copy, as we prefer to avoid sending out paper unnecessarily.

We are looking at these questions and pondering the answers ourselves as we transition from a grassroots business to one that will continue to grow and be successful in a rapidly changing economy. We also feel very fortunate to have a family business which embraces a nationwide community who share in our love of fine fresh foods! Here's to another happy harvest!

- The Vignola family

Welcome!

Rancho Vignola is a family owned and operated distributor of fresh crop nuts, dried fruit and quality confection. If you're new to Rancho Vignola, here are a few more things you should know!

• We operate seasonally during the autumn harvest, from September through November.

• We maintain personal relationships with growers and suppliers worldwide.

• We offer ordering opportunities for both wholesale and retail customers.

• ANYONE can order wholesale!

• Wholesale orders must be at least $500 - this is the only requirement!

• Wholesale orders are shipped direct to customers all over Canada.

• For customers wanting smaller quantities and extras for the holiday season, Rancho Vignola holds annual Harvest Events in communities across BC and Alberta.

• For customers unable to attend one in person, we also hold a Harvest Event on our website in early December - the perfect opportunity to try out a few products and have them shipped right to you without having to place a large wholesale order.

Visit us at www.ranchovignola.com for further information, or get in touch directly by email or phone.

We look forward to hearing from you this harvest season, and to bringing you the Best of the New Crop!

Page 2

Please note this is an absolutely firm order deadline – any orders received after the deadline will not be guaranteed delivery, and will be dealt with on a first in, first served basis.

www.ranchovignola.com

Welcome 2 Crop News 3 Rancho Sponsorship 4 More Good Nut News 6 Fundraising 6 Gourmet Gifts 7 Rancho on the Road 8 Community Spirit 10 Harvest Event Snapshots 11 Rancho Recipes 12 Hello from the Rancho Office 14 Wholesale Ordering Policies 15 Harvest Event Schedule 16

Box 397 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 Toll-free: 1-877-639-2767 Fax: 250-546-6653 info@ranchovignola.com

www.ranchovignola.com Follow us on

acebook and

Standard Freight Policy: We will cover all freight costs to major centres on our regular shipping routes across central Canada. Customers are responsible for any interline charges incurred for delivery beyond the freight depot.

Small Towns in all Provinces: Freight charges may be applied for delivery to smaller centres outside of major cities across central Canada. You will be notified of any additional charges before your order is shipped. Please note that additional shipping charges still represent only a fraction of the total freight cost, the majority of which is covered by us. Again, customers are responsible for pick up or for shipping charges beyond the freight depot as per our standard freight policy.

Northern and Eastern Regions: Shipping charges to remote northern areas, eastern Quebec, and Atlantic Canada will be determined on a case-by-case basis and discussed prior to shipment.

Return Policy

Order Minimum: $500 - product available in full cases or 5lb bags Order Deadline is Wednesday, September 28th

INSIDE...

Shipping Charges

Payment

All first-time wholesale customers are required to pre-pay before the order is shipped. For existing customers with established credit terms, payment is required within 15 days from receipt of the order. We accept payment by credit card, PayPal, cheque (one cheque only) and money order.

Discount for Early Payment

We are pleased to offer a 2% discount to all customers who pay for their wholesale orders in full by the 15th of October.

Order Shipment

Order shipment begins early November and continues all month.

Sometimes we experience delays of a particular product due to unforeseen circumstances such as ports being closed or backed up. Please be aware that our warehouse crew are working diligently to get your orders shipped to you as quickly as possible. We will try to meet your requests for delivery by a specific date, but any customers setting up their own sales (or advertising a delivery day to their club members) are advised to err on the side of caution and plan for later in November. Please note: Any special delivery requests must be made by October 15.

Orders are sent pre-paid by commercial freight carrier or courier service to a freight depot in your nearest town centre. Generally, orders will be delivered right to your door. However if residential deliveries are unavailable in your area, you may be required to pick up your order from the depot. If you live in a remote area not covered by our regular freight carriers, an interline service may be required and the cost of this service covered by you. If you wish to pick up at our Armstrong warehouse, please let us know when placing your order and you will be contacted when your order is ready.

Rancho Vignola stands behind all of our products and we will gladly take back any product that is not up to our standards. Please check your entire order as soon as you receive it and contact us immediately if you have any concerns. We cannot accept any product returns later than 30 days after order shipment.

Referrals We offer 5% commission to existing wholesale customers for referring friends, family members, or other contacts, who go on to place a wholesale order. The amount of the commission is determined by the new club's wholesale order total and is awarded for three consecutive years from the first wholesale order.

Commissions earned are calculated at the end of the season and are applied as credit towards your next season's order.

In order to be eligible

• You must be an existing wholesale customer for at least one year and continue to place wholesale orders.

• You must provide your referral's full name, address, email, and phone number before their first order is submitted.

• Referrals must pay separately and have a separate shipping address from sponsors.

Box 397 Armstrong, BC V0E 1B0 Toll-free: 1-877-639-2767 Fax: 250-546-6653 info@ranchovignola.com

www.ranchovignola.com Follow us on

acebook and

witter!

witter!

Summer 2011

Summer 2011

www.ranchovignola.com

Page 15

Armstrong BC Toll free: 1-877-639-2767 info@ranchovignola.com

Harvest Events 2011

www.ranchovignola.com From the Farm to your Community

Rancho Vignola’s Harvest Events are the perfect introduction to our top quality nuts, dried fruit and confection. Come see us, browse our product display, and taste everything we have to offer!

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Delicious dried fruit, nutritious nuts, decadent chocolate delights, Gourmet Gifts and more - this is an event you won't want to miss!

November 4th & 5th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

For details and any changes, please visit our website or call our toll free line:

www.ranchovignola.com • 1-877-NEW-CROP

Vernon

Families in Food Through the Generations

Vernon Recreation Centre Auditorium

Pictured are just a few of the growers and processors we've been doing business with for many years. Fathers, mothers, sons and daughters: families producing great food to share with their communities far and wide.

Rancho Vignola salutes and celebrates the family farms and businesses who are continuing into the next generation!

3310 - 37th Ave (just off Highway 97)

Salmon Arm

November 11th & 12th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Holiday Inn

1090 - 22nd Street NE (on the hill near the RCMP station)

Kelowna

November 12th & 13th Saturday: 10am - 5pm • Sunday: 10am - 5pm

Parkinson Recreation Centre 1800 Parkinson Way

Abbotsford

November 18th & 19th Friday: 9am - 5pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Windsor Greenhouses

#18 Ross Road, Abbotsford (access from ‘O’ Avenue)

ALBERTA

A great place to have a nibble!

Camrose

November 11th & 12th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

We welcome customers of all ages!

Camrose Regional Exhibition

4250 Exhibition Drive (Highway #13 - 1/4 mile east of Camrose)

Harvest Event Online December 1st - 15th

Order at www.ranchovignola.com

Page 16

www.ranchovignola.com

Airdrie

November 18th & 19th Friday: 9am - 7pm • Saturday: 9am - 5pm

Town and Country Centre

275 Jensen Drive (Ten minutes drive north of Calgary on Hwy #2)

Summer 2011

New Crop Price List: Early September • Wholesale Order Deadline: September 28th www.ranchovignola.com

Summer 2011

Page