Written by: Valerie Musser Nothing is more idyllic than a handmade garland for the holidays and this KORU® and cinnamon stick swag does not disappoint! This garland is a very easy-to-do project. KORU® Apples are the ideal candidate for this, as they are slow to brown, crisp and hold their shape during the drying process better than other varieties. Yield: Makes 3 3ft garlands Supplies: KORU® Apples (I used 3 apples for my garland, but you can use more or less, depending on the length that you need.) Dehydrator or baking sheet for oven method  Cinnamon sticks (easy to order in bulk [...]

Written by: Valerie Musser Block Printing dates back thousands of years and has origins in China, before becoming increasingly popular in Asia, making India, the epicenter of block printing popularity. Nowadays, it is seen on everything! Go to your local home store and you will see this art style on pillows, napkins, lamp shades, tablecloths, and other textiles. As far as difficulty goes, it depends on your desired outcome. You can go with a simplistic design like shown above, or add an all over pattern of different colors, like shown below. It is up to you and your artistic comfort level. [...]

We all know that salads are a healthy meal choice, but let’s face it, they tend to get boring over time. So, how do you make your salads pop? Add fruit for texture and contrasting flavors and an interesting dressing and your taste buds will thank you! Make Your Own Dressing There are loads of delicious salad dressing choices on the market but sometimes it's more economical to make your own in-between grocery store trips, not to mention healthier. Making your own salad dressing is also simple to put together and easy to scale up for a large family of salad [...]

Cherries and cheese Cherries love nothing more than to accompany a beautiful cheeseboard. Their sweetness and juiciness contrast beautifully with many types of cheeses, and their bright hues add a pop of color. There are many ways to enjoy cherries with cheese: raw, pickled, cooked in a jam, tossed in a salad, etc. The possibilities really are endless, so have fun with it.  Here is a guide for which cheeses pair well with cherries: Hard/salty cheeses: Cherries add a healthy dose of freshness to aged and salty cheeses. Try them with aged gouda, cheddar, manchego, pecorino, asiago, or gruyere. Soft/salty cheeses: Say [...]

Improve your complexion and moisturize your skin with these fun DIY skincare treatments using Chelan Fresh fruit!  Before you begin: Be sure to wash your apples first by rubbing under running water and dry them completely. Test any mask you make on a small patch of skin and let sit for 5-10 minutes before spreading across your face and neck - try the side of your neck or along your jaw in a discreet area. If any reaction occurs, discontinue use. SugarBee® Apple Cinnamon Honey Face Mask Both Cinnamon and Honey have fantastic antimicrobial properties which can help lessen acne, and [...]

Whether you love salads for their nutritional value, their ease of preparation, or because they are simply fun and delicious — spring is here and it’s officially salad season! Many salad recipes include diced or sliced apples in their ingredients list because apples offer bright sweet flavors and a crisp texture that naturally complements leafy greens. They are also packed with nutrition and health benefits! Apples are full of fiber, fat free, sodium free and cholesterol free. A lesser-known fact is: some apple varieties are better in salads than others! When choosing the perfect apple for your next salad, two key [...]

The end of summer and beginning of fall in North Central Washington signal the start of harvest for Chelan Fresh apple and pear growers. Many of these 3rd, 4th and 5th generation growers finished their cherry harvest by early August and had just a few days or weeks before they jumped into pear and early season apple harvest. Varieties such as Bartlett pears, sweet Gala apples, early season Honeycrisp and kid favorite Rockit™ apples come off the trees by early to mid-September and have consumers clamoring for the remaining fall varieties. By early October, the consumer favorite SugarBee® apple and show-stopping Lucy™ varieties [...]