Whole Circle Farm

Starting this week, our store will be a pickup location for Whole Circle Farm's CSA shares!

Community Supported Agriculture is a model of farming where community members typically buy a "share" at the start of the growing season, and then receive a portion of the harvest each week throughout the season.  This way, farmers have the support of their community at the beginning of the season.  They can plan their crops more accurately, and have more security for their businesses.

Whole Circle has adapted this model further, offering a flexible point system where their customers can choose which varieties and quantities of vegetables they want each week, instead of receiving a pre-set selection.

Here at the Stone Store, we support local farms in many ways.  One way is by offering lots of Ontario produce, whenever it is available.  Now, with this new CSA pick-up, we are helping Whole Circle customers get their produce at a convenient location downtown, (and maybe do some in-store shopping while they're at it).

We welcome the Whole Circle CSA members to the Stone Store and hope you enjoy shopping here.  If you are interested in more information about Whole Circle shares, visit their website at http://www.wholecirclefarm.ca/?page_id=3799

Sleep solutions for kids who just won't go to bed

As the days get longer kids who were previously poor sleepers become kids who are simply not sleepers, and kids who slept fine through the winter are bouncing up and down in their beds until two hours past their bed times.

The good news is, there are things you can do (and they don't need to involve melatonin).

For starters, start looking at your child's overall health. If he or she is not getting enough protein or iron this can make her overtired as the body struggles to compensate. She may sleep at odd hours and be up all night or just not sleep well at all. 

We have a variety of protein powders suitable for kids at the store, and Salus makes a high-absorbency iron supplement suitable for kids as young as two years.

Taking care of the child's developing brain is important too, as the brain is responsible for a number of hormones (including naturally occurring melatonin) associated with sleep. A well-sourced DHA oil will also help kids focus in school. Udo's DHA is cost effective and can be found in the cooler with our probiotics. Because it is organic, non-gmo and plant-based there is no risk that it may be contaminated with heavy metals. Best of all, your child only needs a tablespoon a day, so it's easy to ''hide'' in foods such as yogurt, smoothies, oatmeal, cooked soups, and even drizzled over veggies. Ask one of us if you need more ideas, we're full of them.

Finally (and perhaps most importantly) a lot of our adult customers are taking magnesium to help them sleep with a lot of success. Did you know that kids need magnesium too? Salus has a high-absorbency magnesium suitable for kids aged four and up. 

Just ask our staff member, Holly. Taking their ''apricot juice'' before bed has become a nightly ritual for her two kids.  ''It's great because it's something that's so important for the health of everyone in the house,'' she says, ''I take it to maintain bone health and prevent osteoporosis and the kids take it to help them wind down after their busy days.''

Sweet dreams, everyone!