 | | | Casey Hanley working at Back to the Kitchen in Lafayette. Photo Sophie Braccini
| | | | | | Baby's Harvest: Fresh Organic Local Food
(515) 321-9053
casey@babyharvest.com
www.babysharvest.com
Frustration can be a good motivator to start a new business. For Casey Hanley, it started with her first child and the difficulty she had to find fresh healthy food for her son when she did not have time to cook herself. "Most canned or 'pouched' foods for babies have been cooked at such a high temperature, to ensure long shelf life, that almost all the nutrients are gone," said Hanley. With the birth of her daughter she decided that what she was doing for them everyday, cooking savory vegetable purees and soups, she could do for other local parents. "I've created recipes that my kids love and are vegetable based," she says. "I wanted to create what parents need most: delicious fresh, local, organic vegetable recipes that are loaded with the vitamins and nutrients that are so important for growing up, and of course that are chemical and pesticide free." Hanley, who graduated with a master's in ethics and theology, and studied nutrition for infants, says all the recipes have been approved by her kids, now 1 and 3 years old, and by her husband who loves the soups; in fact, Hanley says that many of her clients buy the soups for the whole family. Some purees have single ingredients for little ones just starting with solid food; others have multiple ingredient compositions such as the carrot-squash and coconut. The food comes in 4-ounce containers, while the soups are sold in 16-ounce containers. "The menu changes every week because I like to work with seasonal produce," she says. "I'm also a small and adaptable operation that I can accommodate my clients if they want something specific." Hanley's purees and soups are sold in the refrigerated section at Diablo Foods. "My purees and soups are sold in glass containers, and we will give credit when they are returned," says Hanley. The food can be ordered online and delivered to your doorstep, and containers can be collected that way as well.
Important News for Yarn Lovers: Busy Stix
3418 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Suite A, Lafayette
busystix.com
Your heart might have been broken with the closing of Big Sky Luxury Yarn in Lafayette, but Marcia Brunning bought some of the inventory and decided to open a place of her own, Busy Stix. Located in the Forge building, her collection and choice will satisfy the pickiest knitter, with yarn such as Malabrigo with its impressive range of colors and textures. Brunning is also offering classes. On April 13 and 20, a two-day technique class will teach how to do a provisional cast on, beginning lace, bobbles, I - Cord and how to use double pointed needles. On April 16, spinner Wendy Lacy will teach the beginning of spinning technique, introduction to fiber types and how to ply yarns together. For more information and to register, call (925) 284-1172.
Care Indeed Named Affiliate Company Member of NAPGCM
Orinda Office: 61 Moraga Way #9
(925) 317-3080
The National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers has recently welcomed Care Indeed as an affiliate company member. An affiliate company member is a company or organization that supplies products and services to geriatric care managers. A professional geriatric care manager is a health and human services specialist who helps families who are caring for older relatives. The GCM is trained and experienced in any of several fields related to care management, including nursing, gerontology, social work, or psychology. NAPGCM is a non-profit professional development organization whose mission is to advance professional geriatric care management through education, collaboration, and leadership. Care Indeed offers 24/7 phone support and serves the entire Bay Area - San Francisco, North Bay, East Bay, Peninsula, and South Bay.
News from the three Chambers of Commerce
Lafayette
Chamber Mixer at YogaWorks in Walnut Creek at 5:30 p.m. April 10, 1131 Locust Ave. 2nd Floor, Walnut Creek.
Ribbon Cutting for three businesses sharing the building at 3381, 3383 & 3385 Mt. Diablo Blvd. at 5 p.m. April 11. Come celebrate the renaissance and transformation of this location with Carlos Gomez (Gomez and Associates), Catherine Jolivet (French for Fun) and Marilyn Chalmers (Chalmers Fitness).
Special night meeting for the Entrepreneur's Club at 5:30 p.m. April 18 at Bank of the West, 3583 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Lafayette Entrepreneur's Club is a chamber-sponsored group providing practical business advice to its members, while offering friendly and informal networking opportunities. It is open to all local business people.
Moraga
The chamber will not have a membership meeting before June; it is actively preparing for the 7th annual Community Faire scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11. Registration is open until May 1 to all Moraga Chamber of Commerce members and to Moraga-based businesses. For information, visit moragachamber.org.
Orinda
Miramonte Parent's Club Heart of the Home Kitchen and Garden Tour of Orinda will feature six extraordinary indoor and outdoor kitchens from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 18. For tickets and information, visit www.miramonteparents.com. (See story page E1.)
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA