What's New at the Barn…

It's HealthBarn USA's Birthday!  This month marks our sixth birthday, giving us "sprout" status and we have a lot to celebrate and be grateful for at the barn.  In April 2005, the HealthBarn USA seed got planted and it has sprouted big time at Abma's Farm in Wyckoff, NJ which has resulted in a seedling at Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center in Yorktown Heights, NY.  Our growth and success is possible because of all of the TLC from kids, families, schools, community groups,  educational partnerships and our awesome team.     

Throwing a healthy birthday party?  Moms want to know how to celebrate a fun, healthy birthday party in the comfort of their own home.  Don't despair, we have the right party mix to keep kids entertained, engaged and smiling -- so much so, that you'll need sunglasses!  We have hosted several HealthBarn USA birthday parties at private homes with much success, so here are our top ideas:  

• Chefs for the Day.  Choose a hands-on naturally, nutritious recipe that everyone can help create and eat!  The top HealthBarn USA recipes are:  Yum! Yum! Dumplings, Whole Wheat Pita Pizzas, and the Rainbow Swirley. Click here for recipes.
• Garden Party.  It's the perfect time to start your child's friends garden right in your own backyard!  Rotate between planting seedlings (herbs, zucchini, cucumbers, etc); painting terra cotta planting pots; and making and eating the HealthBarn USA Hydration Salad or fruit, vegetable and cheese kebabs. Click here for the recipe. 
• "Girls Only" Sleep Over Party.  Hire a certified kids yoga instructor for 45 minutes of downward facing dog and more poses or pop in a yoga DVD, then serve up fresh herbal tea (mint from the garden) and have fun making and eating the HealthBarn USA Peach and Honey facial mask!  Serve up our yummy Sweet Potato Pancakes in the morning, too!  Click here for recipes. 
• Birthday Apples.  Move over cupcakes, it's all about the apples.  Serve one apple on a special plate or create an apple cascade with candles and sing away!  Use an apple slicer to speed things up and serve up these delicious slices during all of the above party ideas!  
  

Join us for a special birthday celebration at the barn!  We want to celebrate our birthday with our HealthBarn USA families with a pancake breakfast on Saturday, May 14, 2010 from 11:00 - 12:30 pm followed by Discover Family Fun & Good Health event at the farm.  Bring your appetites, garden gear and please RSVP to 201-891-2066 as soon as possible.

Upcoming Programs:

Grown-Ups Only!  Vegetable Gardening 101 Workshop, Saturday, May 7 from 8:30 - 12:30 pm:  Interested in starting a vegetable garden this spring?  We are hosting a green thumb-proof, comprehensive organic vegetable gardening workshop led by Stacey Antine, MS, RD for grown-ups!  You will learn hands-on, how to create a thriving produce garden that includes location, animal protection, soil, compost, irrigation, seeds, seedlings and tasty, nutritious recipes that will make your edible garden irresistible!  Lunch and all supplies will be included.  Space is limited to 25 people (last year it sold out!); please click here for more information and enroll by contacting us at 201-891-2066.

SAVE THE DATE!   Discover Family Fun & Good Health at the Farm event from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. in collaboration with Abma's Farm, Whole Child Center and

EARLY BIRD SPECIALS!  Best of Bergen Summer Camp 2011: Voted editor's pick and Best of Bergen by (201) magazine, it's the ultimate "farm-to-fork" experience!  HealthBarn USA is the only farm summer camp program in Bergen County, NJ for children, ages 5-12; and now in Westchester, NY at Hilltop Hanover Farm and Environmental Center.  During the day from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. campers indulge in delicious, nutritious food and the healthy lifestyle that goes with it!  They are active by rotating between growing, harvesting, and cooking their own hand-grown organic fruits and vegetables, learning about nutrition and environmental science through games and enjoying activities in creative arts and crafts, nature, yoga and sports.  Parents are psyched because a nutritious breakfast, lunch and snack are provided everyday (we accommodate for allergies!). Transportation is available for children coming from New York City.

Summer Seedlings: The Seedlings, ages 3-5 have an action-filled summer ahead that includes planting and eating organic fruits and vegetables, helping to cook healthy recipes and doing all natural arts & crafts.  The New York Times featured HealthBarn USA in "No Yucks Allowed." The reporter, Kelly Feeney, learned a lot about growing vegetables and cooking healthy recipes during and found out that healthy eaters thrive at HealthBarn USA!  We are enrolling for the Summer Seedlings program being held weekly in the afternoons from 4-5:30 pm Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays for 5 or 10-weeks.

If you are a parent who wants:
- healthy kids who are adventurous eaters,
- nutritious and great tasting ideas and recipes for what to serve and eat 24/7,
- green kids who grow and eat their own organic food,
- simple, fun-to-take steps that will get your family to a happier, healthier place - from a leading voice in family nutrition, come spend the summer with us at the barn!

Don't delay, please click here for more information and enrollment forms. 

School Enrichment Programs:

Ready to make a difference in kids' lives? Partner with HealthBarn USA through our enrichment programs because we make a difference in empowering children to make healthy choices. Our hands-on approach and unique curricula is not only one-of-kind, but also extremely effective in exciting kids and families about making good choices for their health.  Click here for the list of our 2011 offerings in school and at the barn. Here are some highlights:

Healthy Lifestyle School Assembly: Engage your student body in HealthBarn USA's "Try It -- You'll Like It," one-of-a-kind, hands on healthy-lifestyle experience that empowers children of all ages to try new foods that are allergen free, be active, participate in family meals and much more.  Kids can't get enough of this fun and interactive tasting experience that leaves principals, teachers, parent volunteers and parents at home in awe as kids tempt their taste buds with fruit, vegetables, edamame, cereal without added sugar and so much more!  Click here read the latest testimonials from other schools.

HealthBarn USA School Assembly on YouTube.  If you haven't experienced the assembly LIVE yet, click here to watch the team and kids in action.  Click here for more information about how to schedule an assembly at your school or other organization, please click here to contact Molly.

School & Scout Healthy-Lifestyle Field Trips: With nutrition education being a hot topic in schools among administrators, children, the PTO/PTA and parents, our hands-on, one-of-kind field trip is a must-do! The field trip curriculum meets the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards, 2.1, 2.2, 2.5, 2.6, 5.4, 5.8, 5.10, 8.2 and 9.2. And, the HealthBarn USA experience is a perfect supplement to school curricula.

We are booking school trips for spring (only a few dates left!) and fall 2011 -- don't miss out on this one-of-kind experience.  Click here for more information.

We're booking for scout field trips too (only a few dates left), for spring and fall 2011 – scout leaders are booking early, so if you are interested in taking a field trip, please click here for more information.

Workshops & After-School Enrichment Programs: The workshop format for classes of 25 students during Wellness, Science, Health or Environmental Days are age-appropriate and cover a variety of topics, click here for more information. Our after-school enrichment programs are very popular because they are fun and create a positive learning experience as an extension to the school day with a hot topic for families. We are currently offering programs at Gerrard Berman Day School, Oakland, NJ, High Mountain Road and Colonial Road Elementary Schools in Franklin Lakes, NJ, click here for more information.

Private One-on-One Nutrition Counseling for children, teens and adults. To schedule a one-on-one appointment with Stacey Antine, MS, RD, in New Jersey or New York City, please click here to find out more. 

We are giving you double thumbs up for making the health of your family a priority!  We'd love to hear your healthy living stories, please click here  to email us! Thank you for reading about HealthBarn USA.  Want to learn more.. visit us at the barn!