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JANUARY 2012
Happy New Year to Everyone!
Ah! Doesn't it feel good to say
:"out with the old and in with the new"?! It's like
we give ourselves a new lease on life. Whether we actually have
a new lease is really entirely up to us as individuals and it
is our personal responsibility to take out that new lease.
I mean it doesn't just happen with the turn of a clock. It takes
effort and sincerity. If you really want to change things, you
can. Start small and work up if you have to. Even small steps
add up. It doesn't really matter if you didn't totally reach
goals in the past. Persevere and reset them. Adjust them if they
weren't realistic or relevent. Make them your personal chore.
We are hoping to help in any
New Years resolutions to eat healthier by giving you a coupon
for apples! There is one for $2.00 off of a peck of apples (regular
price is $8.00) and another for a coupon for $5.00 off of a 1/2
bushel (regular price is $15.00) . The Ida Reds are especially
great this time of year....still crispy and getting sweeter all
of the time! Remember, "an apple a day keeps the doctor
away!"
We are all looking forward to
the upcoming year here at Crane's. We love all of our so very
loyal customers and get such a kick out of meeting the new ones
who come in the door. Speaking of doors, we have an exciting
(well for us anyway) remodel project underway. When I said that
to a longtime customer the otherday she immediately said with
alarm "you aren't changing anything are you?!" Well,
we are, but only for the better. If you have ever stood in a
very long line to get a pie or to pay your food bill we hope
that this will help. We are knocking out a wall and expanding
the retail room to make it easier to look at pies, check out
the freezers or buy a donut! May as well do this now and be ready
for the busy season! We will be finding a new spot for Betty
the Dog so if you don't see her right now, she is resting comfortably
in a warm spot (like she needs that ) and will take a more predominant
spot on the porch by spring!
Thank you thank you thank you
all for the greatest year 2011 and see you in 2012!
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
December 2011
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to Everyone!
So much to do
and so many family gatherings to attend! Between Holiday Concerts
at the schools, work parties and holiday decorating we are all
in a frenzy it seems. All the more reason to stop a minute or
two and take a deep breath. This is a good time to reflect on
this past year. Life has many ups and downs and sometimes with
the "downs" we have to look even harder at reasons
we all have to be thankful and appreciative for the good things
we have in our lives. Don't know why the end of each year makes
me take stock, but it does. And my list is long with the incredible
people and blessings around me!
Thanks to all
for making 2011 a wonderful year here at Crane's Pie Pantry.
I hope that the visits here (and the things that you end up taking
home!) are fond and meaningful memories for you and your families.
Your visits here make it all worthwhile for all of here at Crane's.
So THANK YOU!
Be sure to print
off the coupons we have for December! And another thank you....it's
double stamp month for your Pie Biters Club cards!
One more quick reminder...
SANTA'S COMING TO CRANE'S!
Saturday & Sunday, December 10 & 11 - noon 'til 4 both
days
Bring the kids and your cameras!
Here is to a
wonderful holiday!
November 2011
Happy November All!
Whew! We are coming out of one of the busiest,best, and most
beautiful October season ever! Seems that when it did rain, folks
just threw on the rain gear and then when the sun was shining
everyone in our corner of the world came out! In the Fall we
all feel a sense of urgency to soak up what we can of our vibrant
Michigan weather! It's been a time made special by meeting with
friends and family for an outing whether to pick apples or to
gather for lunch and a glass of cider.
On the topic of apple cider we are quite proud of our fresh cider
this year! It goes to show that when the apples taste great off
of the trees, the cider will be great as well! Our coupons this
month give you opportunities to save a buck on both our apple
cider and our fresh apples. We have many varieties of apple in
cold storage so haul out those recipes for Grandma's apple pie
or apple sauce and come on in! (or we can make those for you
and you can take the credit!)
Take note of our shortened hours for the next two months. Of
course the bakery and the restaurant are both open until 6 pm
everyday except Mondays and we probably won't even make you wait
for a table!
We are taking orders for Thanksgiving pies so call us at 269-561-2297
to place your family's orders for their favorite pies and breads!
Thanks for being our customers!
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
October 2011
If there ever was the perfect reason to live in Michigan, it
is the lovely, lovely Autumns that we have here. With the perfect
moisture and temps that we had this summer it looks to be a spectacular
fall color season! If you can't live here, you should plan a
visit the month of October!
With the kind
of summer we had, Michigan is having a wonderful apple season
too. The restaurant has many kinds of fresh picked apples for
sale in our cold storage if picking your own isn't your "bag",
along with cold cider, hot spiced cider and the best chili around.
Speaking of Crane's chili, be sure to check out our coupons this
month....warm up with a bowl of chili or our homemade soup!
We have already
been very busy ( hence the late newsletter!) and we try our darnedest
to keep up with everything here in the Pie Pantry Restaurant!
We appreciate everyone's patience on our busy days and want you
to know that we have the very best crew here and we love them
all. They are our representatives to our customers and they are
the greatest!
And be sure to
check out CraneOrchards.com for the latest in picking, hayrides,
corn maze & haunted maze schedules!
See you soon!
Yours in Michigan
Apples!
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
September 2011
Happy September!
Is summer really over?! Hmmm,
maybe a little. Days are shorter, it is darker in the mornings
and there is a tinge of color in the trees here and there. And....apples
are almost ready for picking! Come Labor Day weekend there will
be Galas, MacIntosh, Blondies and Golden Supreme ready for picking!
Now if that doesn't say "FALL" I don't know what does.
We have wrapped up the peach
pie making and boy are they good. A big thank you to Rob Crane
for letting our peaches hang on the tree until dead ripe so we
could make the best tasting peach pies ever! Of course there
are all of our other varieties of pies available and the famous
cider donuts with plenty of sweet apple cider to wash it all
down with.
We are getting kids and grandkids
off to school soon as I am sure so are a lot of you! We hope
that you had as great of a summer this year as we did here in
Fennville. Please join us this fall and come have a good time
here at Crane's.
A great time to come and see us would be on Friday Sept 16th
because we are having a fundraiser for the Wes Leonard Heart
Team here in Fennville at Crane's. We will donate 20% of each
and every check on that day to help support Wes Leonard Heart
Team. This non-profit group was founded this spring after we
lost a cherished young man here in Fennville to sudden cardiac
arrest after he made the winning basket during a tournament game.
This foundation was set up in Wes' name to help educate people
as to what to do when sudden cardiac arrest happens. It will
help schools to buy defibrillators for their sporting events
and set up CPR and AED training for schools. They are also lobbying
for AED legislation. So come out and support the Heart Team and
have a great meal and pie here at Crane's! Here's the poster
for the event - help us spread the word!
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Please check out our fab
coupons this month too. There's one for our apple cinnamon rolls
so if you haven't tried one, here is your chance to do so at
$1.00 off.
Thanks for reading! Hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
August 2011
Dog days of summer are in motion folks! And don't we all love
it.....except maybe the bakery crew in the kitchen at Crane's!
The growing season is amazing because I swear I can actually
see stuff growing.
We are creeping on into peach season this month and boy are they
good. The kind of peaches that juice up so much that you have
to let it run down your chin! Here is the scoop on Crane's famous
peach pies. As some of you know, we make up billions of pies
with the fruit in season and freeze them in our super dooper
freezer and hope that we made enough to get through until the
same time next year.
Well, we either missed our guess with peach pies in 2010 or more
people than ever fell in love with them because we have been
out of peach pies since June! So, we are now patiently waiting
for enough ripe peaches so we can make some for you! We should
have them by the end of August and hopefully throughout the upcoming
year. But in the mean time, go pick some peaches at Crane Orchards
(check at 269-561-8651 for availability and varieties) or stop
into the restaurant and buy a bag. And then have a fresh peach
sundae here at the restaurant too!
Hopefully, you are getting out
and enjoying our beautiful Lake Michigan and all of the wonderful
inland lakes that we have here. Art fairs, farmer's markets,
stage performances, outdoor concerts and spectacular sunsets
abound in West Michigan in August!
Here' another August event we hope you'll join us for:
If you want an event that is worthwhile, unique and best of all
FREE, plan on bringing friends and family to Crane's Movie in
the Orchard on August 20th at dark. We will be showing the fabulous
The Chronicles of Narnia in the field in front of Crane Orchards
corn maze. Plenty of parking and popcorn, just bring your own
chair, blanket or sleeping bag and sack out under the stars and
fireflies and enjoy the film. Donations are excepted and the
proceeds will go the Fennville Public Schools. Movie will start
at about 9:15 or so. Hope to see you there!
Hard to find a reason to stay inside!! Enjoy!
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
JULY 2011
Happy Birthday America! And happy July to us all! Summer is underway
and if you don't believe it, just take a look around at all of
the incredible activities that are out there to do with your
family. Free concerts, art shows, socials and farmers markets
to name just a very few. Speaking of farmer's markets have you
visited the new Fennville's Farmers' Market on Saturday mornings?
With the amazing amount of small farms in our area, what could
make more sense? Crane's Pie Pantry is there every week with
donuts, cider and pie of course so come on down and take a peek!
We will be having our second
free "Movie in the Orchard" film on July 23 here at
Crane's at dusk. The film this month is Jack London's story of
White Fang. Come with lawn chairs, blankets or even a sleeping
bag and enjoy a summertime movie with your family at no cost.
Donations will be accepted which will go to support the Fennville
Elementary School. August's movie will be on Sat the 20th and
will be The Cronicles of Narnia.
Sweet cherries will be ready
to pick here at Crane's on July 2nd. When the u-pick is open,
the hours are from 10 am to 6 pm but please remember to call
before you come because if the orchard is heavily picked one
day it is likely to be closed the next.
That's all for now! Enjoy your
holiday and your summer of 2011!
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
JUNE 2011
Happy happy June 2011 and by golly, it is starting to finally
feel like summer. We have been waiting patiently for our due
of nice weather after a long and rather chilly springtime. Here
are some "June" facts for ya to toss around!
- The rose is the flower for
the month of June.
- June 14th is, of course, National Flag Day so let's fly Ole'
Glory high!
- June 21st is both the first day of summer and, as the young
son of one of our employee's has pointed out, it is also National
Ride Your Skateboard Day
- June is Potty Training Awareness Month (love this one!)
- The first week of June is National Fishing Week
- Second week is National Clay Week (Looked it up and you are
suppose to either sculpt something or make a craft out of clay...go
for it)
- Fourth week is National Camping Week
- Other National designations are Adopt-a-Cat Month, Dairy Month,
Iced Tea Month and Drive Safe Month
Those are fun, you have to admit
but my favorite is June 23rd. Sixty years ago this month Robert
F Crane was wedded to Luetta M Harding. If it wasn't for this
important date in June 60 years ago, I wouldn't be writing this
now and there would be no Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant! Happy
Anniversary Mom and Dad!!
MAY 2011
Happy Spring to One and All!!
I do believe that Winter is through shaking us in it's teeth
and has let go! Sort of! We see the buds starting to swell and
tiny leaves are emerging but it is a slow start. Remember how
warm it was at this time last year? And how all the fruit throughout
the summer and fall was a good two weeks early? Well, this year
it will be more normal if you can believe that! So if you are
planning time this summer around fruit picking, please be sure
to give us a call and check on dates before you trek out our
way!
Tulips are not quite blooming
yet but will be soon! Tulip Time is about to start on May 7th
and we hope you all come to Holland to check out of course the
tulips, but also Crane's in the City! It is our first Tulip Time
on 8th St in Holland and we couldn't be more excited! Stop in
before the parades for pie and donuts if you haven't done so
yet. Pretty cute place, great food and wonderful people! They're
at 11 East 8th Street.
Happy Mothers Day to all Moms
near and far! Personally, I don't know what I would be doing
if it wasn't for my wonderful. wonderful Mom. Since I was little
until this day, she is my hero! We hope you bring your Mom in
for a yummy dessert for her special day.....we have a coupon
for that!
Here's to a GREAT GROWING season!
Bring on the fruit!
Yours in Tulips!
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
APRIL 2011
Dear Friends,
Just when we think that winter
is NEVER going to end....it does! Sort of. We definitely aren't
having the weather we did a year ago at this time (it was WARM)
but frankly, fruit trees love it. With a gradual warm up such
as we are having it holds off the buds and lessens the chance
of a killing frost at a crucial time in the bud growth. So hang
in there everybody! It is going to be a great season!
We will be open everyday in April
from 11 am to 5 pm with the exception of Mon. through Fri (April
4th through the 8th) for our annual spring cleaning and painting.
Have to put those new apple faces on the floors!
We hope you will all come and
see us and help kick off Spring of 2011! See you soon!
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
MARCH 2011
Happy Pre-Spring to all of our beloved friends, family and customers!
I apologize for the lateness
of this months newsletter and coupons. As many of you have heard
our little and wonderful town of Fennville had a tragic loss
last week when Wes Leonard, a 16 year old athlete at Fennville
High School, died after helping his basketball team win a tournament
game with a perfect 20 and 0 season. I bring this up with this
newsletter because it has made all of us stop in our tracks with
our lives. It has made us talk about things that we would never
have found ourselves discussing normally. Things such as our
responsibility of treating each day as a special new day. Treating
one another like a special friend or loved one. And being the
best in whatever we find ourselves doing. We grieve with the
family and children of Fennville. We grieve for ourselves too.
That being said, we want to tell
you how much we appreciate your business and friendship with
us here at Crane's. There have been many times over the years
when you make us feel like such a part of your own lives especially
when you tell us things like "I came here as a child and
couldn't wait to bring my own kids to Crane's" or "please
send a pie to my college student because it will make him or
her not quite so homesick" or "the best part of our
vacation was to come to Crane's". Thank you for that and
PLEASE feel free to send us any pictures of your visits here
for us to put on the website....we love that!
Have a happy Spring everyone....it
is on its way! The birds tell us so! Remember that when we get
the last few snow storms this month (you know the chances are
there!). A new and beautiful season is just around the corner
so Rejoice!!
Sincerely,
Rebecca, Lue
and Laura
FEBRUARY 2011
Hi Friends!
What can I say?
.We are in the throes of Winter in Michigan and across the country.
Some places are more in those throes than others, but definitely
Winter is here for a bit yet.
As I get out
into the rare day of January sunshine, I can't help marveling
at the beauty. Yes, beauty! Even though the orchards and gardens
and woods are quietly waiting out their dormancy it is a thing
I marvel at. Barren as things look now, I
know they are just waiting, biding their time til Spring. The
lovely orchards of Spring, Summer and Fall are still there just
with a different look. The peach orchards have a pink to their
wood. The branches are shiny and whisper a promise of new growth
sometime soon. And new snow, unblemished snow is lovely. Patience...the
orchards are saying. Pretty corny I know, but if you live in
the north by choice, you must appreciate the season change each
year!
Meanwhile, our
pot-bellied stove is cozy and warm all winter. We hope you will
stop in for a glass of hot cider on your way back from cross
country skiing or snowmobiling or however you choose to wile
away the winter.
We are busy as
usual making apple desserts for 2011. We are also remodeling
the restaurant kitchen to help us become more efficient during
our busy season. We are ALL excited for the changes.
We are starting
to do a few wedding pie tastings for couples getting their knots
tied (!) this next year. If any of you or thinking of doing the
same, we hope you will consider giving your guests a treat and
serve them Crane's fruit pies! Call us for a free tasting!
Happy Ground
Hogs Day...Valentines Day....February!
Rebecca, Laura and
Lue
JANUARY 2011
2011
here we come!
Somehow, 2011 doesn't roll off of the tongue like 2010 did! But,
like always, we will get used to it! And what an interesting
year this past one has been.
For us here at
Crane's Pie Pantry we have seen some changes. Opening Crane's
in The City was our biggest! Mary Jo and Chad have done on outstanding
job in Holland and should be very proud! We have also opened
up our pies to new markets in West Michigan such as Tiffany's
and Sawall Health in Kalamazoo, Grand River Market and Harvest
Health in the Grand Rapids area as well as Byron Center Meats
in Byron Center.
2011 will see
new changes for us too. We are remodeling our kitchen to make
things more efficient for our customers and employees and we
are very excited about that! We have a beautiful new entrance
sign too so let us know how you
like it!
Speaking of employees
we want to thank them all. Many have been here for decades and
one even for over 20 years! We couldn't do what we do without
them, so a big thank you goes out to the hard workers at Crane's.
We also could
not do what we do without our loyal customers. It all comes down
to you! Thanks to all of the pie lovers out there! Happy New
Year and good health to you all!
Happy 2011!
DECEMBER 2010
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Current hours
- Tuesday thru Sunday, 10AM thru 6PM,closed Mondays
Holiday hours:
Dec 24, Christmas Eve- 10:00 am to 3:00 pm,
Closed Christmas Day
Dec 26 (Sunday) opened 11:00 to 6:00
Dec 31 (New Year's Eve) - 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Beginning Jan 2, Winter hours will be in effect:
11:00 AM until 4:00 PM, Tuesday thru Sunday, closed on Mondays |
Merry Holidays!!
Busy, busy busy! There is something about
this time of the year that causes us to rush. Decorating, cookie
making, gift selecting and with my grandchildren anyway, tough
decisions as to what is the most important present to request
when sitting on the big guy's lap!
Take a deep breath folks! The season that is upon us is wonderful
if we can relax and enjoy our families and friends. Listen to
some holiday music and sip a cup of hot apple cider and count
the blessings!
Santa Claus is coming
to town! And he has graciously
agreed to stop at Crane's on December 11th and Sunday December
12th from 1 pm to 4 pm both days. Bring the kids both young and
old....and while your at it, if you have a well mannered dog
who has been extra good this year Santa will pose for a Christmas
2010 picture with them!!
We hope you all enjoy all that is good
this season!!
Yours under the mistletoe!
Rebecca,
Laura and Lue
(and see below
for this month's triple Holiday Coupon Specials)
NOVEMBER 2010
New Fall hours begin
November 1 - Tuesday thru Sunday, 10AM thru 6PM, closed Mondays
(note: we will be closed on Thanksgiving Day)
Greetings to all Pie Biters!
We are feeling pretty good these days.
Another busy and fun packed fall is behind us. The leaves are
rapidly disappearing and the corn is looking withered and dry.
And the apples are harvested and safely in folks refrigerators,
basements and garages! And if they aren't or you have run out
already, Crane's has many fresh picked varieties in the cold
storage and we should have apples by the bag until the first
of the year and beyond.
We start our late fall hours on November
1st. We are now closed Mondays for the winter and are open from
Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm and on Sundays from
11 am to 6 pm. Hours will change again after the first of the
year but we will be open everyday except Mondays for lunch and
pies!
We cannot thank everyone enough for visiting
this past summer and fall. We have never been so busy in 38 years
of business and it is all due to our loyal and consistent customers!
We have always known that the best advertising is word of mouth
and therefore we owe you all our gratitude! You really know how
to get the word out! Each year gets better than the last so,
thanks!
Remember Crane's pies and crisps and strudels
for your Thanksgiving pies this year! You can pick them up frozen
and bake them yourself or we will be open the day before Thanksgiving
for you to pick up your fresh baked pies to serve at your feast.
We will also have fresh bread, cinnamon rolls, cider and apples.
Our homemade peanut brittle makes a great hostess thank you gift
as well as a gift crate packed with goodies from Crane's.
Check out the coupon and special deal this
month.....our way of giving thanks to our Customers!!
Yours in Michigan Fruit Pies!
Rebecca,
Laura and Lue
OCTOBER 2010
Greetings to All!
October is certainly a special month compared
to the other 11 months. Aside from being a transitional month
from summer to fall it has many other unique and sometimes quirky
claims to fame.
On October 1st we have International Day for the Elderly which
I was happy to learn since I am fast approching that category.
Then on the 16th of the month we have both Bosses Day and Sweetest
Day so if you happen to be a really sweet boss you may hit paydirt!
Then we have a little known day called the Make a Difference
Day on the 23rd and that one sounds like fun and could be creative.
Of course, there's the all famous Columbus Day on Oct 11th which
probably isn't deserved by Columbus but so many people would
be brokenhearted not to have that day off to honor Columbus that
it seems to stick around. And how many folks were aware of the
24th being United Nations Day? Not me! October is Breast Cancer
Awareness Month as well as National Cookie Month and National
Popcorn Popping Month!! So if you are wondering what to get that
Sweet Boss you can make a difference and give a gift of cookies
and popcorn!
Better yet, give a pie from Crane's! We
have practically been baking pies in our sleep these days. Apple
picking is still going on at Crane Orchards and they hope to
keep going through the weekend of the 9th but it is always best
to call them at 269-561-8651 before you make a trip out for apples.
We have many varieties of fresh picked apples in cold storage
if you miss out on picking or would just rather not!
Here at The Pie Pantry, we're crazy for
the last special day in October...Halloween! We tend to sort
of lose it around here by the end of October and really blow
off steam by dressing up! From the hostesses to bussers right
on up to Lue Crane herself, costumes and monkey business abound!
So stop in on Halloween to check out the nonsense!
Chili and hot spiced cider sound good on
a crisp October day so stop in! We may be busy but we are trying
our darnedest to make your visit to Crane's Pie Pantry enjoyable!
Our coupon this month is for a peck of
any variety of apples from the cold storage and a 12 oz jar of
our homemade caramel sauce for $14.00. Just chop up your apple,
open the jar of caramel and dip!!
Yours in Cider Donuts!!
Rebecca,
Laura and Lue
SEPTEMBER 2010
A very happy Fall of 2010 to all! As some of you know, the fall
at any orchard business is well, the bees knees! The weather
turns cooler (thank goodness!), things green turn multi-colored,
and fruit laden trees are groaning. So, come pick some! Crane
Orchards U-Pick is open for apple picking starting Sept.1 from
10 am to 6 pm and be sure to check the website at www.craneorchards.com for varieties that
are ready or call them at 269-561-8651. We also have plenty of
already picked apples in cold storage here at the Pie Pantry
if picking your own isn't your "bag"!
Starting Labor Day weekend, our little
pie takeout window on the patio (weekends only through the Fall)
will be open if you can't bear to come inside the restaurant.
Pie of all kinds is available by the slice as well as beverages.
It is cider time!!
We want to thank you all for making this
the greatest summer Crane's has ever had! It shows that you don't
just think of us in the Fall! But summer is behind us and a fantastic
Fall is here!
Don't forget to visit Crane's In The City
at 11 East 8th St in Holland too. The hours there are Mon through
Sat from 9 am to 8 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 4 pm. They will
be closed on Labor Day. It has been a wonderful time getting
situated in our new location in Holland and we have gotten the
warmest welcome ever! Remember that we have the same pies and
desserts available there as we do here in Fennville if that's
closer for you!
Happy Apple Picking!!
Yours in Cider Squeezing!
Rebecca, Laura
and Lue
AUGUST 2010
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Dog days of summer are here! The snowing
and blowing of last January are but a distant memory that doesn't
even seem possible when you look around at the bounty of West
Michigan, the beautiful weather, the beaches, picnics and weddings.
Friends and family are what our summers are all about. And all
the more so on the farm. Fruit is ripening at a fast pace....ahead
of last year!
At Crane's the pace is fast these day also.
We are making peach, cherry, red raspberry and blueberry desserts
until we see them in our dreams!! Long time customers keep popping
up which is something that we dearly love! The peach season is
under way and sorry to say, the heat and heavy moisture got the
season off to a rough start. Mother Nature surely had the upper
hand. We will have peaches to make the pies but bags of peaches
may be hard to come by for a bit. The rest of the peach season
though, should be an improvement!
Good news though! Crane's in the City is
now open for business at 11 East Eighth St in downtown Holland!
Hours are 8 am to 8 pm Mondays through Saturday and on Sundays
from 11 am to 4 pm. We make all of there desserts here in Fennville
and the sandwiches are on our homemade buns and breads and they
have our soups, chili, sloppy-joes and cider! Stop in and check
it out and say hi to Mary Jo and Chad!
Remember that fruit is early this year
so plan ahead as we get closer to apple season!
Hope to see you all soon!
Rebecca, Laura
and Lue |
JULY 2010 NEWSLETTER
Happy July to Everyone!!
July is the month all Michigander's live
for. Fresh air, beach time, camping, parades and fireworks. For
farmers it is a non-stop race to keep up with Mother Nature and
things are growing right before our eyes. Cherries, blueberries
and raspberries are coming into season and little peaches and
apples are starting to size up. Gardens are starting to yield
wonderful and delicious results from spring toil.
For Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant it's
time for making pies out of the summer fruits and keeping up
with all of our breads, buns, soups, preserves, muffins.....oh,
you name it! Crane's in the City is in employee training and
the opening is literally right around the corner--finally. Look
for a "quiet" opening very soon!
We hope you all have a safe and relaxing
4th of July and beyond!
Pie for All!
Rebecca, Laura
and Lue
JUNE 2010 NEWSLETTER
Hats off to the month of June! June is the time to celebrate
graduations with outdoor parties. It is time for family reunions
and picnics. And did you know that the month of June was named
for Juno the goddess of marriage and it is considered good luck
to be married in the fair month of June?
June is the time of summer solstice in
the Northern Hemisphere. On June 22 and 23 the Earth tilts on
it's axis in an astronomical event that puts us most inclined
towards the Sun. Summer solstice is also the longest day of the
year.....so get out there and enjoy it!
We hope that you all had a most wonderful
Memorial Day and you were able to attend a parade and honor our
military past and present. We will post some new pictures of
our little Model A truck filled with Crane grandchildren and
great grandchildren!
We are working on more rhubarb pies this
month and loving every minute of it! We hope to get enough in
the big freezer to keep all of the rhubarb lovers happy in the
upcoming year. We will be working on another 5,000 lbs this week!
Whew!
So here is to June and the kick off to
the summer of 2010! We hope that you will have time to stop in
and see us in Fennville and maybe pick some cherries toward the
end of June or the first of July....or come have pie!
Quote for June; "A calm June puts
the farmer in tune"
Yours truly in rhubarb!
Rebecca, Laura
and Lue
MAY 2010 NEWSLETTER
Greetings customers far and wide!
We are charged up and ready to go for the summer season at Crane's
Pie Pantry with a spruced up restaurant, thousands of gallons
of cider has been pressed for the season and we are getting ready
to plant geraniums around the log cabin. We are sporting a new
entrance sign too!
The big news in these parts is of course,
the opening of Crane's in the City at 11 East 8th St in Holland
Michigan. The hard part is the waiting around for the permits
for construction, signs, seating etc. That waiting is now over
and we have begun and everyone is working hard to make this little
restaurant happen! The city of Holland has been so welcoming
and helpful and we thank you!
And now, we want to have a little fun with
the opening of this new venture! We don't know the opening date
as of yet so we would like to have a contest starting right now
and ending on May 31st (since we already know the opening won't
be before May 31st).
To enter, just email us at the Pie Pantry in Fennville and give
us your guess for the date of the opening of Crane's in the City.
We will put all of the guesses in a safe place and when we know
the exact date, we will take a look and see who was right. One
guess be person please. For each person who guesses correctly,
we will give them a gift certificate for the new store for a
whole pie. Once we have nailed down a date we will contact winners
via email! Email Rebecca or Laura at contact@cranespiepantry.com
with your prediction!
We wish you all a lovely spring and may
your flowers bloom like crazy!
Rebecca,
Laura and Lue
P.S. IT"S TIME FOR SUMMER HOURS!
May 1 - Oct 31:
Mon. thru Sat., 9AM - 8PM,
Sundays 11AM - 8PM,
Laura and Lue
MARCH 2010 NEWSLETTER
Hello all,
The other day someone said happily to me "I just love March!
It is the transition month!" Don't you just love that kind
of optimism? But really, it is. Even if we get another whopper
of a storm, the worst is behind us (hopefully!). By the end of
March we may even see the fruit trees starting to perk up. Leave
it to Michiganders to look forward to mud instead of snow! I
guess this that is what helps make us the 2nd happiest place
in the U.S.!
And since March is a transition
month, maybe you have heard about a transition of our own, that
there will soon be a "Crane's in the City" this spring
on Eighth Street in downtown Holland! You will be able to get
our pies, apple cider, cider donuts and sandwiches while shopping
in beautiful downtown Holland. Stay tuned to our website for
progress reports as we go along!
Many brides and grooms are
planning summer weddings now for 2010 and 2011 so be sure to
give us a call for Crane's fruit pies to serve at your reception
or rehearsal dinner. We are glad to hold a free tasting session
with you and help you figure out how to transport the pies, present
them and serve them. Your guests will be thrilled!
We are busy making all of
our apple desserts this winter with the best baking apple in
Michigan, the Ida Red. We also have them for sale by the bag
in our cold storage if you are so moved to make your own pie
or crisp. If not we are happy to do that for you!
Happy March everyone!
Yours in Apples,
Rebecca,
Laura and Lue
JANUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER AND SPECIALS
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Happy New Year to all of our friends and family!
Incredibly, the year 2010 is now here and many things look
different. All of us have had to make adjustments to maybe a
change in jobs or a change in location. That is one reason that
Crane's tries to make only the most necessary changes. We try
hard to make the same pies and desserts that our very first customers
came to love 37 (almost 38!) years ago.
One change for 2010 we think you'll like is that we are
expanding our winter hours starting in January. Instead of just
weekends as in years past, we will now be open every day (except
Mondays) from 11 am to 4 pm. We hope to see you in for lunch
or at the bakery counter for pie when the winter doldrums set
in! Or, after cross-country skiing the Allegan woods, stop by
for a sit by the pot-bellied stove and a cup of hot spiced cider.
I know that Thanksgiving is when we most reflect on our
blessings but, the new year is another time to look back and
be thankful. And for us, our loyal customers are truly something
we appreciate and love. Thanks to all of you!
Happy New Year!
,
Rebecca, Laura and Lue
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Dear Friends,
First we want to wish you all good cheer and good health
in the upcoming new year. The holidays are a great time to reflect
on all that we have to be thankful for and to look optimistically
to the future. We here at Crane's are so very grateful for everyone's
continued patronage and support of the Pie Pantry. Three cheers
for all of you Pie Biters!!
We want to remind you of the change in our January through
March hours for 2010. We will be open Tuesdays through Sundays
from 11 am to 4 pm and closed on Mondays. In years past we have
only stayed open on the weekends but, since customers were daily
finding an open door to purchase pies, cider and apples, we thought
we should turn our "OPEN" sign. So come on in for bakery
item and stay for a sandwich and piece of pie and sit awhile
around our cozy pot bellied stove. We would love it!
Don't forget how delighted your friends and family would
be with a yummy gift from Crane's. We have an array of not one
but THREE coupons available this month for our outstanding peanut
brittle, our apple bread and our delicious muffins, any or all
of which would make a great little gift also! (see coupon specials
below)
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SANTA AND HIS SLEIGH VISIT THE PIE PANTRY THIS MONTH!
Also, Santa Claus is headed our way this month. He will
be cruising in on his sleigh Sunday Dec. 13th and Dec. 20th from
1 pm to 4 pm. Get your list together, young and old and come
to Crane's for a chat with the cool old guy! |
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Once again, thank you all so much for coming to Crane's
Pie Pantry Restaurant! Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Rebecca, Laura and Lue |
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