One of our favorite fall activities is a day at Apple Hill. Apple Hill is in the foothills above Placerville, CA and has miles of apple ranches, vineyards and picturesque homes. We drive from place to place eating our way through apples, apple cider, Walking Pies dripping with Cinnamon Sauce, picnic lunch then we stock up on more pies and cider. We are often joined by family or friends and it is the perfect way to start fall and the holiday season.
This year we’ll be involved in our own apple event. The ranch where I make my products has an annual Octoberfest which will take place October 15-16. There is a beautiful pond and park area and we’ll have lots of vendors, barbeque lunch, pies, dumplings, and other wonderful goodies.
Check out the next posting for more details – we hope to see you there!
“When the world wearies and society fails to satisfy, There is always the garden.”– Minnie Aumonier
I try not to read the news often, as most of it is really depressing, but lately it seems hard to get away from it. Everyone is talking about the various aspects of the economy, which IS the news, so I’ve found the best way to refresh my mind is to get out and work in the garden, check the trees, talk to the chickens.
As 9/11 approaches and we are reminded of the horror of that day it seems to me the only way we can move on is to see how nature handles devastation. Our world is rocked by earthquakes, ripped by hurricanes and tornados, scorched by forest fires and yet the earth slowly recovers, healing itself and offering beauty. Sure, it’s not the same, but that’s our world; dynamic, beautiful, benevolent.
A great place to find garden goodness is at the farmers’ markets. I’m a vendor at two markets and have really enjoyed getting to know the other farmers. Farmers take a lot of pride in their products and the markets allow us to interact with the customers who are enjoying the fruits of our labors.
One of the drawback is that farm fresh products are, of course, fresh, natural and so not as shelf-stable as processed food. Farmers have to sell their products right away or they are wasted. If we consumers want fresh, natural food we’re going to have to support the farmers. That means changing our shopping and eating habits but in the long run it will make a huge difference in our health, economy, and overall eating pleasure.
I’m back to the shop after two weeks of jury duty during harvest. The lavender and weather were pretty cooperative and we were able to get all but a couple of rows done.
The county inspector who certified our farm for the Certified Farmer’s Market let us know that we can also be registered as organic, which we are very pleased about. I’ll be moving toward making most of the products with organic ingredients. I’m finding it somewhat difficult to find wholesale organic ingredients but will definitely be pursuing that avenue.
While I was busy with all that, my husband did most of the cooking and he is becoming quite the adventurous cook. He created a couple of very tasty dishes and I’m sharing one with you this month, Spicy Salmon Steaks, it’s excellent!
If there are lavender farms in your area, be sure to find one and load up on fresh lavender. You’ll be glad you did!
The weather this spring has been so unusual I wasn’t sure what kind of harvest to expect; early, late, leafy, flowery. I wasn’t too surprised that the Melissa wasn’t ready in April as usual, but am very surprised to find the Provence ready now. Nothing seems to faze it and it does it’s thing no matter what!
The plants seem to appreciate all the rain we’ve been getting and have developed extra-long stems and plenty of blossoms. We’ll be harvesting over the next couple weeks but will continue to fill orders as they come in.
Change is hard but once the new becomes familiar it starts to fit and get comfortable. I’ve been down with the flu and away from the kitchen for a couple of weeks and just got back to working a couple of days ago. This new place already feels like home and we’re loving the new traffic as well as the familiar faces. Every day is an adventure and we’re working on plans for the summer. I have a lot of catching up to do but got a good start yesterday with Pecan Turtles, Glazed Pecans, Lavender Shortbread cookies, Biscotti, and a NEW jelly, Strawberry Lavender.
I hope you’ll consider adding something lavender to your Easter celebration. Take a look at the recipes in the archives or try something on your own. Either way, be adventurous!
If it’s still cold where you are, you might enjoy a cup of tea. One of my favorites is the following:
1 bag Lady Grey Tea
1 bag lavender buds (use Pleitez Lavender Infusion bag or any culinary quality lavender)
Steep both bags in 10 oz. hot water for 2-3 minutes. Remove lavender bag and squeeze excess water into the cup. This will release the lavender oils and infuse the lavender flavor into your tea. Steep tea a minute or two longer and remove bag. Add sugar and milk or lemon juice to taste.
Steep the lavender longer if you like a stronger lavender flavor and be sure to squeeze the bag well. Thinking green? Lavender infusion bags can be rinsed and hung up to dry for additional use.
You’ve heard the expression, “All things come to those who wait.‥They come, but often come too late”. [1872 V. Fane Tout vient à qui sait Attendre in From Dawn to Noon ii. 85]
That is a feeling we’ve had off and on this past week as we’ve tried to finalize our move, but we’re getting close to final approval. What has been awesome is the number of people who have stopped at the door to ask about the shop and to give a word of encouragement. The downtowners are a close-knit supportive group of people and we’re getting a really good vibe about this place.
We also appreciate the people who have pitched in with suggestions, strong arms, and good deals to help us get going. Like so many small business, this is a community effort. We’re so encouraged to see people working together to help each other succeed and expect to see the shops of downtown Modesto filled and busy again.
