EXTRA BONUS this Weekend!

The beautiful Autumn weather just keeps on a going here in Hood River. We were able to harvest enough lavender from our wholesale farm to do a distillation tomorrow (Sat)! We are counting it as a weather bonus and quite unplanned for.

So....as if you need another reason to come to Hood River and visit us, here it is:

lbs. of Home-made Chocolate Truffles of many flavors such as Huckleberry, Orange, Mint, and the most decadent Dark Chocolate Truffles you ever had! All made with our certified organic lavender....mmmwhaah

Diane has been busy in the kitchen and we will have Heirloom Apple/Lavender Scones available (while they last), as well as some new free tastings of our Lavender Teas.

If that doesn't get your taste-buds stirred, then I don't know what will. Come on out and celebrate Heirloom Apple Days with us, and take in all the flavors & colors of Autumn.

www.lavenderdaze.com click here to get a map

Heirloom Apple Days Festival

Harvest Delights!
Oct. 28 & 29 Weekend
Handmade Apple/Lavender Chocolates, Apple/Lavender Jelly,Lavender Scones, culinary lavender, Hood River Spice Blend, and varieties of Lavender Tea. We will also have gift packs for the Hollidays including our popular and beautiful Lavender Sampler Gift Crate. This is packed in a mini replica of a fruit crate with our popular 1930's style logo.

Take a drive to Hood River this weekend, enjoy our bounty of fruit, and come check out our new culinary items. Open 10-5 daily,
I-84 - Exit 64 -6.5 miles Hwy 35-follow signs to 3801 Straight Hill Rd.

map

lavenderfarms.net

Awesome Weekend!

What a weekend we had. The sun was bright and beautiful, the air was warm, we had tons of visitors, and the Autumn colors were showing all their glory.

The Lavender tea was a huge hit. The pear/lavender scones got a thumb's up, and lbs. of lavender/chocolate went out to awaiting mouths. It was an awesome weekend.

Next weekend is the county's annual Heirloom Apple Days & Cider Festival. It may even top last weekend's events. This is a great opportunity to try dozens of Heirloom Apples, enjoy a Fall BBQ, get a Huckleberry Shake, or try some marvelous ethnic food and many of The Fruit Loop locations. We will have our own celebration with plenty of products, including some new culinary treats, as well as some lovely gift boxes of pampering lavender products for Christmas or ???

We are still open 7 days/week 10-5pm, and you can always shop our products 24/7 on the net: http://www.lavenderfarms.net/
Have an Awesome Week!

Harvest Festival Sat & Sunday-Oct. 21 & 22

This weekend is the Harvest Festival here in Hood River. There are a number of Farmer's Markets in full swing, arts & craftsman displays, Wineries having release parties, and of course everyone on the Fruit Loop is celebrating the weekend festivities. Lots to see and do, and plenty of belly-pleasers.

We will be offering some new products in honor of the weekend. Come by and sample Diane's scrumptous Pear/Lavender Scones. We also are happy to report that with the cooler temperatures Lavender Chocolates are back in stock. We have Apple/Lavender, Mint/Lavender Truffles, Blackberry Cream/Lavender, and Huckleberry/Lavender Truffles. I can tell you from 1st hand experience that these are to die for (well, someone had to try them). YUMMY!

We also have our popular Apple/Lavender Jelly, and a new item: Hood River Lavender's own Spice Blend. This spice blend is made with 10 of the absolute freshest herbs possible along with this season's Provence Lavender. The aroma literally jumps out at you! This is awesome on Pork, Beef, Lamb and chicken, as well as veggie stir-fries. If you are a bit of a chef, or just a "wanna-be" like me, this spice blend is beautiful on marinated cheeses. Mmwah

The Lavender Tea will be hot and served this weekend in a couple different varieties. Come on out and taste some goodies, wrap your lips around some quality handmade chocolates, and see just how beautiful Autumn is in Hood River. Visit our site www.lavenderfarms.net for a map and more info. The forcast is calling for sunny skies, it really doesn't get any better than this!

Lavender Pear Scones

Lavender Pear Scones

2 cups all-purpose flour (pastry flour is best)
¼ cup sugar ( I use baker’s sugar)
1 TBL baking powder
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp Lavender (English lavender or Provence)
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into pieces (5 ½ TBL)
1 cup whipping cream ( I use heavy whipping cream)
1 tsp (heaping) Lemon Juice
1 ½ cups Bosc Pears (peeled & cubed)


Preheat oven to 375. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & lavender. Use a pastry blender and add the cold butter until the consistency is course & crumbly. Add 1 cup whipping cream, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 ½ cup cubed pears. Stir with a fork just until moistened (DO NOT OVER MIX). Add a drop or 2 more of cream if its too dry. Knead the dough 4 or 5 times in the same bowl, or on a floured surface. Roll out ¾ inch thick & cut with round biscuit cutter (or any cookie cutter). Place each scone about 2 inches apart on parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Brush tops of the scone with a little cream or egg whites. Sprinkle with sugar (and a few lavender-flowers-optional). Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until golden brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Serve warm with Devonshire cream, jam and hot tea. Enjoy!

Yield 1 dozen scones


Note: We have been enjoying this recipe these days. Its Harvest time for pears, and I can't think of anything better to do with this great & abundant fruit.

Weekend of Oct. 14 & 15

Well, this weekend was both sunny and rainy. Sunny on Saturday, rainy on Sunday, but both weekend days were still beautiful. Sat. we distilled angustifolia lavender from our wholesale farm. It was a combination of over 6 different english lavenders and yielded a beautiful oil.

Sunday the rain came. We were still busy with customers, serving them our own Gorge Wind tea and lavender shortbread. Something beautiful about the first autumn rain, it always smells so clean and with the anticipation of another season on the way. I love it. Pumpkins are ripe, the leaves on the trees turn a gorgeous color, awesome fruit is abundant, and we are stocked to the gills with lavender products and lavender essential oil. Its a time of celebration for sure.

The possibility of the weather clearing has allowed us to postpone our distillation of Rosemary. Warmer temperatures help the Rosemary to grow still, so we will hold off on distilling until it becomes cooler. The plants look good, smell awesome, and I know will yield a beautiful essential oil.
Upcoming events:
Hood River Harvest Festival- Oct. 21 & 22
Heirloom Apple Days- Oct. 28 & 29
We have specials happening on both of those weekends so come on out and visit us.
http://www.lavenderfarms.net/

Rose-Scented Geranium Distillation

The distilling just keeps on a going here on the farm. This Sat. we will be distilling Rose-Scented Geranium. This is a variety known as: "attar of rose" scented geranium. It is very fragrant, lovely, and one that I am excited to be distilling. Geranium is a beautiful flower that yields a beautiful essential oil. It is very good for the skin, used in many cosmetics, and with that added aroma of rose....ahhhh.

Diane will again have her ever popular Lavender Shortbread for sampling in the cottage.

With the gorgeous autumn that we are now into, the consumption of warm beverages takes a striking upturn. Don't forget how wonderful our Lavender Tea would taste on those days when the trees are broadcasting their colors, the air is clean & crisp, the waterfowl is migrating South, and the birds sing their sweet song as they fatten up for winter. Slow down to enjoy the advancement of a new season. Take it all in. It is a wonderful time of year.

The gorge is a beautiful drive this time of year. Hood River is full of beauty, Fruit Stands are bursting from the harvest, grapes are ripening, and we are still blessed with tons of lovely English Lavender available for U-PICK. Come on out and visit us!