Now on Instagram...

Since we love Facebook, Pinterest and of course this blog so much, we have decide to again expand our on-line presence by adding Instagram to our lives! We plan to post lovely pictures of the farm and any other lavender goodness we come across...

After logging into your personal Instagram account, just search for "sunshinelavenderfarm" and then make sure to follow us. We WILL follow you back!

 

Strawberry Lavender Orange Smoothie

Our weather is finally getting to the usual warm/hot stage that we see this time of year. It has arrived so much later then usual...as is evident in our lavender field which is blooming approximately two weeks later then typical. Ahhhh Mother Nature...she's does like to keep us guessing!

We ventured out this week to pick strawberries. Even though we go every year, I always forget how delicious a strawberry is picked fresh right off of the plant. YUM!

In honor of our strawberry picking, we decided to make Strawberry Lavender Orange Smoothie for snack yesterday afternoon. Sadly, I have tons of prepping pictures but the the smoothies were so good that I didn't have enough time to take pictures of the finished product. Oh we'll, next time, I promise!

1 1/2 cups of low fat milk

2 tsp culinary lavender

1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed, washed and sliced

2/3 cup of low fat vanilla yogurt

3 Tbs of frozen orange juice concentrate

3 Tbs honey

6 ice cubes

Fresh orange slice or fresh strawberry slice for garnish

In a small saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat just until it begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and add the lavender buds. Allow the mixture to steep for 4 minutes. Strain the lavender buds from the milk and discard the lavender buds. Chill the lavender infused milk for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and blen until smooth. Add the lavender infused milk and blend until well mixed. Garnish with the fresh fruit slices. Makes approximately 4 servings (1 cup size).

(recipe from page 276-277 of 'The Lavender Gourmet- Culinary Recipes for Entertaining and Every Day' by Jennifer Vasich)

Even Snakes Love It

After our last eNewsletter, we received a fun email from one of our lovely readers who is a volunteer at the Page-Walker herb garden in Cary, NC. She writes:

Thought you might like to know that even baby garter snakes are calmed by lavender.  This little guy spent the whole day of Herbfest in the top of our “grandmother” lavender (maybe because he was too cold to move!), and was still there on Wednesday taking a sun bath!

Picture take by Lois Nixon

That proves it! Lavender is so wonderful that even snakes love it!

~You Are Invited~

10th Annual
Lavender Harvest Celebration
on the Farm | June 1 & 2

One of two opportunities to visit the farm! Plans are in the works as we look forward to sharing the farm with you again. Saturday, the farm will be open from 9 am - 5 pm 

and Sunday from 10 am - 4 pm.

(There is no entry fee to attend. This is an invitation-only event, not one that is offered to the public or on our web site. Since you are on the enews list, YOU ARE INVITED! 

This is THE year to visit!)

This is the official invitation please RSVP!!

  Join us for our 10th annual
Lavender Harvest Celebration

Saturday, June 1 • 9 am - 5 pm
Sunday, June 2 • 10 am - 4 pm

Experience the lavender farm ~ the first of its kind in Orange County, NC.

Take a farm tour. Learn about this fragrant, soothing herb and how to care
for it in your garden or a container. Visit our kitchen garden and learn how to feed a family fresh vegetables from a small space. Stroll the gardens featuring an edible landscape.

Check out the pollinators, like our honey bees and learn how to bring them back. 

Get some lavender-y honey, while it lasts.

Learn how easy it is to care for a small flock of hens for
fresh eggs in the Poultry Palace.

Try something tasty with lavender. Sip Lavender Lemonade.

Watch artists paint waves of lavender and garden landscapes. Create a fresh lavender craft. In our barn, learn about the lavender process and stuff your own sachet and make a grill or outdoor fire bundle to take home. Fresh Lavender or Barn Crafts: $5 each

Find a spot on the farm to spread your quilt or set up your camp chair to enjoy fresh breakfast munchies, lunch or a snack from The Picnic Basket. New this year, a frozen treat for those who prefer fruit to dairy! For a treat, have a cone of Chocolate or Vanilla Lavender ice cream from Orange County's own Maple View Farm. 

Beneath our Lavender Garden Shed & Porch, find lots of lavender seedlings. Shop for farm fresh hand made gifts for body, home, and weddings. Lots of lavender-y and 

farm fresh items like newly harvested honey and one-of-a-kinds too.

Most of all, come breathe in the lovely lavender and relax! Please bring your own shears for cutting, sunscreen, hat, comfortable clothing, and shoes. Picnic blankets, camp chairs, 

and stools for your comfort, and umbrellas for shade are welcome. 

No pets, please and carpooling is encouraged.  

Our Lavender Harvest Celebration is a private, by-invitation only event and not open or promoted to the public. Thank you.

Directions: The farm is located in the Schley Community of Orange County near the Schley Grange Hall and ball field. From the intersection of Hwy 70 and Churton Street (or Hwy 86 North in Hillsborough) At the light after the intersection of Hwys 86/70, turn right on to Hwy 57 N and drive 6 miles to the "Welcome to Schley" sign after the entrance to Echo Creek Riding Academy. Turn left on to Schley Road (Landmark: brick Payne's Chapel Church on the hill.) Drive 1.6 miles to Millstone (gravel, private) Road on your left just after the first entrance to Woods Loop. Our farm is 1/2 mile from Schley Road and the second drive to your left at 4104 Millstone. Look for the rainbow streamers. 

Just follow the parking signs or volunteer directions.
Please turn right when leaving to return to Schley Road.4104 Millstone Road. Hurdle Mills . NC . 27541 for navigation systems.

Sure, use the "Forward to a Friend" option at the bottom of this email to pass 

your Celebration invitation along if you cannot make it this year.

Please RSVP!

  Our goal is to share the farm and provide an experience for you that is new, pleasant, fun, and interesting. We hope to see you in June! The farm is open just a few days each year. 

Share with friends and mark your calendar!

More Local Lavender Flavors

We have been fortunate enough to find more local lavender flavors recently. Last week, we visited the Scratch Bakery in downtown Durham, NC. Their website states- 

Scratch is a seasonal bakery that chooses the finest ingredients to provide its customers with the best product possible. This means that every time you walk through the door, you will find the best new foods that each season has to offer, and you will be supporting local farms, producers and businesses.

One of the delicious features at Scratch are the "Pie's of the Month". For April, in addition to 9 other yummy sounding pies, there was a Lavender Chess Pie. How could we resist?

I can say first hand that it was wonderfully delicious! The pie was rich and creamy with such a nice lavender flavor. I definitely recommend that you try it if you're in the area...

Scratch is located at 111 Orange Street in downtown Durham, NC. Their phone number is 919-956-5200.

Lavender Experience

Last week at the Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival, we had the great fortune to meet many lovely individuals Many new friends but also many who have know us for a time, have used our products and know the many wonderful benefits of incorporating lavender into their daily lives.

One such individual was Nance Murphy, Nurse Practitioner from Woman Care of Raleigh, NC. According to their website, Nance is certified in both family and pediatrics. She has more then 20 years of experience in a variety of settings from pediatrics, internal medicine, urgent care, employee health and gynecology practices. Nance's main interest is women's health encompassing the changes women experience throughout the life span from adolescence, through childbearing and transitioning into menopause. She is enthusiastic and interested in alternative medicine and mind-body practices. Personally she participates in Pilate's, yoga, hiking, creating ceramic tile and a myriad of other interests.

Nance shared with us at the festival that her favorite sunshine lavender farm product is our exclusive Lavender Essential Oil. She then opened her purse just to show me that she carries it with her everywhere. Nance then explained that favorite use for our oil is to offer it to patients when they appear to be under stress due to personal nature of exam. If the patient accepts, she will then place a few drops of the oil on each of the patients wrist. As she relates, "it clams them down immediately."

"THANK YOU" Nance for sharing your experiences with us!! We LOVE to hear wonderful stories like these...please continue to share.

Been There...Done That!

The 10th annual Spring Daze Arts & Crafts Festival has come and gone. I'm not going to lie, I feel a little sad that's it's all over...

Even after all the crazy preparation, a 4:00 am start to the day AND a 14 hour day total on Saturday (poor tired feet and back), we had a BALL meeting new people, sharing our lavender plants and products and especially getting to enjoy such a well orchestrated event. BRAVO to Cary!!

It makes us so much more excited for OUR big weekend June 1st & 2nd...the Lavender Harvest Celebration. Please stay tuned for more details!

We look so forward to seeing you again soon...