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Thursday, July 12, 2012

The Great Local Food Tour: Barnard's Orchards

After buying some cinnamon butter at Bailey's Dairy (mmmm, rare guilty pleasure...) we moved on out. Our next stop was Barnard's Orchards, but we made a pit stop- Northbrook Country Market. We were only interested in ice cream to go, as we wanted to get to as many stops in one day as we could, but they offer MUCH more than just ice cream. We will definitely be returning- a lot of the food and goods sold are homemade, and what they don't make they source locally. I got a small mint chocolate chip and Chris got a shake.

Our stop at Barnard's Orchards was quick. Lewis (owner) told us the harvest was between seasons, so offerings were slimmer than usual. Strawberry and asparagus season had ended and blueberry season was not quite in full swing. But now it seems the harvest is coming in (their facebook page indicates peaches, blueberries and tomatoes, among other things) and they are now fully open (they were on the honor system.)

Lewis said the farm had been in the same family since 1862. They are not organic, but they try to spray as little as they can get away with. According to Lewis, between the location/region, the amount of rain we get, the various pests that thrive in that environment and fungus, if he didn't use chemicals he would have nothing to harvest. Fair enough.


We bought a few gorgeous tomatoes and a lavender plant. I have never really used lavender in food, nor have I ever had a lavender plant. So far I haven't killed it. 

Any ideas for how I should use this beautiful lavender? 

3 comments:

  1. I recently saw someone make lavender lemonade.. and lavender infused cupcakes.. can't remember where i saw it though..

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  2. I also haven't tried lavender in food but I have seen it in a cheese cake before. But I have been told that a little bit of lavender goes a long way in food. To much and it will taste like soap.

    I put it in little bags and put them in my draws to much my clothes smell nice :)

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  3. Thanks for the suggestions! Lavender cupcakes sound divine. And no, I don't want them to taste like soap, haha.

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