Charsaw Farms - Napa Valley Lavender

"Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful day!" Boy, do I ever feel like busting out in song right now. However, maybe I should change the song from Oklahoma! by Rodgers and Hammerstein to Lavender's Blue by Benjamin Britten since I was at a lavender farm. No matter which song you choose, though, it was a delightful morning at Charsaw Farms, located in Napa, California. This 3.5-acre farm is owned by Doug and Julie Thompson. Here I participated in a lavender wreath class along with nine other women.

We first met our lovely host, Julie Thompson, in the lavender fields where
she briefly described the lavender operation. Twenty-six varieties of lavender are grown right here on the farm. Some of the varieties are ideal for essential oils. Others are better for baking. I picked two different varieties of English lavender for my wreath - Grosso and Super.

Lavender grows best in sandy, nutrient-poor, well-drained soil that is mounded to keep the roots from standing in water. This is very important because too much water will cause root rot and could eventually kill the plant. The picking season begins in May and runs through June, for which I am grateful. I participated in the very last wreath-making class of this season. It is best to cut the lavender at the bud, just before it flowers. The wreath will not last long if it has already flowered.

The first step in making a lavender wreath is to "pretend you are the wind." Gently shake the stems to move the branches so the bees will move off of the stems. You don't want to trap a bee in the stems while making your fragrant wreath! Next, grab a handful of stems and cut them approximately two inches above the "fluff". When you have a bunch of the stems with a diameter of approximately two inches put a rubber band around them to keep them organized. Proceed to cut and gather seven similar sized bundles.

We used a 10-inch grapevine wreath, 22-gauge green floral wire, and a heavy-duty pair of scissors. Wrap the wire tightly around the top of the wreath three to four times. Arrange half a bunch of flowers so the buds are all approximately the same height. Place the bunch on top of the wreath over the wire. Wrap the wire around the stems just below the buds three times very tightly. Cut the stems off at an angle. Place the other half of the bundle over the wire of the previous wrapping. It reminds me of thatching a roof - not that I have actually done that before!

Continue in this manner until you have gone around the entire wreath. Tuck the last stems under the buds of the first bunch. Unwrap about six inches of additional wire. Weave this through the grape vines and tie off. Finally, cut a length of ribbon approximately four feet long so you are able to hang it. A pro tip is to let the wreath lay flat out of direct sunlight for three or four days to dry out. Otherwise your lavender will dry drooping toward the ground.

After creating our wreaths, Julie served us lavender scones, lavender shortbread cookies, and lavender lemonade. The scones were flaky and slighlty crispy on the outside, but so soft and buttery on the inside with a hint of lavender. Spread with a light layer of butter, the scones were delicious. However, in my opinion, the cookies were the best. They reminded me of baking thumbprint cookies when I was little. The shortbread cookie was rich and buttery with a perfect consistency. Smack dab in the middle was a delightful puddle of strawberry lavender jam. These cookies would be perfect for a princesses' tea party!

The first photo shows me with my seven bundles of lavender. Next is my completed wreath minus the ribbon. Then, if you look closely, you can find a couple of worker bees on the lavendar. Taylor is in the shop where bundles of lavender are drying hanging from the ceiling. Finally, you can see the mouth-watering scones and shortbread cookies. Have you ever made treats or crafts from something in a garden? Feel free to share photos or descriptions.