Who would guess Sky Nursery is a food connection? But with the currant gardening and cooking local craze, Sky Nursery is doing a booming business. And now that Sky Nursery has a huge brand new greenhouse, they've upped their organic vegetable plant starts. They also have a cool seminar room where they offer free weekly seminars in the spring and fall. (If you click on the store link and check out the Web site, you can get a $5.00 store coupon.)First off, I have to say that I love that Sky Nursery is a longtime customer of Rent's Due Ranch in Stanwood, just northwest of Everett. They've been buying Rent's Due plant starts for years. JoanE McIntyre from Rent's Due Ranch is one of my favorite summer farmers and I can't wait for her to return to the U-District Market. I heard a rumor earlier this season that one of Rent's Due greenhouses caved in after wicked storm, which is sad because plant starts is a big part of their farm business. JoanE and husband, Michael Shriver sell most of these starts to nurseries and PCC Natural Markets.
The variety of organic local kales, lettuce, beets, tomatoes, and other vegetables at Sky Nursery is simply amazing. You can't go there without coming out with at least one box full of these garden treasures.
After checking out the plant starts, I headed over to the seminar room where my friend Kathy Gehrt was presenting a workshop on container gardening and cooking with herbs. By the time I arrived, there were hardly any seats left. Lavender lemonade and chocolate chip cookies were on a table near the back of the event and both quickly disappeared as more and more people showed up. Kathy shared lots of gardening and cooking tips. Check out Kathy's blog for her herb gardening tips.
Here is Kathy's easy lavender lemonade recipe from Discover Cooking with Lavender:Lavender Lemonade
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/4 cup dried lavender buds or 1/2 cup fresh lavender blossoms
1 12-ounce can frozen lemonade
2 cups cold water
1. Add lavender buds or blossoms to boiling water and let mixture steep for 20 minutes.
2. Strain mixture to remove lavender buds or blossoms, then set aside the lavender infused water and let it cool to room temperature.
3. Add the frozen lemonade and 2 cups cold water to the cooled lavender-infused water.
4. Mix well and serve.
It's so easy to make and the added flavor of lavender is heavenly. Check out Kathy's book Discover Cooking with Lavender for more great tips and recipes and look for her events at nurseries and bookstores this summer. Many independent bookstores, gift stores and some nurseries are getting on the lavender bandwagon with this great little cookbook.
Check out my other blog for some great book marketing tips.
2 comments:
Thank you Deb! Sky Nursery is amazing. Glad you wrote this to get the word out about Sky. A big thank you, too, to Joe, Manager at Sky, for hosting this event. One more thank you to the people who attended last Saturday's events. I am inspired by the interest in growing edible herbs to use in cooking. Great questions and good ideas! My daughter, Jennifer, actually planted her own herb garden later that afternoon.
I love that you inspired all who attended the event, even your daughter!
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