Lavender harvest season upon us

Last summer I made the difficult decision not to perpetuate my lovely, fenced-in vegetable garden. Let it go to weeds.

For I’ve discovered a local organic farm that meets my culinary and nutritional needs.

Good thing my vacant, fenced-in garden is out of sight from my house and backyard.

Otherwise the lonely, overgrown place would nag me, play on my pity.

On the other hand, yesterday I harvested fifteen bundles from the beautiful, perennial Grosso lavender patch I’ve sustained for over a decade.

The hybrid plants (Lavandula X Intermedia Passiflora) now bloom on a backyard slope facing east, bathing in the sun.

Yes, the bottom row suffers winter kill, yet, the majority of shrubs thrive in the location. The crop provides more than enough lavender for my needs, and to share with fellow lavender lovers.

For I have learned from wild critters and human visitors that you either love or hate the

herb. I enjoy the flavor steeped in iced and hot tea, and baked in scones, cookies, and cake.

And my favorite savory dishes. For example, I sprinkle fresh or dried lavender on my baked fish.

As lavender pairs well with lemon, the blend of lemon and lavender is particularly

delicious with baked salmon. My main dish last night.

Therefore, yesterday I sat in the shade of my pergola and bundled fifteen generous bundles from several baskets filled with my harvest.

To bundle the stems, you gather a generous handful in a proportionate manner. Trim the end of the stems for a tidy finish. Secure with a rubber band midway the flowers and stem’s end.

Then, open the smaller end of a paper clip and slip it under the rubber band. Open the larger end of the paper clip for hanging to dry.

I hang my bundled lavender on a clothesline in my pavilion; a structure built to specifications to optimize the drying process of bundled herbs.

Proper aeration prevents molding within the fresh bundle as it dries. Another hot, sunny day is forecast, and I have my harvest baskets, scissors, and I hope enough rubber bands at ready.

As rubber bands are perishable, it seems I always overlook to replace that necessary part that holds the bundle together before the lavender decides to suddenly bloom.

Dear Reader, as the Grosso variety of lavender has gorgeous, long stems, bundling baskets under the pavilion with friends is a communal and congenial event we enjoy each summer.

Friends Mary Ellen and Erna return as faithfully as lavender’s purple flowers to enjoy the season that fills the air with its dreamy scent.

Yes, I have no trouble sleeping during lavender season. And I hope neither do my friends.

Contact Iris at irisfarmletters@gmail.com