Violet Syrup
When I was a young girl there was a sunny little open patch in the woods behind our house where every Spring I would wait not so patiently for this warm little meadow to fill with trillium, a few Jack in the Pulpits and what seemed like millions of purple violets. I gathered the violets and happily carried them home and placed them in my mom’s tiny cream pitcher and set them on the kitchen window sill.
Years later when I married a gentle farmer and moved to his rambling farm, I again found a sunny patch up in the woods and behind Aunt Willie’s house full of purple violets. A friend encouraged me to make a batch of violet syrup so I gave it a try. So many violets gathered to make a small amount of syrup but a fun thing to do at least once.
HOW TO MAKE VIOLET SYRUP
- Collect 1 cup of fresh violets and remove any green stems, leaves and calyx.
- Soak violets in 1.5 cups just boiled water, and let this sit overnight. Strain the violet-infused water through a fine-mesh sieve, gently pressing any additional liquid from the violets.
- Stir violet water in the same pot over very low heat, add 1/2 cup honey, or 1 cup sugar until dissolved. Be careful not to boil as you will lose the gorgeous color of the violets.
- Store the syrup in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
(Add lemon juice one drop at a time for richer color)
TASTY USES VIOLET SYRUP
- Sooth a sore throat
- Add to sparkling water for a fun refresher
- Add to lemonade
- Make pretty ice cubes – could just freeze the flowers in ice trays
WHAT’S COMING UP AT THE FARM
Spring Centerpiece Workshop
April 17th is MY BIRTHDAY! and I decided what better way to celebrate than to host flower friends for our first of the season Design Workshop! There will be dogwood, lilacs, lenten roses, tulips, bridal veil spirea, viburnum, anemone, maybe a peony or snapdragon and whatever Spring hands us. After a quick tour, we’ll demo then create an overflowing Spring centerpeice and then end the day with birthday cake (from Blackbird Bakery). We’ll even join in and decorate the cake with flowers, fern, and foliage. We’d love to have you join us from 10 am-12:30 pm and create something beautiful that will brighten up your holiday weekend!
6 Week Spring CSA
Our Spring CSA provides weekly bouquets fromApril 29-June 3rd so your house can look just like mine 🙂 I love spring and I love the flowers she brings along with her. Spring flowers seem to be the most fragrant and last a bit longer in the vase. And such wonderful flowers . . . peonies, campanula, snapdragons, sweet peas, ranunculus, anemone, spirea, viburnum, and hopefully the first of the sunflowers make such lovely bouquets, perfect for your dining table or office!
And finally, thank you for supporting our small farm in so many lovely ways. We’re looking forward to the many ways our paths might cross this season! Meanwhile, it’s getting very busy here and that’s the way we like it. We’re seeding trays of warm season annuals next week because summer will be here before we have time to catch our breath!
Have a lovely weekend and take time to notice the nature around you, . Next week – It’s Tulip Time!
Have a lovely weekend and take time to notice the nature around you, . Next week – It’s Tulip Time!
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