Countdown To Peak Bloom!

GOLDEN STATE APOTHECARY

December is the Pop-Up Season!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

With the Holiday Seaosn right around the corner, it’s time for Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm to once again hit the road for an exciting month of Pop - Up Markets! We’ll be kicking off the season at the Julefest Maker’s Market on December 4th, 11th, and the 18th from 3-7pm,

Next we will be at Sunstone Wineries’ annual Holiday market on the 7th and 8th from 11am to 5pm,

After that we will be at the Zaca Mesa Winery Maker’s Faire on the 14th from 11am to 3pm,

and if that’s not enough, we will be at the Santa Ynez Botanical Gardens Holiday Light Festival every weekend until before Christmas!

In order to give ourselves a little break as we sprint across Santa Barbara County, we have decided to be closed for here at the farmstand to give us some much needed rest to be ready for all the pop-ups! If you absolutely have to come to the farmstand to make your purchases, you can either shop online for your aromatherapy, culinary or bath and body needs or call us and we can accommodate you as best as we can, if not, hope to see you sometime this festive season!

Pomegranate Season Is Upon Us!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

With Fall here at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm, our wide variety of Pomegranates are back in season! We planted 50 trees in the front area of the farmstand, 8 different varieties from the juicy but tart Wonderful to the sweet and light Pink Satin, we are back in the swing of things, making Pomegranate juice, jelly and jam for the holiday season.

Along with preparing all of our fall products, we are also in the middle of harvesting and distilling the lavender into essential oil, we’ve already produced 5 gallons of essential oil so far, and still have plenty more to go! What a wonderful time of year here in Santa Barbara County, we hope you stop by to try some Pomegranates today!

We're In The Offseason!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Wow did the summer just fly by! Thanks so much to everyone who came and were apart of our most successful year yet! Here are some shots of the summer that passed us by….

Look at the wonderful time everyone had at our first lavender festival! If you want to come to the next one July 12th, be sure to get your tickets now!

So Glorious!

Lavender Wreaths made during our classes!

While we are now in the offseason, don’t worry we will still be open open on the weekends from 11am- 4pm, and if you feel like that not enough time, come and check out our pop- up markets during the off season to get your lavender fix! Our next markets in September will be the Flying Miz Daisy Vintage Market September 21st and the Los Alamos Old Days September 28th! We hope to see you there!

 

Announcements For August!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

As the summer continues here at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm, the lavender is still looking absolutely amazing!

First, on August 10th and 11th we will be participating in the Sunstone 30th Anniversary Summer Market, it’s always a ton of fun at Sunstone's markets, be sure to stop by our pop up booth if your in the area! We will also be open on the farm, however we will be short staffed so unfortunately no tours will be available those days. If your interested in a tour, be sure to schedule them for either the 9th or the 12th. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause, as a mother/son there's only so much two people can accomplish!

To top off the end of the peak bloom season, we are also celebrating National Dog Day on August 26th. All friendly,on leash dogs who come with their families will receive 10% off all our dog products in the farmstand, bring your fur baby to enjoy the lavender before the peak bloom period passes us by!

 

We have plenty of wonderful blooms still popping up around the field, to celebrate our extended lavender season we are happy to announce all the special things we have planned for this month.

For our more experienced guests, we will be celebrating National Seniors Day by offering free admission to the farm for all 65+ patrons, keep in mind we are a working farm, if you are handicapped please let us know before hand so we can provide proper accommodation for you!

And finally, to celebrate Labor Day weekend and the end of peak bloom, we will be doing lavender distillations out in the field Saturday and Sunday, be sure to stop by and check out Santa Barbara Counties premier lavender farm as we work our butts off!

What A Wonderful Weekend!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Everyone at the wreathmaking event had a great time, look at the students hard at work creating their masterpieces! Amber did an amazing job as instructor and everyone left the class satisfied with the magnificent lavender wreaths they made.

 

Wow! the lavender festival here at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm seems to have been an absolute success! Just look at all these shots of the farm! Sooo many people! We counted over a a thousand visitors to the farm Saturday, we cant thank everyone who came out to support us enough for making our 1st annual festival such a perfect day!

If you’re sad you missed out on our first lavender festival, don’t worry, we are planning another festival for Saturday July 12th, 2025! Save the date and get your tickets now to secure your reservation for the shuttle ride and entry ticket to the best Lavender Festival in Santa Barbara County!

 

Here Comes The Lavender Festival!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

July is zooming by and soon it will be time for Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm’s first annual Lavender Festival! There will be food, drinks, live music by local musician Grady DiPietro, and a local market along with plenty of fun activities for everyone to enjoy!

Here’ s a quick rundown of all the vendors we are going to have for the day! Let’s start with the food, we’ll have Firebrick SYV Pizza a local pizza pop up and Oak and Smoke, a local BBQ stand that does all sorts of smoked meats, be aware, Oak and Smoke will most likely run out of food quickly judging by the feedback we’ve received on who is coming, so be sure to get your food early to avoid missing out! But don’t worry, Firebrick SYV Pizza will still be here, so we’ll have plenty of food! We’ll also have Sweet Creations doing baked good and ice cream bars sooo delicious!

Looking for something to wash that all down? Pick N’ Pour is a local mixologist, and she will have plenty of great mocktails available, including Lavender Lemonade! Yum! And if you’re looking to add just a tad more sweetness to your day, Bee Wild Collective will be showing of some of their amazing local honey. They manage our bees here on the property as well, so be sure to stop by their booth to enjoy an unique experience!

 

We also have some amazing local vendors who will be participating in our vendor market on the day of the festival, we’ve got some amazing jewelry from Andrea’s Heart, Hammered Hoops and Dream Queen, each one of our vendor’s has a different style of jewelry to choose from, so there should be something for everyone there! Andrea is even doing special lavender themed artwork as well, they look amazing!

Along with jewelry we will also have vintage clothing vendor Hazel Butterfield Tate, who has done a great job of building out her line along with Georgina from her store Sainte Marie in Solvang, she will be bringing a bunch of great hats!

It’s only a few more days until Santa Barbara Counties latest Lavender Festival is underway, be sure to stop by and participate in all the fun, like face painting and henna tattoos by local artist Kristen Sell, or take part in our lavender Wreathmaking classes, with local floral designer Amber Hogan, they will start on the hour starting at 12:30, be sure to sign up below, spots are filling up quick!

It’s sure to be a blast, hope to see you there!

Bloom's Right Around the Corner!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Exciting times are here again at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm, our Lavender is on the cusp of full bloom!

If your looking to make a special day of your trip, why not stop by the Lavender Festival on July 13th? Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm will be putting on a celebration of the lavender season with wreathmaking classes throughout the day and a lavender essential oil distillation demonstration to show off some of the activities we have planned for the summer!

 

In approximately 2 days we will have the lavender starting to show off its summer apparel, be sure to stop the farmstand and enjoy the best agro tourism stop in the Santa Barbara County area!

Time For Your Close Up!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Evergreen Sol Photography for our second annual mini photo sessions here at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm!

Just look at these photos she took around the farmstand, Lupe certainly has a great eye for shots, she really makes all her pics into gorgeous memories along the Central Coast!

 

Here’s Lupe out in the field, making sure that this couple has the greatest photos in Santa Barbara County. Be sure to sign up soon, you don’t want to miss out on getting you own idyllic shots!

Happy Mother's Day!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Everyone here at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there, hope you have a wonderful day filled with joy and vibrant color, we are making Mother’s Day Bouquets, fresh from the farm, be sure to stop by our pop- up stands at Sunstone Winery and The Hilt to snatch up an amazing gift from Santa Barbara Counties premier Lavender farm, it’s sure to make you the envy of your family, I mean look at these bouquets! We will be closed Mother’s Day weekend because we will be at two separate pop- up markets, and unfortunately we cannot be in 3 places at once, so be sure to stop by the farm next weekend to get a glimpse at a flower paradise!

Field Is Looking Fine!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Not only is the lavender starting to wake up, we’ve got all sorts of wonderful flowers blooming all around the farmstand, just one of the many reasons why are farm has turned into a go to spot for agro-tourism in Santa Barbara County! I mean, look at these Peonies!

And of course, all of glorious roses! just look at those flowers, truly stunning!

We have plenty of pop-up markets all over the Central Coast, the next ones will be the Paso Robles Olive and Lavender Festival on May 11th followed by a vendor market at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez and The Hilt winery right here in the Santa Rita Hills! Be sure to check us out there this weekend, since we will be away from the farm. If not, stop by the farm next weekend, the flowers will only be more spectacular!

It’s been awhile since the last time Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm has done an update on the goings on around the farm, but as we get closer to the bloom season, the whole field is starting to come to life once again! The Provence Lavender in the upper field are really stating to stretch their legs.

The Grosso Lavender in the front field is a little slower to wake up, but the plants are already starting to smell amazing, you can almost see the way the field will bloom into a field of purple!

Along with the peonies we also have our Sweet Pea walls starting to form as well, truly stunning to smell and see in person!

All over the field you can find all sorts of wonderful flowers, just begging to show off their beauty to everyone, the field will only get more and more marvelous as we move into the Lavender bloom season, but the fun doesn’t stop here!

Another Great Market!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Yesterday’s Artisan Market in Solvang was another huge success! It was nice to once again take the farmstand on the road, and it’s always great to show off all the amazing products we do here at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm.

This market is shaping to not only be a fun time for Solvang, but is even in the running for new up and coming markets of Santa Barbara County! If you happened to miss the market, don’t worry, the farmstand is open today until 4, be sure to stop by!

Solvang Artisans Market!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm had so much fun at last month's Solvang Artisans Market, we decided to make it a routine!

Be sure to stop by and visit us if you're in the Santa Barbara County area, today we will be closed at the farm, but don't worry, will be open tomorrow, so be sure to stop by if you want to check out the farmstand!

Introducing...The Santa Rita Hills Lavender Festival!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm
 

In celebration of this years bloom, we at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm have planned a Lavender Festival for Saturday July 13th, when the lavender is at its zenith! Come and join us as we open the field to many local boutiques who will have their own pop up market, with local food vendors providing luch and baked goods! Live music will be provided by Grady DePietro who plays acoustic spanish guitar, accenting the majesty of the field perfectly.

We will also have a distillation demonstration active, where Lucas, Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm’s on site distiller, will have a lavender distillation going throughtout the day of the event. Be sure to sign up for one of our Lavender Wreathmaking classes scheduled throughtout the day. Its sure to be a blast, mark your calendar to be at the Santa Rita Hills Lavender Festival, July 13th!

 

Had a Great Time At Solvang's Artisan Market!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

Thanks so much to all who came out to support Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm at the Solavng Artisans Market in Sanata Barbara County. It was a complete success for the first event of the year for us, here are a few pictures we took of our booth, we were busy all afternoon meeting new friends and catching up with the many who have supported us this past year!

We will be continuing to participate in future markets; check out our event calendar for all updates on locations for pop up stands and details on which days we will have the farmstand closed. If you have plans to check out the farm and are wonderingif the farmstand will be open, please be sure to contact us!

Starting The New Year With A Lavender Twist On A Old Family Classic!

Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm

With everyone around Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm getting things ready for Valentine’s Day, sometimes the chilly winter can get to you while you’re working in the field; so we thought it would be a good time to show off our twist on Tahitian Melon Squash soup!

First, lets list out the ingredients, you’ll need:

1 pound Roasted Squash (we used the Tahitian melon squash we grew, but any winter squash will do!)

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium yellow onion, chopped and sauted

1 clove of garlic

1 medium leek, white part only, chopped

6 cups chicken/vegetable broth (for vegetarians!)

1 teaspoon Lavender Seasoning Salt

1/2 teaspoon curry powder (leave out if you have a sensitivity!)

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1 bay leaf

1 cup half and half (optional)

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or a couple fresh sprigs!)

 

First we roast the squash in the oven at 350 degrees, after we liberally apllied our Lavender Seasoning Salt to both sides of the cut open squash. Proceed to bake in the oven on a baking sheet tented with aluminum foil.

As the squash bakes in the oven, we move on to the broth itself. While most recipes would tell you to use a bunch of different pots and pans, we feel that is a super hassle for the home cook, so we do all of our prep work in the same soup pot! So in the soup pot we first melt the butter, add in the chopped onions and saute for a minute. We then add in the garlic and let it all saute together in the pot.

Once you have finished sauteing the onions and garlic, remove the baked squash from the oven and seperate the now mealy squash meat from the skin using a spoon. Transfer the baked squash meat to the saute pot and add chicken/vegetable stock.

Finally add in all of the seasonings you have left and leave the pot to simmer covered for at least a half hour. After a half an hour, remove the bay leaf and use the immersion blender to incorporate the half and half into the soup. Serve and Enjoy!

We don't leave any of this to waste however, so the skins go off to the happiest chickens in Santa Barbara County, while the rest of the squash goes out to behind the farmstnad for thus years squash patch!