Indiana's Oldest Herb Farm: The Place To Go To Celebrate Gardening, Great Food And Wonderful Wine

For garden season here at the Farm a theme is chosen. This year the theme is "Renewal." A great human experienceis to feel more uplifted by the renewal of your spirit. Gardening is a reason to feel renewed and to see the wonder of how plants grow to make our world indeed beautiful.

I like the quote by Henry David Thoreau "I have great faith in a seed. Convinced that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders." I suppose that seed planting is one of my most pleasant tasks. I heard someone remark that we should handle seeds carefully as they contain precious life within. I don't know that I had ever looked at seeds that way. Without seeds for plants our world would certainly not be able to exist. Sowing seeds here at the Farm results in thousands and thousands of seedlings. Each variety, though carefully identified, can be easily recognized by years of growing plants and watching them emerge to life. Sowing seeds of appreciation of nature will pass on to many generations. This is how we see that gardening and happiness are so very blended. To be a gardener brings about hours of joy.

Be sure and check out our schedule of events for our 2011 season. There are many special programs on gardening, cooking, make-and-take crafts and art classes. You will also find quilt and art shows, plus festivals. For years it has been a desire to have a cookbook featuring some of the wonderful cooking school recipes we have shared, as well as old family favorites, it hopefully will be done this season. Of course, it will have the use of many herbs as well as wines. Our Cooking School classes are extremely popular. A demonstration with recipes provided is given and you get to enjoy eating the meal that is demonstrated. Elizabeth even teaches some of her Tearoom's secret recipes! The Tearoom is offering some wonderful Candlelight Dinners with special new menus for you to enjoy. The Farm shops and winery will stay open until the dinner starts for you to sample wine and shop. Be sure and ask which wines we recommend to pair with each menu. Early registration is recommended as these dinners usually are a sell out. Many people come as groups and the seats are sold on a first to register basis. Candlelight Dinners include: Garden Punch with Cheese and Crackers, Salad, Meat, Vegetable, Starch, Fresh Baked Bread, Dessert and non-alcoholic beverage. Mother's Day Luncheon is another popular event at the Farm. It seems for many, coming to the Tearoom for Mother's Day makes a perfect day for that special mother and her family.

Midwest Living magazine was here at the Farm last summer for a photo shoot. They also photographed the covered bridge near by. Perhaps some of these photos will be in an upcoming issue. Also we are excited to announce our new Facebook page. Please look for us at Stream Cliff Farm, Tearoom and Winery.

Every year it seems that there is more and more demand for culinary herbs. Many people are very interested in good food and influenced, no doubt, by the food channels. Common sense calls for using herbs rather that chemicals to give food a wonderful flavor. We carry a vast selection of cooking herb plants which include many basils, rosemary, mints, lemon verbena, oregano, dill, cilantro, chives and many, many more. There is a huge selection of special annuals like the Euphorbia, Diamond Frost. There is also Bubblegum Vista and Pretty Much Picasso (magenta with lime edges) petunias. We have the huge "Big" variety begonia, it gets two feet across and the beautiful Rose Petticoat Begonia in addition to many, many special annuals. There is an extensive choice of hostas, a very special daylily selection, wonderful roses (especially the disease, pest-resistant Knock-Out roses). Also available are hellebores, clematis and hydrangeas. There is an abundance of other perennials such as Oriental lilies, crocosmia, lavenders, echinaceas and many other varieties to select.

Many times we are told our plants grow better and get bigger than those purchased elsewhere. We feel this is because we do not use PGR's (plant growth regulators). These are used extensively elsewhere in the commercial greenhouses to retard the growth of the plant which extends the "shelf life" for the seller but in our opinion stunts the overall size of the plant. At Stream Cliff Farm we grow as naturally as possible and use beneficial insects in our greenhouses. Although prices are going up everywhere, our prices are the same as last year to help keep gardening affordable to everyone. We host many groups and would be happy to help you organize a special visit for groups of fifteen or more. Our family looks forward to your visit and we wish each of you a beautiful and bountiful garden season.