Garden Girl Co. at Norm Lehne Garden and Orchard

Norm and Cinda's daughter-in-law, Wendy Lehne, opened Garden Girl Co. this summer, creating value-added products using the Lehne's fresh local produce.  The list of artisan jams is enough to make anyone's mouth water: Loganberry-Tart Cherry, Marionberry-Peach, and Raspberry-Rhubarb, to name a few.  Wendy also makes salsa, pesto, and spiced hazelnuts.  And then there are the baked goods!  Muffins, old-fashioned pies, breads, and cookies and many are gluten-free!  Baked fresh daily right there on the farm.

Non-food products include unique garden benches and all-natural applewood pruning chips for grilling or smoking (no, the chips themselves are not for smoking--you know what I mean!)

This is such a fantastic way to expand the family business.  What's next?  Gift baskets for the holidays to send to our family and friends?  A full-fledged cafe with tables overlooking the farm where I can relax with an ice-cold glass of lemonade after I've picked my fill of Norm's perfectly-ripe peaches, corn or beans?  Or how about hazelnut oil???  It's incredibly expensive, hard-to-find, and usually comes all the way from France, but hazelnut oil makes an exquisite vinaigrette.  Wouldn't it be fun to buy it freshly pressed from the Lehne's very own hazelnuts?  You go Garden Girl!

This Saturday from 9-1pm Garden Girl Co. will be having an open house featuring lots of samples of baked goods, jams and specialty ice cream toppings. There will also be an apple wood smoking demo. Take some time out of your day to check it out.