The Surprising Delight of Lavender

There’s something very “Under the Tuscan Sun” about packing up a life built in British Columbia, throwing caution to the wind, moving to the sleepy little Nova Scotia town of Bear River and starting a lavender farm that produces decadent syrups, flavoured sugars and peppers.

Plenty of us have played the role of Frances Mayes in our minds, but few have neither the gumption nor the wherewithal to make such a scenario a reality. The fact that Martin McGurk and Gordon Tingley did precisely this makes them a delightful anomaly in my mind.

In 2010, the couple left behind the life they had built (including two stable, well-paying jobs) to start anew in Nova Scotia. Their landing pad was Sledding Hill – a name that represents both their cozy country home and their growing product-based business. 

A visit to the farm provides a visual explanation for the name. The back hill – currently being readied to accept hundreds of lavender plants – is the perfect downhill pitch for sledding. It’s long, well-angled and just foreboding enough to invoke a thrill when you think about a winter sledding adventure. And while a crop of lavender will certainly make it less likely that the winter activity will occur there, memories of years gone by ensures the name will be forever-meaningful.

Despite the welcoming name and the charming story, I was, truthfully, a bit nervous to arrive at Sledding Hill. I adore lavender. But I like it in my fabric softener or soap. I wasn’t certain I’d be quite as enthusiastic about it in my food and drink. I suspect many of you share my skepticism.

I had done my research before we visited Martin and Gordon, so I knew that I could expect lavender jelly, syrup and pepper, as well as a new line of products that feature lemon and chili pepper (a combination that was much easier for me to get my mind wrapped around). But what I still couldn’t figure out is how you actually use the lavender-based products.

Gordon and Martin must be accustomed to this because they knew just what to do. Upon our mid-morning arrival, the two welcomed my mom and I into their beautiful farmhouse and immediately offered up a spread of treats. Despite being unsure, I was genuinely and wholeheartedly excited about trying all of the Sledding Hill products.

What I quickly concluded is that lavender is absolutely a culinary seasoning and not just a lovely fragrance. The lavender jelly proved to be a spectacular (and now my preferred) replacement for hot pepper jelly with crackers and cream cheese. And the lavender syrup mixed with some sparkling wine or vanilla vodka makes for a simple, yet exotic drink.

On the Sledding Hill website, you’ll find recipes for the drinks pictured above, as well as lavender cheesecake and shortbread, all of which will be on my holiday hit list.

While I quickly became a lavender convert, I was, admittedly, still confused as to how Gordon and Martin had come to the decision to grow lavender and manufacture culinary products from the crop. Lots of people come to Nova Scotia to grow grapes, but lavender? It seemed like a stretch to me.

Yet again, the duo quickly helped me see the light. The cost-of-entry into the lavender business is low, the crop is easy to maintain and it’s one of the few things that deer have no interest in eating. Add to that the fact that it’s a pest-free crop which bees and other pollinators love and it wasn’t difficult to understand how and why Gordon and Martin opted for lavender and not grapes.

But the two aren’t stopping with the beautiful purple and green flower. They’ve already added chili and lemon products to their repertoire and within the next year another crop (which is yet to be named) will be brought into the fold, further expanding Sledding Hill’s offerings.

I left the farm feeling really proud to have this company and this couple call Nova Scotia home. Sledding Hill products are a beautiful addition to our local, inventive culinary landscape. I’m sincerely looking forward to what’s next.

If you share my enthusiasm, keep your eyes peeled at all Pete’s Frootique locations in Nova Scotia, and at several of the province’s mainland farmers’ markets for their products. This is a company that is just getting started.