Herb

I went out to the hazel wood,

Because a fire was in my head,

And cut and peeled a hazel wand,

And hooked a berry to a thread;

And when white moths were on the wing,

And moth-like stars were flickering out,

I dropped the berry in a stream

And caught a little silver trout.
-The Song of Wandering Aengus, William Butler Yeats

When Richard White decided to open the Hazelwood Herb Farm in 1987 he may not have had a fire in his head, but he certainly had a fire in his belly to pursue his passion for gardening and cooking with herbs. Today Richard, 57, and his partner Jacynthe Dugas, 55, grow one of the largest selection of herbs in Canada; over 400 species on 1.75 hectares (4.3 acres), half a hectare (one acre) of which is devoted exclusively to herbs.

Occasionally they have misgivings about the wisdom of giving up secure and lucrative careers – Jacynthe ran a department of the Canadian federal government in the nearby city of Nanaimo and Richard was a well-paid maintenance mechanic in a sawmill – for the hard work, long hours and economic uncertainties of herb farming. “But,” says Richard, “The thanks and appreciation of our loyal customers make it all worth while and gratifying. And we’re doing what we love.” When asked to explain the most satisfying aspect of running the Hazelwood Herb Farm, Richard replies unhesitatingly, “Customer response. Helping them with their needs; finding plants and offering gardening and cooking advice.” The most aggravating? “Never being able to get away from it,” says Richard.

Richard and Jacynthe divide the work according to aptitude. In a double role reversal (Richard is a native of England and Jacynthe is French Canadian), Richard does all the cooking, runs the cooking classes and creates the culinary herb products. He also looks after the three greenhouses and the actual herb farm and garden. Jacynthe operates the gift shop, does the bookwork and ordering and formulates and prepares the herbal bath & beauty, cosmetic and medicinal products such as salves and creams. The only exception is the Echinacea tincture, which is Richard’s responsibility.

When asked about his favorite or most popular culinary creation, Richard cites his Rosemary and Orange Chicken. Here’s the recipe:

ROSEMARY AND ORANGE CHICKEN

4 skinned and boned chicken breasts

1Tbsp. oil

Juice of 2 oranges

½ cup dry white wine or apple juice

2 Tbsp. rosemary and orange jelly

1 Tbsp. herbed vinegar

½ tsp. salt

Pepper to taste

1 clove garlic finely chopped

1 tsp. cornstarch mixed with ½ cup of whipping cream

1Tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary.

Heat oil in a skillet: sauté chicken breasts on one side for 2-3 minutes, turn over add the wine, garlic and orange juice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes.
Remove chicken and keep warm, bring the liquid back to a boil and add the jelly and vinegar. Reduce the liquid by half. Add the rosemary, and then swirl in the cornstarch mixture, stirring until it thickens. Add salt and pepper. Serve chicken sliced with the sauce and pasta. Serves four.

And Richard’s favorite herbs? Rosemary (Tuscan Blue), Greek oregano and basil. Jacynthe also lists basil among her favorites, but reflecting her penchant for healing she names comfrey and chickweed as the top two. In addition to Jacynthe’s healing herbal studies and creations, she has just completed her studies to become a medical intuitive.

One of Jacynthe’s most admired remedies is her Lemon Balm Cold Sore Salve:
She first makes a sun extraction by placing a half-cup of tightly packed, clean lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) leaves in a glass jar and covers them with 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil. The lid is then tightened on the jar, which is placed in a warm sunny spot such as a windowsill or greenhouse. The jar is shaken daily to ensure that the oil is always covering the herbs. After one month the infused oil is strained and used in this recipe:

½ cup infused lemon balm oil

¼ tsp. camphor crystals (available in most drug stores)

25 grams beeswax (slightly less than 1 ounce)

1 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. lemon essential oil.

Over a low heat the oil is warmed and the camphor crystals are stirred in until dissolved. The beeswax is added and the mixture stirred until it is melted. It is then removed from the heat and the honey and lemon essential oil are added. It is then poured into containers and allowed to cool before being covered. Instructions are to apply several times daily at the first sign of a cold sore.

Richard and Jacynthe picked this particular property, four miles north of the town of Ladysmith, BC, for two reasons: one was the abundance of excellent water on the property. Says Richard, “I used to drill wells for a living so I know the headaches associated with poor quality or insufficient well water.” The other was its peaceful, quiet location while being sufficiently close to the main Vancouver Island highway to make it easy for tourists and visitors to find.
They bought the 30-year old house on 4.3 acres in 1985. It required extensive renovation, most of which they did themselves. Richard’s skill and expertise as a millwright was also put to use building the three greenhouses. They named it the Hazelwood Herb Farm after the two hazel nut trees on the property. Within the first year they were selling 30 varieties of herbs. Then came the nursery, gift shop, display and working gardens. Today their shop boasts a huge variety of their own products, including potted plants, fresh cut herbs, gift baskets and culinary, medicinal, cosmetic and bath & beauty herbal preparations. They also give classes on gardening and cooking with herbs and Jacynthe shares her herbal soap-making talents with enthusiastic students.

Complimentary garden tours are held – rain or shine – on the first and last Saturdays of the month from June to September. Guided tours for groups are available by appointment.

Special events at Hazelwood Herb Farm throughout the year include Mother’s day complimentary Tea and Cake in the Gardens (held in the kitchen if the weather is disagreeable); Father’s Day Barbeque; Sampling Saturdays (for Richard’s culinary creations); Tea Thyme every Sunday afternoon with fresh baked herbal treats and the annual pre-Christmas “Shopping by Candlelight” event every November. This popular affair involves lighting up the shop, kitchen and garden entrance with hundreds of candles to create an inviting, cozy ambience. Complimentary food and drinks are served and Richard and Jacynthe showcase their new products.

The Hazelwood Herb Farm and the town of Ladysmith are located at the northern edge of the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. “Cowichan” means “The Warm Land” in the language of the native Coast Salish First Nations people. The rich, fertile valleys and mild climate here have spawned a burgeoning viniculture and the region is being hailed as the “New Provence.” To the west a rugged spine of mountains bisects the whole of Vancouver Island. A scenic drive through this heavily forested vista will bring you to the rugged west coast and pounding surf of the Pacific Ocean. The region is bordered to the east by the Strait of Georgia. These waters are rich in Pacific salmon, Dungeness crab, prawns and oysters and local restaurants pride themselves on their own unique ways of preparing these regional delicacies.

The picturesque hillside town of Ladysmith – with stunningly beautiful views over the strait – sits precisely on the 49th parallel, which marks the US-Canadian border across most of the continent. The town – nicknamed “Heritage by the Sea” – was bred from the coal mining industry, which dominated central Vancouver Island around the turn of the last century. By the 1930s coal mining had fallen victim to exhausted seams, crippling labor problems and the Great Depression. Slowly forestry and fishing become the economic linchpins of the region, but now even these once dominant industries are in decline. Today cultural and eco-tourism (e.g. kayaking, scuba-diving, sailing, fishing, hiking etc.) are increasingly important and the area has much to offer. Ladysmith itself has recently undergone a remarkable renaissance; the town has done an admirable job of restoring its quaint fin-de-siecle ambience, winning a national Mainstreet Canada Award for the revitalization of the downtown. Harrowsmith Country Life magazine recently named Ladysmith one of the “10 prettiest towns in Canada.”

Ladysmith is about a 90-minute drive north of Victoria, British Columbia’s capital and famous for its very English colonial tone. The drive will take you over the beautifully scenic Malahat Pass with stunning views of the Saanich Inlet and BC’s Gulf Islands. Three ferry terminals in greater Victoria bring visitors from mainland British Columbia and from Seattle, Anacortes and Port Angeles in Washington State. Victoria is also home to the world famous Butchart Gardens. A 20-minute drive north of Ladysmith brings you to the city of Nanaimo with two more ferry terminals servicing mainland BC.

HOW TO GET THERE:

The Hazelwood Herb Farm is open daily April-September from 11.00am to 5:00pm and from October-December, Fridays-Sundays, 11:00pm to 5:00pm. It is located at 13576 Adshead Road, Ladysmith, BC V0R 2E0 Canada. From Ladysmith drive north on the Island Highway three miles and take the Cedar Road exit to the right (east). After one mile turn left on Adshead Road. Hazelwood is 600 yards down this road on your left.

From Nanaimo drive south on the Island Highway to the hamlet of Cassidy, about seven miles. Immediately after crossing the bridge over a creek to the south of Cassidy turn left on Haslam Road. After one mile Haslam Road forks left. Take the right fork, which is Adshead Road. Hazelwood is another mile along this road on your right.

Bruce Burnett, has won four Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold awards for travel journalism. Read more of Bruce Burnett’s writing on his websites:

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