Bill Varney, founder and owner of the Herb Farm, began the venture with his wife Sylvia in 1985, when the two of them escaped from their corporate lives in Houston to the calmer ways of the Hill Country. Varney took a job as a nursery manager in Fredericksburg, and began his long love affair with herbs and watching things grow.
“I’ve always loved growing things,” Varney said Thursday. “The more herbs I grow the more ways I find to use them. We have been organic in our gardens with our herbs and flowers from the beginning.”
This weekend, the farm will open its gates for the 12th Annual HerbFest, a three-day event that will offer a variety of activities in celebration of Earth Day, including special five-course dinners, using organic produce, meats, fish and wine. Day-time events will include speakers, musical entertainment and numerous vendors, booths and attractions to browse.
“We’ll have musicians all day on Saturday,” Varney said. “There will be individual speakers talking on everything from growing to cooking to design. On Saturday and Sunday, we’ll have speakers on wines. There will be a variety of things to do, but it’s all herb related.”
There will be 10 featured speakers, including the Herb Farm founder and representatives from San Antonio Herb Society, Fredericksburg Brewer, American Botanical Council and others. There will be live music with The Nightshade Orchestra featuring Smith and Wilkerson; The Bill Smallwood Trio; Emuzeki; Vessel and StringDancer with Greg Wall and Rod Bankoo.
During regular operating hours, Fredericksburg Herb Farm offers fine dining, a day spa and shopping.
“We serve lunch seven days a week, dinner on Friday and Saturday nights, from 6 to 10 p.m.,” Varney said. “On Sundays, we serve lunch noon to 3 p.m., and we have a bed and breakfast that always is full.”
He said this weekend will offer a host of opportunities for visitors to get information on organic living and get recipes to try at home. Varney said the farm’s six unique gardens on 14 acres, five of which are cultivated, offer opportunity for a unique outing any time — whether visitors intend to eat, shop or simply relax in a calm atmosphere.
“We have a very healthy environment on our property,” Varney said. “People love it when they come; they immediately get a sense of calm and quiet and a sense of being close to nature. I don’t think we disappoint anyone when they come.”
Varney said many turn to the farms for plants and fresh ingredients to use in recipes or herbal remedies. Others come for the farm’s original organic products.
“We try to keep all of our food and products as organic and natural as possible,” Varney said. “We use everything we grow — whether it’s in making wreathes, potpourri, candles or cosmetics. It’s all made on site.”
Organic living, Varney said, is the approach the farm takes to everything.
“You really can smell the difference,” Varney said. “You can tell the difference in something that is all natural. In the Hill Country, it’s a little more difficult for us to get all organic things, but I think it’s worthwhile in the long term.”
Varney said the farm has gained a reputation for its edible flowers. “Over the years we’ve expanded that line to the point that we have an edible flowers mustard and honey,” he said. “We also have a lavender champagne vinegar.”
That highly-sought after vinegar is packaged in a royal blue-etched glass wine bottle and comes with recipes. It’s famous for transforming tough cuts of meat, and also is good in salads. Varney said another favorite is a rose flower water that can be used in place of vanilla extract.
Varney said the must-have dishes that first-time visitors should taste include the restaurant’s grilled children salad, portabella sandwich and peach chicken salad. “At dinner, our stuffed salmon is one of our biggest hits and our salads also are popular,” he said.
For dessert, he said, guests enjoy tasting his own home-made ice creams made from real flower petals. House favorites are the lavender honey ice cream and the rose petal ice cream.
“I actually personally make all our ice creams; they’re all made from scratch,” Varney said. “Since I make the ice creams, the flavors are limited and they’re all made in small batches, depending on the day, but we always have homemade vanilla bean ice cream.”
If you talk to people who frequent the Herb Farm, however, they probably will rave about its candles. The Herb Farm’s candles are created with naturally based ingredients of plant extracts, herbs, essential oils and beeswax.
“We have a really hard time keeping some of our candles,” Varney said. “People love them.”
He said his “Sniffle Release” candle probably is the most sought after. It’s made of eucalyptus, peppermint and lavender and also comes in a lotion. Varney said Hill Country residents have found it especially useful for battling seasonal allergies.
“It helps clean your sinuses. It’s great,” Varney said. Burn it after a hot shower, and you’ll go to bed relaxed and feeling better. It’s amazing.”
Another popular candle is “Monets Garden,” which the farm launched about 10 years ago.
“It has continued to be one of our biggest sellers,” Varney said. “It has all white flowers, it’s very floral and very feminine. It’s a wonderful, wonderful, scent.”
While the farm is well-known for its original products it sells internationally, Varney said he and his staff have no problem sharing recipes and tips to help others make their own.
“The thing that is most gratifying to me is to see how herbs enhance people’s lives,” Varney said.
The Herb Fest kicked off on Friday and will run through 10 p.m. on Sunday. For information and hours of operation, call (830) 997-8615.
