Lavender and cherry harvest is a delightful time in Wisconsin’s Door County – Twin Cities

Stepping out of the car at Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm on Washington Island at the tip of Door County, Wisconsin, I was enveloped by a sweet floral scent I will never forget.

It’s quite an effort to get to this place, requiring a long journey punctuated by a ferry ride across Death’s Gate, named for the treacherous currents that took the lives of many early residents and explorers, but that first smell made it all worth it.

The farm, founded in 2013 by Frenchwoman Martine Anderson and her husband, Edgar Anderson, is situated in virtually no-where, which is how people prefer to keep it on this pastoral island, where the pace of life is slow and change comes even slower.

The farm’s popularity has rankled some of the island’s roughly 700 residents, many of whom prefer visitors stay on the mainland in Door County. But the bucolic 50 acres continue to attract fans of the iconic violet plant, who love the rocky, clay-like soil of the Niagara Escarpment, on which the entire county sits. The limestone bedrock encourages deep root growth, which is great for grapevines and, it turns out, cherry trees and lavender plants, too.

Fragrant Isle was just one stop on a recent tour I took of the Door County Peninsula, highlighting the lavender and cherry harvests, which take place around the same time period (usually late July and early August), sponsored by Destination Door County.

Cherries are the queens

Early in the trip, we visited Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery and Market in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, where we learned about the different types of cherries grown on the peninsula, picked our own bucket, and turned some of our haul into cherry bounce, a traditional (and strong!) Door County drink.

Lautenbach is home to the sour Montmorency cherries, which account for the majority of cherries grown on the peninsula, but also the sweeter Balaton cherries, which were ready to be picked when we were there.

On our way through the picturesque orchard to the trees from which we were to pick cherries, we came across the cherry-picking vehicle that Lautenbach uses, which surrounds the trunk with an umbrella-shaped picker while shaking the tree, gently releasing the fruits. It takes just a few minutes to harvest an entire tree, which produces around 7,000 cherries.

The orchard also produces a number of cherry products and wines, available at its store and other retail locations across the state. And if you’re up for a challenge, there’s a cherry pit-spitting track out back — the state record is just over 48 feet, but my longest spit was just under 30.

We also learned how to make cherry toast, a drink/treat enjoyed by locals during the long winters. Basically, you put washed and pitted cherries in a glass jar, add a little sugar, and top up the rest with brandy, whiskey, or vodka. Shake it occasionally and enjoy it after it has sat for a few months. The liqueur is sweet and delicious, and the cherries make a great garnish for drinks or topping ice cream.

The cherry-growing identity of the peninsula cannot be overlooked. From cherry pie to French toast and cherry-filled pancakes at the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, to cherry flavors at all the numerous ice cream shops, to socks, T-shirts, and even handmade cherry coasters, if it’s cherries, you’ll find them here.

At least a dozen orchards in Door County offer cherry picking experiences. Destination Door County has a helpful list at doorcounty.com/experience/cherries.

Cheeses, fish, bitters and more

No trip to Door County would be complete without a stop at Renard’s in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

This third-generation, family-owned creamery is the perfect lunch stop on your way up the peninsula—try samples of their award-winning aged or flavored cheddars, their modern cheese shakes (thinner-shredded cheese), and my favorite, the Terrific Trio, a blend of Parmesan, Cheddar, and Gouda.

After you’ve had your fill, grab a grilled sandwich or a plate of homemade mac and cheese at Melt Bistro. If you’re driving, don’t forget to bring a cooler to load up on cheese before you head out.

Another tradition you can’t miss: the fish boil. Door County has plenty of options, but we went to Pelletier’s Restaurant & Fish Boil, a simple, cabin-style restaurant in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, where you order your drinks (here only beer and wine) at the bar before heading out to watch the show.

A tradition started by Scandinavian settlers on the peninsula, the fish boil begins with a huge pot of water brought to a boil over an open flame. Potatoes and salt are added first, then whitefish caught in Lake Michigan, and finally corn. When the fish is fully cooked, the cook causes a “boil,” during which he pours a small amount of kerosene onto the fire, causing the flames to rise at least ten feet into the air. Diners are invited to watch the process and feel the heat. The entire dish is drizzled with butter before being served with lemon wedges and coleslaw, and the meal ends with a slice of cherry pie.

If you’ve been anywhere in eastern Wisconsin, you know that the old-fashioned is the drink of choice, and whether you drink it with brandy or whiskey, the dominant flavor is bitter.

If you’re a fan (and I am), it’s worth a stop at the 125-year-old Nelsen’s Hall and Bitters Club on Washington Island, where original owner Tom Nelsen skirted Prohibition rules with bitters, which supposedly soothed an upset stomach. Nelsen reportedly downed an entire pint of the stuff daily.

In his honor, you can become an honorary member of the Bitters Club by taking a shot of 90-proof Angostura bitters. When you do, you’ll receive a card declaring you a member and sign the guest book for that year. While you’re there, ask the staff about their ongoing encounters with Mr. Nelsen, who apparently doesn’t want to leave the establishment, even though he died in 1960.

You can also get your fill of bitters in a fun way by ordering the tasty traditional latte at the island’s Wis-Co coffee shop. The locals gathered at the cafe the morning we were there were so cheerful at 8, I think they’d already had a few! (Their cherry ginger scone is heavenly, too.)

The last ferry from Washington Island leaves at 6 p.m., but if you’re staying overnight, I recommend dining at the Washington Hotel, which has been serving guests since 1904. The eight-room establishment has been fully renovated, though like most accommodations on the island, it still doesn’t have air conditioning.

The restaurant has a gorgeous patio, which gets a great breeze from Lake Michigan, and the menu is packed with locally sourced ingredients – the kitchen works closely with local farmers and serves meat and produce at their freshest. Every dish we tried here was fantastic, from a smoked whitefish pasta to roasted beets in an earthy, tangy blackcurrant sauce to tender chicken served with the freshest vegetables and sautéed gnocchi.

Is lavender the future?

At Fragrant Isle, the lavender farm on Washington Island, visitors come not only to walk the fields or pick their own bouquet, but also to stroll through the fabulous red barn that houses the gift shop.

Co-owner Martine Anderson knows retail. She worked in haute couture for Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus and owned several businesses in France and the United States. She is so particular about how the many farm-grown products are displayed that she doesn’t sell much outside her own store.

However, it is clear that visitors and locals alike are aware of the quality of the products, most of which are made from lavender oil lovingly distilled in large copper stills on site. There was a wait to get into the shop, as it was at full capacity on a recent weekday.

The products (from soap to perfume to macarons made and shipped overnight by a French expat and chocolatier in Las Vegas whom Anderson convinced to make the delicate cookies for her) smell and taste better than any lavender she’s ever had anywhere, including the south of France.

And a walk through these fields of the plant, which is said to have relaxing properties, is like live aromatherapy.

When you’re done at the gift shop, be sure to stop for lunch or an early dinner at the farm’s outdoor café, where you can eat amidst all those delicious smells.

We tried the lavender lemonade, the lavender rose granita, the chicken salad (with a hint of lavender), the lavender vanilla ice cream, and those flawless lavender macarons, and I can wholeheartedly recommend them all.

If you leave

Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm & Shop: 1350 Airport Road, Washington Island, Wisconsin; fragrantisle.com

The Lautenbach Orchard Region: 9197 State Highway 42, Fish Creek, Wisconsin; orchardcountry.com

White Seagull Inn: 4225 Main St., Fish Creek, Wisconsin; whitegullinn.com

Renard artisan cheese: 2189 County Road DK, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin; renardscheese.com

Pelletier’s Restaurant and Boiled Fish Restaurant: 4199 Main St., Fish Creek, Wisconsin; www.doorcountyfishboil.com

Nelsen Lounge and Bitters Club: 1201 Main Road, Washington Island, Wisconsin; facebook.com/nelsenshallandbittersclub

Wis-Co Coffee: 1219 Main Road, Washington Island, Wisconsin; wisco54246.my.canva.site

Washington Hotel: 354 Range Line Road, Washington Island, Wisconsin; hotelwashingtonandstudio.com