BY ALYSSON AREDAS
Living in 209
Many locals know Pageo Lavender Farm as a stunning venue for weddings, special events and — of course — the go-to place for all things lavender. However, what they likely don’t know is that the Turlock farm is also a great place to relax and enjoy a fresh a locally prepared lavender box lunch in the company of friends, music and aromatic lavender.
“You can have a picnic and enjoy the peace, nice music and fresh outdoors,” said owner Patty Kapor. “We try to have everything made locally in Turlock so you can also support local businesses — not just ours, but everybody that helps make it wonderful.”
Kapor said that while Pageo Lavender Farm has only been offering their lavender box lunches since 2010, the idea to offer lunch on the farm was decades in the making.
“We noticed that other lavender farms up north were offering something similar and we also visited a herb farm about 30 years ago called Caprilands in Connecticut that served lunches made with everything they grew on the property,” said Kapor. “They had a two week waiting period for their lunches! So we figured if they could do that in Connecticut we can certainly do it in California.”
Kapor said that this year’s seasonal lunch menu is still in the works, however, she hopes to offer two to three salads and four sandwiches, as well as a vegetarian option. The most recent seasonal menu boasted a green apple chicken salad and passion pear sandwich among other items.
To accommodate lunch guests, tables are set out on the lawn and decorated with fresh herb bouquets. Kapor added that the lavender farm also serves lavender lemonade and lavender iced tea during their lavender lunches, and guests are given a lavender cookie made from Lisa’s Cookie Jar and a lavender sachet.
“A lot of people that come out for lunch bring their own wine and champagne too,” said Kapor. “Sometimes they bring their own blanket to have a little picnic on the lawn.”
After lunch, guests are invited to tour the farm or gift shop, where they can find unique gifts and a large selection of fragrant lavender products. The farm also sets up a variety of lawn games, such as cornhole and bocce ball, for guests and their children to play. Depending on the time of year, guests can also catch sight of the lavender harvest during their visit.
Guests can order a lavender box lunch from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Those interested in ordering a lunch are asked to make reservations at least 24 hours in advance. Larger groups are asked to make reservations at least 48 hours in advance.
Pageo Lavender Farm is located at 11573 Golf Road in Turlock. For more information or to order a lavender box lunch, call 632-5052 or email pageofarms@gmail.com.
Celebrate warmer
weather at Turlock’s
Donnelly Park
While Turlock is home to many parks, one that stands out above the rest is Donnelly Park. With its multiple playgrounds, basketball courts and — most notably — a 10-acre manmade lake that hundreds of geese, ducks and fish call home, visitors are guaranteed to have an afternoon well-spent at the park.
At the 40-acre park, which covers one square mile between Hawkeye Avenue and Pedras Road, children can choose from several play areas, including the Children’s Play Park, which was constructed nearly 20 years ago. The park is also filled with hundreds of beautiful trees, making it a perfect, shady environment for family gatherings. There are 14 picnic areas available for reservation throughout the park, most of which include a BBQ grill.
Donnelly Park is also home to the new Brandon Koch Memorial Skate Park, which celebrated its grand opening in September. The new skate park’s design includes rails, stairs and manual pads, and through the incorporation of different aspects of parks around the region, the park offers skaters a unique experience. It offers 28 skating elements, with most centered around the street style skating that Koch enjoyed.
Donnelly Park is located at 600 Pedras Road in Turlock. Parking is available off Pedras Road
