Last Updated on June 20, 2024 by Michelle
Have you tried making a floral simple syrup? If not, you may be shocked to find out how easy it is to make and even gift to friends and family.
This week, I’m eagerly awaiting the arrival of a few thrilling things here on the homestead, and while I wait I figured it was very fitting to share this perfect gift idea with you, including the gift cards to help make it extra easy for you. (Keep reading.)
The Exciting New Arrivals!
“What are you having delivered this week Michelle?” you may ask… at least I hope you do, cause I wanna tell everyone about my excitement!
The first arrivals are coming by the thousands…. winged, nectar-eating, pollen-carrying wonders…
Yes, this still-learning-how-to-do-it-right sugarmaker is now taking on beekeeping too. And I can’t wait! Our three hives are coming this weekend. And boy I sure hope I don’t mess this one up!
And The Lilacs Too!
The other arrivals are for the bees, well, kinda. I have three beautiful new lilac bushes on their way from NatureHills.com. This spring when my lilacs all peaked and then quickly dropped their flowers in less than 2 weeks time, my lilac blooms were gone long before I had made all the lilac syrup, and lilac sugar, and lilac honey that I had wanted to make. So I reached out to the folks at NatureHills to ask if there were lilacs that bloomed longer or later in the season that would also survive a tough New England winter.
Well boy was I surprised! Not only did an expert get right back to me the same day, but boy did I love her answer! I’ll share more of those details with you in an upcoming post, once my exciting new lilac bushes are here.
Btw, yes, after realizing just how fantastic this online nursery is, I signed up as an affiliate, meaning if you do decide to order from them, then they”ll send me a few pennies to say “thank you.” (And it will never cost you one penny more.)
But don’t get me wrong, my earnings probably won’t even pay for my grapefruit I had for breakfast this morning, so I would never mention them to you if I didn’t love their customer service and their gorgeous plants. And every tiny way you support our homestead means so much to us. Seriously. (But isn’t it crazy how expensive a grapefruit it these days? But I digress…)
Wanna know more about floral infusion?
If you wanna try your hand at Lilac Simple Syrup, you’ll find all those details here.
Learn how to make irresistible lilac sugar here.
For directions to infuse some Lilac Honey, go here.
And read directions for making Blueberry Lilac Kombucha right here.
Give the Gift of Lilac Simple Syrup
If you have any fragrant, edible blooms in your yard (nope, they don’t have to be lilacs), you can easily make some simple syrup for gift giving. Watch the instructional how-to video here.
After making the syrup, I just tied a bloom to the syrup jar with a piece of twine that I also looped through the gift card. You can download and print a handy page of the gift cards I created. I downloaded it to my Resource Library, so it’ll be there anytime you have the urge to put together some drop-dead gorgeous, delicious gifts. (Not subscribed? That’s easy peasy. Just go here.)
The day I was making my lilac simple syrup happened to be my neighbor’s birthday, so I designed a little card with some recipes that call for lilac syrup. Then I realized you all may like to do the same, so I designed a page of cards. I simply printed the page on card stock paper, cut one card out, folded it in half, and wrote a birthday greeting to Paige on the front of the card. Then I just punched a little hole and threaded it on the twine.
She was out on the lake when I dropped over with her little gift, so I left it on her table on her back deck. Hopefully she liked the little surprise and it added a little sweet deliciousness to her day.
Other Simple Syrup Information
You can make simple syrups and infused sugars with numerous fragrant flowers. Go here to find 3 different recipes for Forsythia Syrup (it’s really yummy).
And experiment with other sugars when making your syrup. In fact, if you use a liquid sugar the process is much easier, as I explain here.
I love to use this tupelo honey to make simple syrups. Bonus, tupelo honey NEVER crystalizes. Isn’t that awesome? I despise hardened honey that I can’t get out of the bottom of the jar.
If I didn’t make my own maple syrup I’d use this syrup or this one.
And if I’m using “regular” sugar I avoid refined sugar all together and go for this option.
If you have any questions about plants and shrubs that will grow well in your neck of the woods, reach out to NatureHills.com.
If you want a sneak peak at the lilacs that are on their way to me, you can see them here.
Or check out all the amazing lilacs that they grow at NatureHills.
Around the Farm this Week
Selah celebrated her first birthday this week! I shared her birthday festivities over on Instagram, if you wanna catch that excitement. (And read about our calf’s birth–and my major mistake–here.)
The barn is a lot less crowded this week, and it’s a little lonely lately, now that we’ve rehomed most of the kitties. But we have kept one gorgeous, sweet girl. Watch this facebook live video if you’d like to meet this sweet ball of smoky gray fur and get the whole scoop on why we had to rehome her momma, Reepicheep.
And join in on our facebook talk this week all about her–right here–and help us pick the perfect moniker for this cuteness!
How do you like to use your simple syrup?
Do you have a special way you love to use your floral simple syrup? Please share; maybe I can add it to my gift card page!
Consider the lilies [and the lilacs], how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Luke 12:27
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Happy belated birthday to Selah! What fun! Plus happy birthday to your neighbor; what a great gift that jar of lilac-infused syrup must have been – I wish I were your neighbor too. 😉 Love the gift tags and card. As always, your photos are gorgeous!
Thank you Kathi, and I will pass your birthday wishes on to Selah. Maybe I’ll take her an apple from you too. 🙂