Local Lavender, Herbs, and Natural Wellness for Fall & Winter

Cozy Season Is Coming: Local Lavender, Herbs, and Natural Wellness for Fall & Winter

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, it’s the perfect time to prepare for the cozy months ahead — the ones filled with warm drinks, calming scents, nourishing foods, and the kind of self-care that keeps both body and mind in balance.

At Piedmont Fresh, we believe that seasonal living means more than just eating local produce. It’s also about supporting small farms and artisans who craft products that nurture your health, home, and spirit — naturally. This season, our shelves are filled with all-natural, homemade, and locally made wellness items from Muddy Creek Lavender, Fancy Plants Farmstead, and Sunflower Hill Farm. Whether you’re treating yourself or finding thoughtful gifts for friends and family, these products are perfect for the months when comfort and care matter most.

Lavender for Mind, Body, and Home

Lavender has been cherished for centuries, and for good reason. This fragrant purple bloom isn’t just beautiful — it’s a powerhouse for both skin health and emotional well-being. Known for its calming aroma, lavender can help reduce stress, ease tension headaches, and promote restful sleep. It’s also naturally antibacterial and soothing for irritated skin, making it a perfect ingredient for soaps, balms, and oils.

From Muddy Creek Lavender, you can find:

• Lavender Infusion Kit & Lavender Simple Syrup Kit – Bring the taste and aroma of lavender into your kitchen. These are perfect for teas, lemonades, cocktails, baked goods, and even savory dishes.

• Lavender Essential Oil & Essential Oil Roller – Add to a diffuser for relaxation or roll onto pulse points for on-the-go aromatherapy.

• Lavender Vanilla Lip Balm – Protect lips from dry, cool air while enjoying a hint of sweetness.

• Shower Steamers – Transform your shower into a spa-like retreat with calming lavender and chamomile vapors.

• Gardener’s Salve & Joint Warming Salve – Soothe hardworking hands and tired muscles naturally.

• Handcrafted Soaps – Chamomile, Lavender & Mint Tea Soap, Pure Lavender Soap, and Lavender Mint Gardener’s Soap — gentle cleansing with natural fragrance.

• Dried Lavender Bunches – Beautiful for display, but also wonderful for DIY sachets, teas, and bath blends.

Herbal Teas & Blends for Wellness

There’s something deeply comforting about wrapping your hands around a warm mug of herbal tea when it’s cold outside. These blends from Muddy Creek Lavender and Fancy Plants Farmstead aren’t just delicious — they also offer impressive health benefits:

• Chamomile – Known for promoting relaxation and better sleep, while also aiding digestion.

• Mint – Refreshing, soothing for the stomach, and may help relieve headaches.

• Lavender Breakfast Tea – A fragrant, gentle start to your morning.

• Sip-N-Soak Herbal Blend – Perfect for brewing or adding to bathwater for total-body relaxation.

• Trust Your Gut Herbal Blend – Designed to support digestion and gut health.

• Herbs de Provence Spice Blend – Packed with antioxidant-rich herbs that support heart health while adding flavor to your cooking without excess salt.

Mushrooms, Turmeric, and Plant-Based Power

Beyond herbs and flowers, fall and winter are a great time to incorporate medicinal mushrooms and powerful roots into your diet. Sunflower Hill Farm offers:

• Turmeric Plants – Grow your own at home for fresh anti-inflammatory, joint-supporting spice year-round.

• Heritage Harvest Mushroom Extracts:

  • Lion’s Mane – Known to boost cognitive function, memory, and focus, while also supporting nerve health.

  • Reishi – A centuries-old medicinal mushroom that supports immune function and helps the body manage stress.

These extracts can be added to teas, coffees, smoothies, or broths — making it easy to incorporate into your daily wellness routine.

Why Choose Local for Your Self-Care?

When you buy natural wellness products from Piedmont Fresh, you’re not just buying something for yourself — you’re supporting local farmers, makers, and the local economy. These products are made in small batches, with care and integrity, without the unnecessary chemicals and additives found in many commercial items.

Shopping local means your money stays in the community, sustaining small businesses and farms. It also means you’re getting fresher, higher-quality products made with ingredients grown right here in the Piedmont region.

Your Fall & Winter Wellness Checklist

If you’re ready to prepare for the cooler months, here’s a quick checklist to get started:

• Stock up on herbal teas to sip on chilly mornings and evenings.

• Add lavender products to your skincare and self-care routines.

• Keep balms and salves on hand for dry skin and sore muscles.

• Try mushroom extracts and turmeric for immune and cognitive support.

• Create a calming home atmosphere with dried lavender or fresh flowers.

Shop all these products and more at PiedmontFresh.com, the Thomasville Farmers Market, and the Lexington Farmers Market — your local sources for fresh food, handmade goods, and seasonal wellness essentials.

Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished

Grass-Fed vs. Grass-Finished: What’s the Difference?

If you’ve ever shopped for beef at a farmers market or grocery store, you’ve probably seen labels like “grass-fed” and “grass-finished.” While they might sound similar, these terms have key differences that impact the nutritional value, taste, and quality of the meat.

What Does Grass-Fed Mean?

"Grass-fed" sounds straightforward, but it simply means the animal was fed grass at some point in its life. Since all cows start out eating grass, this label doesn't necessarily mean they were grass-fed their entire lives. Many cattle labeled as "grass-fed" are still grain-finished, meaning they were fed grain (usually soy and corn) in their final months to increase marbling and fat content.

What is Grass-Finished?

"Grass-finished," also known as "pasture-raised," means the animal was fed only grass and forage for its entire life after weaning. It never received grain-based feed. This results in meat that is:
✔ Leaner than grain-fed beef
✔ Higher in Omega-3 fatty acids and beneficial nutrients
✔ Lower in inflammatory compounds found in grain-fed meat

For those avoiding corn and soy due to dietary preferences or inflammation concerns, grass-finished meat is the better choice.

Why Does This Matter?

The way an animal is raised affects the nutritional quality of the meat. Grain-fed cattle are fattened up quickly in the last 4–6 months of their lives, leading to higher overall fat content. Grass-finished beef, while leaner, is often richer in vitamins and has a distinct, earthy flavor that many people prefer.

Shop Smart, Eat Local

Next time you’re buying beef, check the label carefully! If you're looking for truly grass-fed and grass-finished meat, ask your local farmer directly.

Sticky Sweets & Eats - Honey Edition

Honey is Back!

By: Samantha Snyder

We are so excited that Sunflower Hill Farm’s local honey is once again available!

Raw honey is a versatile, delicious, and shelf-stable superfood that everyone should have in their pantry. It contains antioxidants, has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, can potentially provide cardiovascular protection, and much more. Battling illness this season? Treat a sore throat with a teaspoon of honey in warm water with lemon, or in your favorite herbal tea.

HONEY RECIPES

Sunflower Hill’s honey has a spectacular, unique flavor, and is an excellent addition to home-cooked dishes. Try mixing it with Ashe County butter - honey butter makes the best topping for biscuits, cornbread, or Rabble and Rise sourdough (or pancakes). Make honey glazed chicken using Crossings chicken breasts. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a lovely honey cake. For a new dip, try spicy honey sriracha sauce!

Ribs

We have two different types of ribs available - pork from Klymer Ridge, and wagyu from Rocky Forge. For the pork, try oven baked fall-off-the-bone ribs with homemade sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. For the beef, try easy baked ribs in a rich, red wine based sauce. Serve with coleslaw, cornbread muffins, collard greens…or your own favorite fixin’!

Snacks

As you go about your day, it’s important to keep your body fueled, no matter how busy you are. Keep a bag of vanilla nut trio granola from Rabble and Rise with you for a quick snack. This granola uses sourdough starter as a binder, which means less sweetener and more probiotics in each batch! Peanut butter protein balls from SandyCreek Farm will satisfy your sweet tooth and provide you with a boost. Say goodbye to being “hangry” with these treats!

**** REMINDER: BLUE TOTES ****

Your orders are delivered in insulated blue totes - please bring these back (to any of the five pickup points, during any of their business hours). We re-use these bags in an effort to practice sustainability while keeping your food fresh!

The Piedmont Fresh shopping window is OPEN until Monday at 11:59 pm. Don’t forget to finalize your order when you finish filling your cart, and sign up for SMS alerts (on our home page) for reminders on when the cart opens and closes.