It’s a beautiful Saturday morning here in Siskiyou County and it finally feels like summer has set in. Plenty of options for things to do this weekend –
cream tea at Ms. Lynn's Tea in Montague
My first pick for the weekend: heading out to the Montague Farmers Market Saturday morning. It’s at Railroad Park in downtown Montague from 9am to noon. I’m looking for fresh veggies, cheese, and maybe some buffalo meat. Other things to do in the Montague area: check out Shepherd’s Dream wool bed store, slow down for lunch at Ms. Lynn’s Tea, go to the Shasta Valley Wildlife Area or drive (or bike) through the Little Shasta Valley because it’s just so darn pretty. If you find yourself heading for Little Shasta then you might as well head up to the Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms to see if the lavender’s blooming yet in this odd summer.
If you’re in Yreka on Saturday, the Siskiyou County Museum is hosting Black Bart at 2pm for a first person presentation of the life and times of the infamous stage coach robber and his counterpart, nemesis, Wells Fargo detective, James Hume.
If you like water events, Saturday at 10 am the River Exchange is holding a Family Fun Event at the Lake Siskiyou Marina. From 10am to 3pm you can grab your paddle and kayak or canoe for a wet poker run. Paddle your craft to five stations around the lake to pick a card – best hand wins! Kayak and paddle board demos, prizes, BBQ and more. The fun starts at 10 am. $10 for adults, $6 children under 12, or $20 for a family. To register or for more information go to www.riverexchange.org or call 530-235-2012.
So there are some suggestions for enjoying Siskiyou County this weekend.
Tags: Family Fun, farmers market, Lake Siskiyou, Montague, Ms. Lynn's Tea, Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms, Shasta Valley Wildlife Area, Shepherd's Dream, Siskiyou County Museum, Yreka
Family Fun | Visit Siskiyou June 25, 2010 | 
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Indulge yourself at Ms. Lynn's Teas in Montague.
It feels like summer has finally come to Siskiyou County and it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. If you’re here in Siskiyou County on this beautiful morning here are some suggestions for how you can spend your day:
Dunsmuir Railroad Days: Fuel up with a pancake breakfast at St. John’s Catholic Church Social Hall then check out model trains, take the kids to the L’il Engineer Contest, tour the Railroad Museum, watch the parade and more. There will be food, craft, and train related booths. Stay later for live music or enjoy a picnic at Tauhindauli Park.
Take a drive to the Vintage Airstream Trailer Rally outside of McCloud at Friday’s RV Park for the Airstream Open House. Afterwards, keep driving to the stunning aquamarine waters of McCloud Reservoir or plan an afternoon hike on the Squaw Valley Creek Trail.
Go underground at Lava Beds National Monument to tour extensive lava tubes. Call early in the morning to find out if any spots are still open on the Fern Cave Tour, and if not, check in at the afternoon summer interpretive program before heading back into the cool darkness of the caves.
Walk the fields at the Mt. Shasta Lavender Farm on opening day. It’s been a long spring, so the blossoms may not be open yet, but nevertheless, the farm provides a beautiful view of the valley and Mount Shasta.
Shop for goodies at the Montague Farmers Market from 9am to noon at the downtown park then settle in at Ms. Lynn’s Teas for a delightful, leisurely lunch.
Fields of lavender with Mt. Shasta in the background
Yes, mark your calendar for the Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms season – June 12th thru July 18th – because it’s a short season and you don’t want to miss it. The heady scent of lavender and the low buzz of bees greets you as you walk into the rows of lavender, admiring the color around you. Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms is located on a slope above the Shasta Valley where the red soil provides stark contrast to the bring purple flowers. From up on the hillside you can look out of the valley where you have full view of Mt. Shasta as well as the Eddy Mountains. You can walk the straight rows or the arcs of the labyrinth or sit in the shade outside the villa-like farmstand that offers lavender lemonade.
When you go, plan to take your time. Some folks spend time with their camera working to capture the scene while others bring their paints for plein-air painting. You’ll want to make several excursions out into the lavender where you’ll see something new every time. There are tables with umbrellas half way out in the field, so you can stop for some shaded rest as you pick baskets of lavender stems. When you’re done touring the fields, be sure to browse the villa for lavender-inspired products and artwork.
The Little Shasta Church
The Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms is somewhat remote, nestled on the eastern side of the Shasta Valley. Pick up directions from the Farms’ website. On your way to the Farms you’ll be near the Little Shasta Valley (just north of the farm on Harry Cash Road). This is a great area for the Sunday drive of days past where you can see the old steepled church and drive through lush green farm land. Take a map of the area and spend the afternoon driving the back roads before heading back to town. There is plenty see out in the Little Shasta Valley, and you can learn more about it on this older post Touring the Little Shasta Valley and Montague.
Mom and I finally made the trip to the Mt. Shasta Lavender Farms on Saturday, and boy, what a treat – row upon row of brilliant lavender buzzing with happy bees, the scent filling the air and the mountain rising up over the Shasta Valley beyond. We went the in afternoon, when it was hot, but the lavender lemonade in the villa was quite refreshing. When we arrived the Farm was also buzzing with people – some where sitting at shaded tables outside the villa, others were set up in the rows with tripods and cameras in photographic bliss, while a few painters had staked out spots in the field where they were committing the scene to canvas. We saw folks walking the new Lavender Labyrinth, and wandering the rows looking for the perfect stems to take home. The farm is open for just one month a year – from mid June to mid July, when the public can come out and enjoy the setting and cut their own stems. You can get 100 stems for $3, as well as the many treats available in the villa. We came home with the lovely lavender-lemon cookies baked by Ms. Lynn’s Tea in Montague.
The farm is open daily from 9am to 4pm (try to go in the morning if it’s going to be a hot day). It’s located off Highway 97 – turn west onto A-12, then look for the signs. This year the farm is open until July 19th, so get out there while you can.
