It is very hot today. Part of the crew has settled into the Arbor Garden for the day to sort Red Shiso. This time of year we need to finish sorting the rest of the Red Shiso from last season so the building where we hang the Red Shiso is empty and ready for this year’s crop.

When we sort, we pluck and save only the most purple leaves from each stalk of the plant. It takes a long time to do but it’s the reason why our Flower Essences are pink. I just went out there to take this photo. Everyone was laughing. There was a bit of a breeze and it was nice and shady under the grape vines. The dogs, of course, were out there supervising.

Speaking of Red Shiso, so far, so good. The leaves look a nice deep maroon. We are hopeful that the crop will dry a deeper purple than last year’s crop which dried mostly green.

William, Jim, and Lizzy took a day last week to climb Mt. Liberty and Mt. Flume in the White Mountains. Will and Jim have decided to try and climb all 48 of the peaks over 4,000 feet tall. Here they are resting at the top of Mt. Liberty.

Here they are on Mt. Flume. Guess what number Mt. Flume is for the boys? Only 45 to go!

Back at the ranch, we are enjoying our new 3 bottle boxes. They look like Skittles and we love ’em.

In the office we do not climb mountains, we make them! Here is a small mountain of orders ready to fly out the door to you!

And because it is the summer of 2006, when it rains ( and it rains most every day) it pours and everything is about two feet taller than normal and sooooooo green!