These long, warm days mean blackberries are in full swing! Last week a group of intrepid members of our team headed out of the city to pick blackberries for our latest delicious frozen treat: Blackberry Lemon Verbena Sorbet!

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Our adventure took us up the road to the lovely Garden Treasures Nursery & Organic Farm in Arlington. The day was hot and the brambles were prickly, but we couldn’t have asked for a better host for the day than Farmer Matt, who knew just how to tackle the intimidating brambles to reveal the plump, ripe fruit within!

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Garden Treasures is a family-owned and operated farm of 40 acres, situated on rich bottom valley soil. They are committed to sustainable farming practices, are certified organic and certified Salmon-Safe, and use crop rotation to prevent weeds and preserve healthy soil naturally.

by Benjamin Blackketter

Community involvement is a high priority for them, with many services available to the public. A large selection of U-Pick fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers is available from May through October. They also have a nursery and garden center full of plants, trees, and gardening supplies. Their well-stocked farm store stocks only organic and natural food, straight from the Garden Treasures fields with selections from other like-minded farmers as well. They are longtime participants in a local farmer’s market and offer a seasonal CSA program! We love Garden Treasures’ commitment to sustainable practice and community involvement and are excited to feature their blackberries in our latest Farm Fresh treat.

by Benjamin Blackketter

We spent the afternoon picking blackberries, one by one, by hand, so that we can bring you the freshest and delicious of sorbets to celebrate this blackberry season. The Blackberry Lemon Verbena Sorbet marries these fresh, juicy blackberries with an infusion of lemon zest and lemon verbena. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, citrus and herbal and we can’t wait for you to try it! Be on the lookout for it to arrive in cafes next week! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to be the first to know when it’s available, then join us for a scoop at our Capitol Hill, Ballard, 108 Pine and Queen Anne cafes or for a pint at all of our locations, including our West Seattle and Madrona cafes. We look forward to seeing you!

by Benjamin Blackketter