When you think of Leavenworth, what comes to mind? Octoberfest and wienerschnitzel? Saltwater taffy and cuckoo clocks? Maybe snow-covered peaks and cross-country skiing.
Sure, the state’s own Bavarian village over Stevens Pass on U.S. 2, is a great tourist destination for all of the above, but there’s a retreat you may not see unless you venture outside of town and up Icicle Road: Sleeping Lady resort, a complex on 67 acres with a conference center, accommodations, spa, restaurant and wine bar, and organic gardens and a greenhouse that produce fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs throughout the year.
On the second and fourth summer Saturdays through September, Sleeping Lady’s garden manager, Eron Drew, conducts free tours beginning at 4 p.m.
Drew will explain the environmentally friendly growing techniques, natural fertilization, crop rotation and soil improvements. The next tour is scheduled for Aug. 11. Make reservations in advance at the resort’s Kingfisher Restaurant for a meal from the garden’s bounty.
A special local harvest dinner is offered Aug. 26. It begins at 5 p.m. with a tasting of wines from Chelan Estate Winery and Theo Chocolate along with a garden tour at 5:30 and family-style dinner at 6 created by executive chef Ken MacDonald.
The menu includes seasonal stone fruit, gazpacho, lamb racks with rosemary salt, and organic potatoes and vegetables from the gardens. The harvest dinner is $45 for adults, $17 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for children 4 and younger.
Make restaurant reservations and overnight accommodations online at www.sleepinglady.com or by calling 800-574-2123. See the website’s events calendar for upcoming harvest dinners and special events and packages.
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