Garden to Glass: Our Intentional Summer Cocktail Menu

At Itty Bitty Farm, we believe that what goes into your glass should be just as clean, vibrant, and ethically minded as what goes onto your plate. This summer, we are taking our hand-tended, pesticide-free raised beds and transforming them into liquid art.

Our summer cocktail menu pairs our freshly harvested herbs and berries with ethically responsible, progressive distilleries. We proudly and exclusively pour spirits from companies like Republic Restorativesand Future Gin—distilleries that are women-owned, LGBTQIA+-led, and actively fund DEI programs, reproductive freedom, and democratic constitutional defense.

Unpack your shaker, harvest your garden, and sip with a clear conscience.

1. The Heritage Strawberry Basil Smash

The ultimate celebration of mid-summer. The intense aroma of fresh-picked basil cuts beautifully through the deep sweetness of ripe farm strawberries.

• The Spirit Base: Future Gin (Women-owned, queer-operated, California botanical gin)

• Garden Harvest: Fresh strawberries & sweet basil leaves

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Future Gin

• 4 fresh backyard strawberries

• 5–6 fresh basil leaves

• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice

• ½ oz organic simple syrup

• Crushed ice

Instructions:

Drop your fresh strawberries and basil leaves into the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Muddle gently to release the oils and juices without shredding the herbs. Add the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and a handful of ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds, strain into a glass filled with fresh crushed ice, and garnish with a whole berry and a slapped basil leaf.

2. The Golden Hour Bourbon Lavender Sour

Lavender can easily overwhelm a drink, but when balanced with the rich, caramel undertones of an exceptional bourbon and bright citrus, it creates a deeply relaxing evening sip.

• The Spirit Base: Borough Bourbon by Republic Restoratives (LGBTQIA+-led, outspoken defenders of social justice)

• Garden Harvest: Fresh culinary lavender spikes

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Borough Bourbon

• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice

• ¾ oz homemade lavender simple syrup (recipe below)

• Optional: 1 tbsp aquafaba (chickpea water) for a vegan, frothy foam top

Instructions:

To make the syrup, simmer equal parts organic sugar and water with 2 tablespoons of dried or fresh lavender spikes for 5 minutes, strain, and cool. Combine your bourbon, lemon juice, lavender syrup, and aquafaba in a shaker. Shake dry (without ice) first to build the foam, then add ice and shake until frost forms on the metal. Strain into a coupe glass and float a single fresh lavender sprig on top.

3. The Raised-Bed Cucumber Mint Mojito

Crisp, cooling, and completely revitalizing after a long afternoon weeding the garden beds. This twist on a classic replaces basic white rum with high-character, purpose-driven spirits.

• The Spirit Base: Purpose Rye or Civic Spirits by Republic Restoratives (or your favorite responsibly sourced, fair-trade white rum)

• Garden Harvest: Fresh mint sprigs & crisp garden cucumbers

Ingredients:

• 2 oz responsible white rum or clean spirit

• 3 thick slices of fresh garden cucumber

• 8–10 fresh mint leaves

• ¾ oz fresh lime juice

• ½ oz organic simple syrup

• Club soda to top

Instructions:

Muddle the cucumber slices, mint leaves, and simple syrup in the bottom of a tall Collins glass. Be gentle with the mint—you just want to bruise it to release the refreshing menthol oils, not tear it. Fill the glass with ice cubes, pour in the rum and fresh lime juice, and stir from the bottom up. Top with a splash of crisp club soda and garnish with a thin cucumber ribbon and a slapped sprig of mint.

🌟 Farmer's Tip for Maximizing Herb Flavor

Never just drop your herbs straight into a glass! To get that high-end restaurant aroma, always slap your herbs first. Place the mint or basil leaves in the palm of one hand and give them a firm smack with the other. This instantly bursts the microscopic oil capillaries on the surface of the leaf, releasing an intense wave of fresh aromatics right as you take your first sip.