We're Back!

After a much needed break after the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival, planting, harvesting, distilling, pruning and getting the farm ready for the winter. I now have some time to post what we have been up to.

Yes, we have another field of lavender started.   400 Grosso plants with grass planted between the rows was planted east of the rest of our lavender fields and was developed for a future project. 

Meet Cora!  Cora is a senior from a local high school. Her senior project is to shadow a entrepreneur through their normal work day and write a report on her experience.  I think we are both learning something about ourselves.  She has been a BIG help!

Much to our surprise we have lavender to harvest in October.  Our Buena Vista bloomed for a second time late into October.

In September we held our volunteer appreciation dinner.

We are blessed to have such supportive old and new friends.

October brought us to the United State Lavender Growers Association conference in Richmond, Virginia. This 3 day event focused on the use of lavender essential oil with expert Dr. Robert Tisserand, the current research in the lavender industry with Dr. Curtis Swift and  Dr. Sean Westerveld and agritourism, success stories and so much more.  

I was asked to sit on a "Farmers Insight Panel".  Taking questions and giving answers to what works in our part of the country in growing lavender.  It was great to make connections and disgust our own issues with growers from across the United States.  We will be participating in a number of studies to better produce a healthy lavender plant and to develop a quality lavender essential oil. 

With a over night stay in Washington DC we are back home waiting for the snow to fly....Ugh!

When to pick lavender? This weekend!

The lavender is in bloom and ready to be harvested. Knowing when to pick lavender can sometimes be complicated. I found this great article by Andy Van Havelingen that explains when to pick lavender for drying. We met Andy at the North America Lavender Conference in 2008 and I think he is the guru of lavender. 

The Allure of Lavender

 Fine Gardening magazine

When harvesting flowers for everlastings, I check the dark flower heads daily and collect them only at the swollen bud stage, when just one or two of the flowers have opened on the flower head. Picking the flower heads at this time preserves their dark color and ensures that the flowers will stay attached to the stalk once dried. Picking flower heads once they have passed this stage results in paler flower colors and shattered flower heads. When harvesting lavender for potpourri, I'm less concerned about shattered flower heads and flower colors than I am when collecting flowers for drying on the stalk to make everlastings. I don't harvest white or pink flowering varieties for drying on the stalk, as their colors turn muddy when dried. However, they are fine for potpourri or sachet making. L. angustifolia and its cultivars are the best lavenders to use for potpourri because the oil quality is the best.


Lavandin is the only lavender to use for wand making, as its stalks are 18 to 24 inches long. When cutting fresh lavender stalks for a wand, I cut at the base of the stalk, right at the point of the first leaf. I use my pruners, but a sharp pair of scissors can also be used. Once the stalks are cut, I gather a handful together and secure them with a rubber band and lay them flat until I'm ready to bring them inside.
When drying single flower stalks, I lay them out in rows on newspapers in a dark, dry room. Keeping the flowers out of sunlight preserves their color. When drying large amounts, I hang the handful I collected in the garden from hooks in my barn, where there's plenty of air circulation and low light. It usually takes one to two weeks for lavender flowers to dry in hot summer weather. I check them every couple of days to make sure no mold has developed. The lavender scent volatizes quickly, but it can be refreshed by adding lavender oil or crushing some of the flowers. Store dried lavender out of direct sunlight to preserve its color and scent.

Here are the varieties of lavender you can pick this holiday weekend. 

 Buena Vista

Folgate

Hidcote

Royal Velvet

Purple Bouquet

 

 We will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 9 -3.

Even Gracie can't resist the smell of lavender.

Garden Clubs and Organizations are Welcomed to the Farm.

This week we had the pleasure of hosting four organizations to our farm.  I shared how to grow and care for lavender and received some great questions.

Manlius Herb Society

 Onondaga Garden Club

I became a member of the Skaneateles Garden Club last year and have enjoyed the many horticulture speakers and friendship that have developed.  And look forward to community events and promoting the love of flowers and gardening.

Visitors from Stella Maris Retreat.

Fairmont Garden Club

They were fortunate to be here when the Munstead Lavender was in bloom and got to cut bouquets.

If  you or your organization would love to visit our farm call or email us.  We would love to share our love of lavender.

I have been feeling so guilty for a couple of weeks about not blogging.  But between opening our lavender market, planting lavender, flowers and other herbs, weeding and planning the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival I have found little time to do anything but fall into bed at night.

Here's our last two weeks in review.  I think you will see just how busy we've been.

Our lavender market is now open on Saturday's and Sunday's from 9 - 3pm offering our lavender and honey products.

 Butterflies everywhere.

 Our Honey supply is limited this time of year so make sure you buy some before it's gone.

Butterflies!  They are so important for pollinating our lavender.  I thought I would honor them with a new theme in our market.

Come in and check out our new Finger Lakes Summer Survival Kit.

Our Skeeter Cheater All Natural Herbal Bug Repellent is back in stock.  It contains NO DEET! and sells fast.  Stop by the farm and pick up some before they (back flies, mosquitoes) do.

 And if you forget our Skeeter Cheater stop the itch with Ahhh! for relief.

For gardener who like to get dirty try our Gardener's Herbal Hand Soap with Pumice and finger nail brush. It makes a great gift for the gardener in your family or friend. And our Gardener's Hand Cream with Shea Butter to help smooth those callus's.

New tables for the festival in the process of being painted.

For the longest time I have wanted to be a Master Gardener.  And after 6 months of classes studying

• Landscapes
• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Herbs
• Houseplants
• Beneficial and harmful insects
• Plant diseases
• Integrated pest management (IPM)
• Wildlife management
• Soils
• Birds
• Composting
• Water conservation
• And much, much more

I am one test away from becoming one.  This corp of volunteers are trained by Cornell Cooperative Extension in the art of gardening and help with:

• Answering horticultural inquiries on the telephone
• Researching and answering letters
• Writing articles about gardening
• Setting up demonstration projects in public places
• School gardens
• Community improvement projects
• Historic garden restoration
• Horticultural therapy
• Organizing plant sales and public events
• County fair informational booths
• Providing advice to customers at garden centers
• Increasing awareness of integrated pest management, water quality conservation and other environmental issues.
  I look forward to using this information to help my community and educate our visitors at the farm.

Hay!

Gary and I have always felt we should give back to our community.  The last 2 weeks we have been selling lavender plants to benefit the Skaneateles Area Food Pantry.  We were so impressed by how fast the plants sold.  One gentleman buying 216 to plant on his property for his wedding next summer.  So Sweet!  The bride is one lucky girl!  We will giving the Food Pantry a check for $1000 during the lavender festival.

Last Saturday we held one of our workshops on growing lavender.  And despite the rain we had a wonderful turn out. Although we didn't get our hands dirty everyone seem to enjoy the day and our information on growing lavender successfully.

 A comment from one of our workshop participants: 

The workshop was informative and interesting and we really appreciated your sharing your successes and some of the things that should be avoided!  Looking forward to coming out and cutting when the first lavender is ready.  I'll be watching your blog. 

On Wednesday we welcomed Innkeeper's from the Finger Lakes and Central New York area to visit our farm.  Although it was a 94 degree day everyone enjoy the tour, lavender tea and sweet delights.

 

 Just some of the Innkeeper's enjoying sweet delights and conversation.

  Everyone went home with our Spirit Lavender Linen Spray.

 

The girls from Sweet Praxis baked these heavenly Lavender-Vanilla Mini Cupcakes and Lemon Macarons.  And I made the Cheesecake and Lavender Fudge Strawberries.  I promise to post the recipe for the Strawberries.

We are a week away from a few varieties of lavender ready to be picked.  Follow us on Facebook and watch for updates on u pick dates available.

 Dark Supreme will be available next weekend.

 Buena Vista will also be available next weekend.  It's beautiful fresh or dried.

 Munstead and Folgate will be available next week.  Munstead is great for culinary uses.

Gracie has had a tough week.  She went to the Vet on Monday to be spade and came home with the cone of shame.  She had to go back on Thursday because she wasn't drinking enough water and eating and needed an iv.

 She's back to normal today wanting to so much to corral the sheep.  She'll have to wait another week before she can enter the pasture. 

This week we welcome the Manlius Herb Society, Onondaga Garden Club and Fairmont Garden Club to the farm to learn more about lavender.  We look forward to their visit.

Their I finally completed a blog post.  I feel so much better, but some how a little exhausted by reviewing my week.  The Finger Lakes Lavender Festival is a month away! UGH!

Workshop on how to grow lavender this Saturday!

Just a reminder:

Saturday, June 4th at 1:00 we will be offering a workshop on how to grow lavender. Rain or shine.  So grab your garden gloves and lets get dirty!

Lavender Plants for Sale to benefit the Skaneateles Area Food Pantry! SOLD OUT!

Lockwood Lavender Farm will be selling (cash or check) Royal Velvet Lavender plants while the supply last for $5.00 each to benefit the Skaneateles Area Food Pantry.  
Our lavender market is open Saturday's and Sunday's, from 9 - 3 and during the 4th Annual Finger Lakes Lavender Festival, Saturday, July 9th and Sunday, July 10th, 9 -5.
Royal Velvet Lavender has deep purple flower spikes and is hardy to our zone 5.  It can be harvested fresh as a bouquet and dries well.  The buds can be used for culinary purposes or aromatherapy.

We will also be offering a workshop on how to grow lavender successfully on Saturday, June 4th at 1:00 rain or shine.  So grab your garden gloves and lets get dirty!

Visit www.fingerlakeslavenderfestival.blogspot.com for more information about the Finger Lakes Lavender Festival.

Gardener's number one enemy...VOLES

I love animals period!  But their is a creature that is running havoc on the farm and mostly in our field of lavender.

VOLES!

Cute right....WRONG!  Sometimes I think I am in the movie Caddy Shack and this little creature is out in our field dancing around laughing at me.

People often refer to voles as meadow mice, or "field mice".  Voles are of pest significance in turf and landscaped areas for two reasons; they tunnel and burrow in turf areas, and they gnaw on the trunks and roots of various trees and ornamental plants. 

When conditions are favorable, voles are perhaps the most prolific of all rodents. There are cases of meadow voles producing up to 17 litters in one year for an amazing 83 offspring. Assuming that her offspring also mated and reproduced, several thousand voles could result from one female in a years time. You can see why this could be a big problem in our lavender field.

You can see in the picture that the voles got into our cold frame of propagated lavender.  Although it was disappointing to see that they chewed all the new growth.  We learned our lesson and will be putting a bottom floor in the cold frame this spring for a new propagating trial. 

It seems that its the smaller lavender plants that are effected.  This might look like the last straw for this plant,  but it is surprising how the voles have been our best pruners.  But year after year this will not be good for the stress of the plant.
Voles are herbivores. The stems and leaves of grasses comprise the majority of their diet, but they will also consume other green vegetation and fruits. Voles do not hibernate and are active throughout the year. During severe winters and snow cover, when green vegetation is scarce, voles often girdle tree trunks and roots killing or damaging trees and shrubs.

They are in the process of chewing the middle of this plant.  We have used mouse snap traps, installing them with the trigger end in there runway path. A peanut butter-oatmeal mixture or apple slices make good baits. Fall and late winter are periods when many vole species are easiest to trap. With our large field it is difficult to keep up.

Zinc phosphide is the most commonly used toxicant for vole control. Because of its effect on ground-feeding birds and waterfowl we refuse to use it.
I have been to a number of talks on controlling this little pests. One suggestion it to plant with chicken grit which can be found at your local farm store.  Because voles don't like to dig in the grit they will stay away.  This is great if you are planting tulips or any other tubular or bulbs.  I don't think it will help the lavender.

Springs warmer weather is not far off and we hope the voles will find something else to eat.  Hopefully not my tulips.