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!

Pick Your Own Bouquet at Lockwood Lavender Farm

Three varieties will be available to pick this weekend.  Munstead, Folgate and Buena Vista.

Wonderful for culinary uses.

 Munstead

 Folgate

BuenaVista

We are open Saturday, Sunday & Monday 10 - 5

Ian and Elizabeth Get Married!

Remember Ian and Elizabeth (read more)...

He popped the question...

and she said Yes!

They got Married!

The lavender in Elizabeth's bouquet came from our farm.

and also a few sprigs of lavender for their napkin/menu place cards.

They also purchased 70 of our travel size, lavender spray for their visiting guests gift bags.

Their reception was held at Anyela's Vineyard which is about 2 miles from our farm. 

We wish them love and happiness for many years to come!

Lavender Farms in Sequim, Washington

While my kids and niece traveled to the coast of Washington and my brother and sister in law toured Snoqualmie.  Gary and I headed to Sequim,Washington home of the lavender capital of North America.

Snoqualmie Falls

You can't start the day in Sequim until you stop at The Oak Table Cafe for breakfast.  We discovered this place eight years ago when we came to our first Sequim Lavender Festival.  

Gary had Pigs in a Blanket - Three buttermilk pancakes wrapped around link sausages and I had...

Brandied Peach French Crepe - Peaches simmered in a sauce enhanced with peach brandy and wrapped in crepes.  I couldn't finish it all...oh so good!

Before we left home I contacted the owners of Washington Lavender Farm and the George Washington Inn, Janet Abbott and her husband Dan to arrange a tour.

Janet met us at the entrance of  her 5 star luxury bed and breakfast.  The Inn was inspired by Mount Vernon and built as a replica of George Washington's home.  It was such a peaceful and beautiful place.  Now this is a reason to come back and visit again.

A beautiful view from the porch of the inn overlooks the Strait of San Juan.

The Washington Lavender Shop is the home of "Martha's Own" and "By George" lavender products.  Offering soaps, lotions, and so much more.

A welcoming view to the Inn with the Olympic Mountains in the background.

Washington Lavender is one of the many farms that belong to the  Sequim Lavender Farmers Association. 

Our next stop is Purple Haze Lavender Farm.  This 12 acre certified organic lavender farm contains more than 15,000 lavender plants of more than 50 varieties.  They are also one of the original founders of the Sequim Lavender Festival.

They also offer honey from there beehives in both of their shop locations.  One in village of Sequim and also on the farm.

Their certified organic lavender oil comes straight out of their fields.  It's steam-distilled from their Melissa (Lavendula Angustafolia) variety or their Grosso (Lavendula Intermedia) variety and is aged to a deep, rich, wonderfully sweet fragrance.  Did you know that not all lavender essential oil is alike?  I'll explain later... in another blog entree.

Their distillation system is located outside under cover.

On the way home we also stopped at Sunshine Herb and Lavender Farm

It is located just outside the village of Sequim.

Their lavender products are handcrafted by Carmen, one of the owners.  I have never seen so many lavender products in one location.

My son, Casey and daughter, Mandy taking in the coast of Washington.

That concludes our vacation to Washington.  We had a wonderful time spending it with family and showing them one of the states we love.  Next weeks blog:  One of our favorite couples gets married.

Life After the Lavender Festival!

Summer Bouquet Honey harvest is here!  Gary and I are sticking together (honey humor) and determined to get all of our honey harvested before our wedding anniversary this week.

This week we reached the 20th day of over 90 degrees.  And being in a beekeepers suit is not one of my favorite things to do when it's so hot.  But again we have been blessed with some very productive honey bee and the honey can't wait.

Bee's at Work!

We have the Lavender Hill Mob to thank for our bounty of honey.

As many of our visitors to the farm have noted our bee's have been very busy in our lavender field this year.

And this is the results.

Our honey is sold in these 8 oz and 16 oz 1800's Antique Muth Bottles with cork.  A great gift for out of town guests or for yourself.  And after the nectar is gone is makes a great spice bottle or vase for flowers (lavender).

You can pick up some of our yummy honey at our Lavender Market on the farm every Saturday and Sunday from 9 -4 till Labor Day.

All of our Lavender has been harvested.  I still have some cleaning to do in the field.  Now we wait for some our lavender to bloom for a second time.  We will need some much needed rain for that to happen.

Gary and I have built some new racks for drying our lavender.  It is so much easier then hanging with paperclips and chains.

 Some will be sold for dried bouquets and the rest will be used for sachets.

 We have also had a few new additions to our flock of sheep.  Seeing a new born lamb never gets old.

Yes, I have played hooky a couple of time to go swimming in Skaneateles Lake.  Can you blame me...look at that view.  And the water temperature is oh so fine!

Looking towards the village of Skaneateles.

 The bee's still have some flowers to visit.

And as the sunsets over our field of sunflowers we know we have put in a good days work and fun!