Lockwood Lavender Farm

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!