LAVENDER
April 1st (April Fools Day) 2004, sounded like a good day to plant…or should I say, start planting! It took about 2 weeks and many man/woman hours to get all 1200 plants snuggled in their beds. And, by July we were harvesting! In three short months the plants grew from 2” to about 8” round and they bloomed heartily. I was a bit unprepared, but undaunted. With the help of friends and family, we crawled up and down the hillsides and hand picked, stripped, sorted, wrapped, bundled and hung to dry our first crop. The plants bloom once a year, and will continue to yield their lush and fragrant blossoms until they are 7 to 10 years old.
There are plenty of opportunities to get involved with future harvests. Hand harvesting a hillside of lavender in the early morning with the sun just getting warm and the summit fog moving over you is simply breathtaking. The deer forget you’re there and wander up the rows. In the “lavender house”, we sit around a big table and sort and strip and bundle the wands. The scent of lavender is so heavy, it clings to your skin and stays in your clothes and hair after you’ve gone. It’s a magical, age-old process amidst an aromatherapy session. Reschedule your therapist, come harvest some lavender instead!
U CUT Lavender:
Cut your own lavender when it’s ready to harvest…end of July and into August. Check website for timing!
Products:
- Dryer Bags/Laundry Room Aromatherapy: $5 per bag, 4 for $18.
- Sachets: For putting in drawers and suitcases or hanging in closets, cars, or on bedposts. Various styles and colors. $8-$20 Eye Pillows: Made with lavender sachet and flax seed. Heat in microwave or put in freezer, whichever soothes you the most. $12
- Lavender Rice Bags: Heat in your microwave for incredibly soothing, moist heat, to relieve muscle pain or tummy aches. Various sizes and colors $15-$22
- Lavender Mist: For rooms, linens, or a refreshing spritz for face and body. $10
- Bath Salts: $8
- Soap: $6
- Lavender Laced Tea: Organic Culinary Lavender mixed with olive leaf, black, white or herb teas. $12-$18