2016 Lavender Farm Plans!

It's midway through January 2016 and our plans for the lavender farm are in full swing.   Over the past year we've prayed, planned, worked, researched and finally have taken the leap of faith to construct a beautiful barn!!  Just ask Jayson, our patient and accommodating sales associate from Sand Creek Post and Beam and he would vouch for the number of revisions and questions we had during the creative phase of our dream.  September 11, 2015 the barn arrived and we have been watching as each week our dream becomes more and more of a reality!!

Our BIG plans are to OPEN our lavender farm to the public this spring!!!!  We are shooting for an official OPENING to be the first weekend in April!!  We hope to become a destination place where families can take in God's good gift of creation while learning about and experiencing the benefits of lavender.  Our minds swirl with anticipation as we think of great things to share with you all!!  We are very excited and quite nervous as we feel the pinch of passing time and April quickly approaches!!

So, I'll leave you to enjoy a peek through the many phases of our "barn raising" and we hope to see each of you this spring when we OPEN!!!

Much love,

Tracy

Preparing for Winter

The blooming season for our lavender has come to an end for 2014 and you'd think life
at the farm would slow down just a bit.  I suppose it has to some degree and yet this time also begins
 the big count down, the count down to the first frost!  With the frost on its way
 comes what is affectionately known as "the list".

Gardening is a lot like a race . . . a race against time and weather.  In the spring we race
against the rains to prepare the soil, clean up the fields, sow grass seed, ready irrigation lines, replace lavender and more. . . all to prepare for the great awakening of the plants and the June
bloom to come!
But the fall of the year seems to carry more tasks and pressure to get the lavender
 nicely tucked in weeks before the first frost.

 That's where "the list" comes into play.  Our list helps us prioritize the things that "must get done" and plan our weekends so in the end we have measured productivity.  Our list this fall was loaded - cut wood, blow out irrigation lines, gather leaves, do the final weeding and harvesting of the lavender, assemble a green house and so much more.  The one item we were almost giddy to have completed was giving the lavender a hard pruning in time to
recover a bit before the first frost.  With the temperatures so cold this past week
and a dusting of snow already on the ground - we are especially thankful our
 lavender was ready! Oh and the plants!  They look so happy, compact, and cute after their
 awesome haircut.  Twenty-one rows, approximately 190 feet long pruned and ready for
 winter gives cause for celebration!   Here are a few pictures of our winter-ready beauties.

  What's on your list?  How do you make your tasks manageable and complete?
We are always open to encouragement and fresh ideas!

 

Our earliest bloomer, the Folgate variety has made its appearance for 2013.  There will be six additional varieties to follow.  Folgate will have almost iridescent, periwinkle blue flowers on 8-10 inch stems.  Let the season begin!

Life on the lavender farm has proven to be a challenge this summer due to the drought we and much of the country are experiencing.  Although the lavender is on a drip system and we faithfully water everyday, there is nothing like God rain.  Today, I woke up early, spending some quiet time I prayed again that God might bless us with some rain.  Still being pretty sleepy I fell back to sleep on the couch.  To my surprise and utter joy I awoke to the sounds of rain falling through the leaves in the trees.  What a welcome sound!  What a welcome answer to prayer!  I was giddy!  It rained all morning and the earth, as well as our lavender, sang praises to our Lord for His blessing!