[ad_1]
After a visit to a lavender farm, I was very excited to start planting my own lavender garden. I hand-plowed a very small area of ​​soil, added mulch mixed with sand and soil, and prepared my lavender starter pots. I had only purchased four 6 inch starter pots. Within months, they were spreading quite well.
You would never have guessed that Missouri offers at least 10 lavender farms with new farms popping up unexpectedly. Many lavender farms sell produce and their lavender at local farmer’s markets and offer a selection of lavender in their own stores and online. Some have restaurants or cafes and host festivals and events. Visiting a lavender farm is a delicious way to celebrate summer and should definitely be on your annual outing calendar. Check season times online for each location change.
Ozark Wylde Farm
Location and information: Stover (Ozark Wylde Farm on Facebook)
Ozark Wylde Farm is a new lavender and botanical farm in the Lake of the Ozarks area. Opening a farm and herbal business on her family’s breeding farm has been a longtime dream for owner Amy Wilson.
“I thought for a long time about opening some sort of farm store and sort of came up with different ideas for my dad over time. Our farm is located near the highway (highway 135 south), so it is quite accessible to the public, â€explains Amy. “Then I really got into gardening and fresh vegetables and herbs for health after a severe, but relatively brief, flare-up of my guttate psoriasis in 2011/2012. Before and after the flare, I had some minor issues going on with it. I was frustrated with the treatments and started researching on my own and realized that prevention is definitely worth a cure. “
“As a farm child, I grew up gardening, but I became more interested in well-being and a healthier lifestyle. To my dermatologist’s credit, she also made me be more wary of chemical fragrances in skin care products, recommending fragrance-free lotions. But I love a good scent as much as the next girl. It all evolved into the desire to do something with herbs, and lavender is in many ways the queen of herbs. It is so multifunctional and safe to use in personal care products, as well as in food and drink. It is also an easier cash crop to grow and sell due to the hardiness of the plant and its usefulness when dried. You don’t have to sell it fresh, so your product is less perishable, â€explained Amy.
Lavender aromatherapy can relieve anxiety and stress, which are believed to be linked to a number of health benefits, ranging from improved mental cognition in students to less restlessness and better mood for people with dementia, as well as headache and pain relief. Lavender oil has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, making it good for burns and wound healing, and generally good for the skin. It is also a natural insect repellant. Culinary lavender can add a clean sweetness to both sweet and savory dishes. In addition to healthy antioxidants, it is believed that lavender ursolic acid (also found in apples and certain other herbs) may have health benefits by inhibiting cancer and helping the body burn more calories. The anti-inflammatory compounds in lavender also help fight colitis.
The dream of starting a lavender farm really started to take shape in January 2020 when Amy took a leap of faith and ordered 2,000 lavender plants from a farm in Arizona. She had no idea then that she would end up opening a business in the midst of a pandemic.
Missouri was barely out of lockdown when Amy and her father made the trip across the country with masks, a food cooler, and plenty of hand sanitizer to pick up the plants that include two varieties of lavender. English – Buena Vista and Royal Velours – and two varieties of hybrid Dutch or French lavender – Grosso and Provence.
Agriculture waits for no one. The farm has been a largely self-sustaining whirlwind of activity for most of 2020, from planting and watering to harvesting and pruning to make the farm’s first produce by fall. , opening the store in December.
There’s still more to do and more dreams of expansion down the road, but Ozark Wylde items are available in the farmhouse drying shop / barn south of Stover. Dozens of personal care products, from lavender pillows to facial scrubs, are for sale. Culinary products include lavender infused maple syrup (from trees on the farm), chocolate truffles, biscotti, spices and drinks.
Simplicity lavender farm
Location and information: Washburn (www.simplicitylavenderfarm.com, 417-669-9844)
Just over three hours away, this farm is located on the Washburn Prairie in the Ozark Mountains. Simplicity Lavender Farm is a mini paradise. With 2,000 plants and 22 varieties of lavender, the farm is a popular tourist attraction and is truly a sight to behold.
You’ll find an on-farm store stocked with all-natural products produced right from the farm, and a snack shack with lavender ice cream and plenty of other lavender snacks and treats. You will likely be greeted by their extremely friendly and gentle Giant Great Dane, Coleman.
The flower season kicks off with a festival on the first weekend of June (June 12). Guided tours, classes and picking events are held throughout the month.
The belvedere farm
Location & Info: Rocheport (www.lavenderlookout.com, 573-418-3091)
This family-run farm is located in what has been voted “Best Small Town” in Missouri for its access to Katy Trail, award-winning restaurants, and unique guesthouses. Having started with five varieties of lavender in 2018, Lookout Farm will be in full bloom this spring.
The store offers essential oils, soaps, hand sanitizer, culinary lavender, herbal teas, hot cocoa lavender blend, bath salts, sprays, lip balm, candles and more again. Future plans are to offer classes for a variety of creativity with lavender.
Rocheport is less than two hours from the lake.
Lavender Falls Farm
Location and information: Clever (www.lavenderfallsfarm.com, 417-350-7570)
About a two hour drive away, this farmhouse sits at the bottom of the James River Basin, where you can see a 300 foot waterfall meandering up the hillside. A family farm since 2013, their goal is simple: to provide the best, most holistic relaxation products in the Midwest. They are dedicated to using natural ingredients with sustainable agriculture to provide the best care for the family.
There is a cafe on the farm, however, you will need reservations which can be made online. A barn on the property has been renovated, opening the farm extension to a cafe and a special shopping experience. Products include a full line of beauty products, sprays, scrubs and bath salts, as well as lavender edibles such as balsamic glaze, honey and simple syrup.
Long Row Lavender Farms
Location and information: Wright City (www.longrowlavender.com)
Founded in 2009, this family farm is nestled on 15 acres just an hour west of Saint-Louis. The cafe offers a variety of local coffees, teas and homemade desserts. Lunch is served daily from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm After lunch, grab a slice of Long Row Lavender’s signature lavender and lemon bread and stroll through the field.
In Missouri, lavender typically blooms from early to mid-June and is harvested in early July. The barn’s airy attic, designed to dry harvested stems, provides the perfect backdrop for late summer photos. Their mansard-style beam and post barn is also home to a gift shop offering an affordable and upscale mix of interior design, items from local artists, and handmade Lavender Long Row products. From the best-selling lavender bug spray to body butter, to a great range of men’s items and gift sets, there are dozens of items for sale. Tea, honey, lemon-lavender bread mix, brownie mix, and culinary lavender are fun items to take home and share when you have company.
A rural Missouri setting provides the perfect backdrop for events. Located next to the cafe and gift shop, a private area is available to reserve for small gatherings. Interactions with the staff make it clear that their goal is to bless the community across the farm and to bring every guest an uplifting experience.
The farm is open from March 13 to December 11 with seasonal hours Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lavender Swank Farm
Location and information: Seymour (www.www.ozarkian.com, 417-986-7928)
Also known as The Accidental Ozarkian, this is a relatively new family farm. The family began to plant and personally use lavender oil for ailments as well as for its calming and relaxing abilities.
Logan Swank is the owner and custodian of Lavender, along with his wife, April. They moved from Illinois to Missouri and started their lavender plantation. Swank planted Lavandula X intermedia, a hybrid plant from Pennsylvania. They say it is moisture resistant and holds up well to Missouri summers. Lavender hates moisture. They are trying to grow more English Lavender, which is not as winter hardy.
In June, they organize a “You Pick†at the farm. Customers can cut their own lavender and are charged based on the size of their package.
Lavender facts
Lavender has been used for over 2,500 years.
The most common lavender is Lavandula – known as a genus of 47 known species.
Lavender thrives best in dry, well-drained, sandy or gravelly soils in full sun.
There is a long history of lavender used for herbal medicine.
Lavender is most commonly used in aromatherapy, promoting calm and well-being.
The crafts with lavender are endless and while you decide, use it in your bath.
Plant a garden
If you have even a small bed of soil available, why not try lavender? While lavender is beautiful to look at, it is also easy to grow. One of the requirements of the soil is clay, shale and sandstone, which is roughly suitable for our region. It is recommended that Missouri plant in the fall.
[ad_2]
