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It’s been a while but finally our Lavender is nearing the time to harvest for the first time.

We’ve taken the spare time created the Covid19 to develop some products to support our other business Lanna Thai Massage.

We have decided to make some differing products but all will be in the form of balms. Lavender will be the primary base but we are developing others from Extra Virgin Olive Oil, pharmaceutical grade Bees Wax and naturally sourced or our own ingredients.

We should be in production by the middle of July, 2020.

It must be hard for all farmers. Plant the seeds and just water and wait and wait months for your product to develop.

Lavender is a bit different you get to wait for at least a year for a small yield and it hasn’t totally developed to full production for about 3 seasons. You mostly weed weed and weed some more. Lavender doesn’t like competition. Our main weed is grass as we planted in a field. We put down heavy landscape fabric but that isn’t quite heavy enough and we will replace 5 fifty foot rows with Commercial fabric before winter and with luck that will do it.

We have a metered automatic watering system of drip irrigation. We have to test the amount of water in the soil until the plants have fully developed and adjust the amount every couple of days. Lavender doesn’t like wet roots so we keep it on the dry side. We weed about once a week or when we feel motivated and we wait, wait and wait some more.

That’s about all there is to Lavender Farming or at least until the plants are into production.

• 1/2 cup Epsom salt
• 1/2 cup Mediterranean Sea salt
• 1/2 cup oatmeal (powdered in a blender)
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary (crushed or chopped)
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender buds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 to 10 drops of lavender essential oil (oprional)

Combine the ingredients and transfer it to a mason jar with lid. Let it rest for a couple of days so the oils are incorporated. Add a handful of lavender bath salts to warm bath water. The epsom salts in this recipe help relieve sore muscles and the lavender will help relieve stress. Rosemary adds aroma to the mix and can help protect skin cells from damage often caused by the sun and free radicals.

Since ancient times lavender has been recommended for people suffering from insomnia or other sleep disorders. People stuffed their pillows with lavender flowers to help them fall asleep and get a better night’s rest.

Today, we use lavender to treat headaches and nervousness or restlessness. Massage therapists sometimes apply lavender oil to the skin, which may function both as a calming agent and a sleep aid. In Germany, lavender tea has been approved as a supplement to treat sleep disruptions, restlessness, and stomach irritation.

Lavender is most commonly used in aromatherapy. The fragrance from the oils of the lavender plant is believed to help promote calmness and wellness. It’s also said to help reduce stress, anxiety, and possibly even mild pain. A recent study found that topically applying lavender, plus sage and rose, could reduce the severity of menstrual cramps.

We have finished the planting of our first group of lavender. It’s all mulched with landscape fabric. automatic drip irrigation and weed control.

Now all we have to do is tend the plants, control the weeds and wait.