Grace & Matthew harvesting
Bees just love the lavender flower!
An afternoons work.

::ABOUT US::

We moved to our current property `Leven K’ in January 2000, a new start to the millennium and a new lifestyle. The property had previously farmed tobacco so we inherited many tobacco industry remnants including three drying barns.

Our first 200 trial lavender plants were planted in September of 2001. We planted 40 each of Dentata, Allardii, Angustifolia `Twickel purple’, Intermedia `Super’ & `Grosso’ in September of that first year. In the October/November 2001 we had a modest harvest for our own use. We were very excited the plants had survived! A further 300 plants were purchased in March 2002 `Twickel Purple’, `Swampy’ and `Bee’ along with approximately 50 of our own cuttings. The day after planting these we received 6.5 inches of rain and 40 degree heat. We lost a few plants from this wet weather as the ground stayed damp for a week or more. We sold this harvest as stripped product to a local business and we were very happy with the result.

The Frosts in winter 2002 were extreme for the area and we lost all of our Dentata and a lot of Allardii however the intermedia and angustifolia varieties tolerated the conditions reasonably well. Another 800 angustifolia and intermedia lavender and 170 rosemary were planted in 2003. Another 1200 angustifolia and intermedia plants were planted in 2004.  In the March & April of 2005 another 955 plants (varieties Bee, Egerton Blue, Grosso, Maillette and Swampy).  Continuous planting occurs as varieties reach their use by date, usually lasting about 7 years on average.  The new House patch (800 odd plants) was started in 2007 and continuous planting and replacements are always happening.  80% of our annual crop goes into distillations with the other 20% for craft and dried products.

In 2004 our still was built to Matthew’s design by a local boilermaker. Our first distillation was done in November 2004 with wonderful results. One of our first distillation batches (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Swampy’) won first prize at the 2005 TALGA conference oil competition. At the 2006 TALGA conference oil competition the same variety Lavandula angustifolia ‘Swampy’ won 3rd prize. We were thrilled with both of these results. In 2007 our Lavandula angustifolia ‘Maillette’ won first prize at theTALGA conference. 2008 saw us once again win the annual lavender oil competition with our distillation of Lavandula angustifolia ‘Bee’.

Our shed shop is open by appointment only, however the best time to see the Lavender is between November & February when the flowers are at there peak.  Our SHED SHOP is filled with lavender goodies ranging from lavender essential oil, linen, china, wheat bags, creams and balms.

We have done all the planting, harvesting, weeding, stripping, distilling, crying, laughing and whingeing on our own with the help of Grace, Laurie and Hamish (our beautiful children).

The lavender is a common interest for both of us which we feel can diversify our business to a new level. If nothing else the enjoyment from growing such a beautiful plant is reward enough on its own.

Kellie and Matthew Oxenford