SLO LIFE Jun/Jul 2017

Treat Yourself for 2017!
Did you know?
Lavender is part of the mint family—Lamiaceae of order
Lamiales—a worldwide family that includes herbs, small
shrubs, and a few medium to very large trees. Lavender
is native to the Western Mediterranean region where
bees gather nectar from fields of lavender, producing a
monofloral honey that is sold at a premium.
For years, I’ve heard of the purple fields in North County that lace
the air with the lovely aroma of Grosso Lavender. Over the freeway
and through the back roads of Atascadero there is a beautiful, quaint
lavender farm called Harmony Lavender. Thrilled to hear the local
farm schedules tours and provides education about the process of
farming and distilling lavender oil for use in food and home products, I
couldn’t wait to explore.
Atascadero is full of surprises, and finding our way through a residential neighborhood
to a private driveway with a sign for Harmony Lavender, was unexpected. Turning
down the path, we were welcomed by rows of beautiful bushes blooming with long
purple blossoms. We were greeted by Claudia Estrada, the passionate grower and
cheerful tour guide.
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We started off admiring the lavender fields. The farm boasts 2,000 plants. What began
as a hobby with just two plants, Estrada started crafting soaps and gifts for her friends.
I love hearing stories of people’s passions turning into business ventures, and the
blossoming of Estrada’s lavender farm is just that.
“I like to do everything natural. I’d make soaps and things as gifts for friends. At the
time we used our land for raising our [American] Paint Horses, but once my daughter
moved away to go to college, I wasn’t sure what to do with the land. A friend of mine
suggested, ‘Why don’t you do what you love and grow lavender?’” shared Estrada.
The business launched in 2009 with the purchase of 500 Grosso Lavender plants. The
Grosso varietal is one of the largest lavender plants grown, and the smell is more strong
than sweet. It grows heartily in Central Coast microclimates.
Our tour began with a view of the plants and discussion around what it takes to farm
and grow lavender. We learned the full process, the expected yield, and walked the
beautiful barn used to dry and sift the buds. In her biggest year, Estrada recalls storing
600 pounds of lavender buds.
She then took us into her workshop where she distills the
lavender and it felt like being in a chemistry class again to
watch her in action. From there, we viewed her gift shop with
all the products she’s created over the years from soaps, to face
balm, to the extract she sells to a local gelato maker.
We ended the tour by sitting under an awning next to a garden,
while Estrada served us homemade lavender Arnold Palmers
and lavender cookies. It was a beautiful finale to such an
educational tour. SLO LIFE
PADEN HUGHES is
co-owner of Gymnazo
and enjoys exploring
the Central Coast.
www.slogreengoods.com
JUN/JUL 111 2017 South | St. SLO SLO LIFE 805 MAGAZINE 543 9900 | 71