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Future smells sweet for lavendar growers
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By WENDY MITCHELL
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BROOKSVILLE -- Tucked into a picturesque corner of Bracken County, Lavender Hills of Kentucky is looking toward the future, and the future is an aromatic shade of purple.
Changes affecting tobacco farming have sprouted a first in alternative crops for Kentucky, the Lavender Hills Of Kentucky lavender farm.
Begun in 2004 as the brainchild of Denise Scaringi, daughter of Judy and Charles "Sonny" Brothers of Conrad Ridge Road, Brooksville, Lavender Hills of Kentucky took shape on a small section of the family farm just a few miles from Brooksville.
Plants were bought as seedlings and transplanted into larger pots until grown large enough to be set into the rows of protective plastic covered soil, a hands-on procedure, not unlike the activities previously attributed to tobacco farming, but resulting in a plant that may live for 15-20 years.
"Right now it covers about three-tenths of an acre," said Sonny Brothers of the nearly 400 lavender plants growing below his home.
Taking threes years to mature, 750 bundles gathered from the young crop were a good sign the plants like the location, said Judy Brothers.
"Lavender likes well-drained soil in a sunny location. The slope near the house gave them that. They do not like their feet wet," she said.
Scaringi has plans to expand the crop each year until it reaches the corner of Parina Road, said her mother.
In the meantime, Sonny Brothers is in charge of manicuring the rows of clover left to grow between the rows of lavender plants, that support the honey bees living in hives just below the lavender field.
"We like to keep the clover for the bees, because the bees pollinate the lavender. It is a trade off," said Judy Brothers.
While Scaringi is teaching classes at Dixie Heights School, her parents tend the plants and have learned to make products to sell, like the lavender wand, to augment the products made from the aromatic herb.
"When I first started making, a wand took me about half an hour to make one wand. Now I can do it in about 15 minutes," said Judy Brothers.
Plant cuttings have to be fresh so the stalk will bend to envelope the flower head of the plant, to be woven with a thin ribbon. Though the scent may fade with time, Judy Brothers demonstrated that, like a magic wand, gently pinching the head of the dried wand reactivated the aroma at full strength.
In its nearby shop, Lavender Hills of Kentucky products like groom bundles, pouches, lavender-covered balls and a variety of novelty items made from the delicate flowers and stems of the plants are displayed around the room. One corner of the shop features a sentimental gathering of wedding items, including ring pillows and grooms' bundles of lavender.
"We do those as a special order, and sometimes get orders from florists for fresh cut lavender for bouquets," said Judy Brothers.
New to the process of lavender marketing, the family is grateful for help through graphics designed by their granddaughter and publicity generated by its union with the River Valley Agritourism Alliance.
"It has all been a learning experience for the whole family," said Judy Brothers.
Begun with 375 plants of the Grosso variety of lavender, favored for its long stems and large flower heads, Lavender Hills of Kentucky also is beginning to add other varieties, with different properties.
"We have the Munstead variety, which is the culinary lavender. Next year we should have enough of it growing to market a line of culinary lavender," said Judy Brothers. "We also have a few plants to experiment with of a pink lavender called Rose."
A CD of a cookbook, created by Scaringi, will be available soon that includes recipes for using lavender; her mother has already sampled several recipes.
"We've tried the lemonade, chicken and rum cake recipes; we have been too busy for the ice cream recipe yet," she said.
She is also looking forward to making transparent pies with lavender ingredients.
The treats may be good for the diner.
"Books are filled with herbal benefits of lavender," said Judy Brothers. "If you believe everything you read, lavender may help anything that ails you."
Recycling another tobacco farming feature, the former float beds are being turned into raised bed for more lavender plants.
"I think it will be more convenient for people who want to do a u-pick situation to have the plants in beds and keep the fields for regular harvesting." Brothers said.
Roots of farming traditions are deep into the soil of a Bracken County family farm and getting deeper thanks to lavender.
"We love this land and are glad to find something so beautiful to work with," said Judy Brothers.
For lavender information go to www.lavenderhillsofkentucky.com.
For more area news, go to www.bracken-online.com
Contact Wendy Mitchell at wendy.mitchell@lee.net or call 564-9091, ext. 276. |
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