Change in Direction
As many of you know, when we originally planted our field in 2015, we received diseased plant material from one of our suppliers (story here). The disease couldn’t be “cured” and it impacted our whole field. With all the rain this year, the disease has moved further and further and terribly affected the plants. We are at a crossroads and need to make some decisions. The plants are too damaged to sustain more Upicks. We had always planned to expand our field up the hill in additional acres, but we have come to the conclusion that the time, materials and cost it will take to start with a clean field and keep the field clean are too high and will most likely not stave off further disease issues in the future.
SHL has, therefore, come to the extremely hard decision that we will be changing business direction and only focusing on propagating the lavender (we can propagate from the plants because the disease is in the soil and kills the roots and we can sterilize the leaf cuttings). We will not have any further lavender Upicks and we will stop the production and selling of lavender-related products. We will use the plant material that we do still have to work towards larger-scale propagation. This change is not something that was an easy or quick decision, but we had to acknowledge the decline of the plants.
We will be working through details on selling our remaining inventory, bulk supplies, equipment and fresh lavender that does come in next year.
We started working on the idea of a lavender farm in 2010, moved to this land in 2014, planted in 2015 and had our first mind-blowing Upick in 2016. It’s amazing to see how far we came in 4 short years and we could not have done what we did without our families, friends and awesome supporters. Thank you guys for loving lavender.
Sincerely, Mary and Tim
Here are the details for 2019:
- We are NOT holding a Upick (this is heartbreaking, but there won’t be enough fresh blooms to sustain a Upick).
- We are NOT open to the public or holding events, classes or hosting weddings.
- We are NOT open to photographers (there’s just nothing to have a photograph with!)
- We have stopped making products and are NOT doing retail (because of not having a Upick) and are not doing shows or vending at events.
- Any fresh blooms we do get from the plants this year will be sold off-farm at something like our local farmers market (details still being worked on).
- When and if that happens, we’ll announce details and dates – around mid-May to mid-June.
- We will not be shipping or holding any fresh – just selling as it becomes available (because we don’t know how much we’ll get, so we can’t promise anything).
- We ARE staying in business – however, we are focusing on propagation (growing and selling lavender plants).
- We will, eventually, be going thru left over inventory and supplies and selling those, but I’m not ready to face that just yet.
- We ARE extremely grateful for everyone that helped make SHL and we are extremely proud of the past several years. We are moving forward with a different plan and hope.
Some FAQs:
- If I bought a plant from you, do I have the disease?
- The plants we sold were grown and tested (by Clemson) as disease-free. The disease in the field affects the roots and we can still use the top part of the plant that is alive.
- Will you have any dried buds or bundles for sale?
- We are not doing retail anymore and we will eventually be selling any leftover inventory, but I do not have a date for that. So, if you need buds and bundles for a special event, do not count on us.
- Can I come just see the lavender?
- We are not open to the public any longer.
- Will you be holding any more Feasts in the Field?
- We are no longer holding events.
- Will you be having any classes?
- We are no longer doing any classes.
- Are you sad or mad or frustrated?…..
- When we planted in 2015, we had no idea we’d be planting diseased plants (that came from a trusted source) or that the disease would forever change our future. Once we did get the diagnosis, we knew the plants would only thrive or live for so long, but the immense amount of rain from spring 2018 to spring 2019 (the writing of this) has spread the disease quickly and devastated the plants.
