At Lavineyard Farms, a Shasta County u-pick lavender farm, visitors can discover hundreds of rare lavender plants, create custom bouquets and enjoy DIY crafting classes!

Lavineyard Farms, a Shasta County lavender farm and winery, is a literal dream come true for owners Chen and Sam Narens. Before moving to the small town of Whitmore, Chen and Sam spent their days toiling away at corporate jobs in the Bay Area – and their nights dreaming of a change of pace.

In 2016, the couple took a leap of faith and purchased a run-down lavender farm in the foothills.

Initially, they planned on dabbling in hydroponic farming, but they quickly fell in love with the existing lavender fields. Chen and Sam set to work restoring the property, cleaning up the older plants and planting newer varieties in a more organized fashion. Then in 2017, Lavineyard Farms opened its doors to the public.

Preservation over production

Lavineyard Farms isn’t the region’s largest lavender farm, but what makes it truly unique is its extraordinary diversity. Chen notes, “We have a really nice story. A lady (the previous owner) collected 174 rare varieties throughout the world and planted them here.” In contrast, most lavender farms grow a maximum of 30 varieties. Another notable distinction at Lavineyard is the age of the plants. While many lavender farms replace the plants every eight years to maximize yield, Lavineyard Farms is dedicated to preservation over production—some of the original varieties are over 30 years old!

There are three main types of lavender – English, French and Italian. With long, slim stems and a clean, soapy aroma, French lavender is your “stereotypical” lavender  – the type most often distilled to create essential lavender oil. English and Italian lavender are often used in baking and cocktails. English lavender boasts sweeter notes while Italian lavender is reminiscent of rosemary with a slight hint of spice. 

Simply sustainable

Lavineyard Farms embraces simple, sustainable and organic practices. Chen laughs and admits, “The flowers are over 30 years old, they don’t need much.” She continues, “Our volcanic soil is very enriched, we are not adding anything – just giving them pure water, trimming it every year and making sure that it’s being watered when it’s too hot outside.” 

Lavender is a hearty, robust plant – and with fertile soil and adequate watering, it thrives without much intervention. Chen avoids applying any chemical inputs or sprays, and believes in using every part of the lavender plant, letting nothing go to waste. Each summer, the lavender is hand-harvested and trimmed with a sickle. After harvest, the foliage is separated from the blooms and burned to create an ash that serves as a natural soil amendment. She states, with a sly smile, “We are organic – not certified organic, but practicing organic methods – and the proof of that is I have weeds everywhere.” After a quick laugh, she continues, “It’s very important for us not to spray, because we do consume our honey. We have bees on the property, making our famous Lavender Wild Flower Honey, which you can find at the Redding Farmers Market.”

Purple reign: Most people associate lavender plants with fragrant purple stems. However, some less common varieties produce different colored blooms. At Lavineyard Farms, you’ll find white, yellow, pink blooms, along with the traditional purple flowers.

Growing agritourism and crafting a community

While the lavender is in full bloom – for about 6 weeks in June and July – Lavineyard Farms invites guests to visit their Whitmore u-pick flower farm. The farm is open to the public on weekends, but midweek group tours can be scheduled upon request. Throughout the rest of the year, Chen hosts DIY classes at Lavineyard Farms and at other local wineries and businesses. 

Chen believes that transparency creates a foundation of trust – and invites the community to participate in growing, harvesting and crafting with lavender.  “People can come here to experience the harvesting and flowers. We have a lot of schools and communities that come and learn about the different colors, uses, the distilling processes – there’s a lot of learning here with the community.” 

Chen particularly enjoys hosting DIY classes, sharing her expertise with others while making the oils, candles, lotions and more that are sold in Lavineyard’s gift shop. She proudly states, ”I make 80% of my product with my community. I have developed a series of engaging classes, and people love coming and making products with me. Lavender tallow, wreaths, candles, soaps, and bath bombs – each one customizing their product and taking it home. It’s a community – working with people, having fun, enjoying food and wine, and creating the oils and products themselves. So, we love sharing our farm with the community and making beautiful products together.”

Learn more about upcoming events and classes at Lavineyard Farms

Visit Lavineyard Farms

La Vineyard Farms is open to the public on weekends throughout June and July. Check their website for updated dates and times. 

12757 Fern Road East, Whitmore, CA 96096

530-472-3485

You can find Lavineyard Farms products online or at the Redding Farmer’s Market! 

Can’t make it to Whitmore? Shop Lavineyard Farms online! You’ll find DIY craft kits – including candle kits, dried lavender blooms, along with an assortment of handcrafted lavender products! 

In addition to fragrant lavender fields, Lavineyard Farms boasts a small vineyard, growing four Italian varietals! 

Heading to the Shasta Cascade Region? Add these farms, restaurants and farmers markets to your itinerary!

Article by Hilary Rance. Photography by James Collier.