Lavender Makes A Sweet Farm Business

Lavender Makes A Sweet Farm Business Unlike some old farm sites with large barns and livestock buildings that fall into disrepair if unused, Marty and Marie Schuhwerck turned theirs into a pristine three-and-a-half-acre farm with a sweet-smelling business. The couple transformed their well-maintained 75-year-old barn and surrounding small acreage into The Lavender Barnyard, a thriving home-grown business. It’s the only farm in Minnesota that specializes in lavender. Marie started growing lavender as an experiment in 2020, knowing the plants aren’t native to her Minnesota growing zone. She studied a farm design in Michigan, which has a growing zone similar to Minnesota, planting Hidcote Blue and Phenomenal varieties. She says those did very well, and after testing others for winter hardiness, now grows several varieties of the colorful and fragrant plants. “There are more than 400 varieties to grow, and I’ve got 15, including pink, white and lavender colors,” she says. The plants are spaced roughly 2 to 3 ft. apart on pathways covered with gray landscape fabric that controls weeds and keeps the area tidy. Marie credits her success to careful plant management and taking an online class on small agribusiness marketing. Visitors to her farm can pick their own lavender bouquets during the blooming season from mid-June to mid-August. For a $10 fee, she includes a short tour, scissors, and a wood gathering ring. Marie says lavender bundles can be preserved by hanging them upside down in a dry place for about two weeks. The dried stems can be used for decorating, cooking and self-care products. She makes several items, including aromatherapy mists, sachets, scented stuffed animals and inhalers. She sells these products in a store that she and her husband created from the farm site’s old 14 by 32-ft. chicken coop. She also sells her products and different varieties of lavender plants at area farmers markets. Always someone who enjoys experimenting and being creative, Marie makes lavender sugar that can be used for baking or added to beverages. She says chefs use lavender to flavor ice cream and desserts, while home canning hobbyists use it in syrups, jams and jellies. A local brewery has used her lavender for its Lavender Moon beer. Another business has produced Valkyrie’s Kysee mead using lavender. The farm hosts Picnic in the Lavender events, along with yoga and meditation classes. On Wednesdays, she offers Kidsploration events for youngsters, which include a self-guided pollination tour and brief educational sessions on topics like beekeeping, raising small farm animals, and other ag topics. Groups can rent the farm for private events, and photographers can rent the site for family, graduation and wedding portraits. She converted the old milk house into a bridal dressing suite that’s close to a rustic corncrib, often used as a backdrop for wedding photos. Marty Schuhwerck grew up on a nearby farm and recalls visiting this place as a young boy. He eventually bought the farm after the owners died. After he and Marie married, he lamented the cost of maintaining the farm. “I explored a few ideas, choosing lavender as the first option, hops as the second and critters as the third,” Marie says. “He didn’t want the hops, and I didn’t want critters, so now we have lavender. It’s a fun business where I meet a lot of wonderful people and can actually make money doing it,” she adds. “We’ve come a long way in five years, and I have several more ideas brewing that I’ve learned about from visiting other lavender farms.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, The Lavender Barnyard, 6401 225th St. W, Farmington, Minn. 55024 (www.lavenderbarnyard.com).

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