On the Farm at Winding Brook Estate!

Winding Brook Estate features a Lavender Gift Shop in an old Red Barn, an original to the property. We offer a variety of aromatherapy, culinary, comfort, bath/body, decorative glassware, spa, pet and floral gifts and products made with Lavender. In the spring of each season we have potted plants available.

The Lavender Farm will open for the 2008 season on Thursday, June 5th.  We will be open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Except for the period beginning Monday, August 4th thru Sunday, September 11th, during which we will be closed.  The Farm will re-open on September 12th thru November 2nd with the same hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The cost to harvest your own Lavender bundle is $12.00. We provide all of the tools required. We also have dried Lavender bundles harvested earlier in the season for sale in the Red Barn.

The typical blooming time for the varieties* of Lavender we have available for public harvesting is mid June through July. A second fall blooming occurs in September and October.

Once blooming, the optimum timing for the cutting of Lavender is determined by the end use for the spikes. Cutting is best done in the morning once the dew evaporates and before the heat of the day.

If harvesting for dried Lavender where the spike is to remain intact, spikes are best cut while in bud or up until the first two or three flowers have opened.

If harvesting for potpourri or sachets, spikes can be cut anytime from in bud to three-quarters of the flowers open.

For fresh flowers the spikes are best cut when one-quarter to one-half of the flowers are open.

* Varieties of Lavender Available for Public Harvesting are:

• Grosso
• Provence
• Seal
• Super

Field of Provence Variety of Lavender

Courtesy of Susan Jackson Photography