The Winding Brook Estate Story

Winding Brook Estate is a 17 acre Lavender farm nestled in the hills of the northern Ozarks in Eureka, Missouri. Located just 20 miles west of St. Louis, our Lavender fields contain more than 7,000 plants of 8 varieties suitable to our Midwestern climate.

For Steve and Deborah Nathe, the Lavender farm is a labor of love that is ever-evolving. The property has been in Deborah’s family for over 35 years, but family members hadn’t lived there since 1972. Steve and Deborah took up residence in 2001. As development continued to encroach throughout St. Louis County, the Nathe’s began looking for a way to maintain and enhance the natural beauty of the property. An idea planted many years earlier by a friend of Deborah’s in California came to mind – growing Lavender!

We had read and been told by many that the harsh winters and hot humid summers of Missouri were not conducive to growing the Mediterranean plant. Following extensive research and visits to other Lavender farms throughout the United States, a test plot of carefully chosen varieties was trialed at our sheep ranch in Salem, Missouri in the fall of 2003. The Lavender flourished without any assistance other than occasional weeding.

Realizing the potential, we spent many months at Winding Brook Estate clearing fields, plowing, discing in sand and lime and planting Lavender. We began phase one of a several year project to create a landscape of gardens, orchards, stone structures, and water elements fed by our winding brook and natural springs. We opened our farm to the public in July of 2005. We grow organically and are committed to the practices of sustainable agriculture at both farm and ranch.

Blooming season ranges from late May thru October depending on variety and weather conditions. We are open to the public for harvesting of Lavender bouquets once blooming starts until it ends in October.  Actual opening and closing dates can be confirmed via the website or phone.  At the same time you can also visit the Lavender Shoppe in our quaintly charming 100 year old farmhouse for Lavender products and gifts. We offer a variety of aromatherapy, culinary, floral, home, and personal use products made from Lavender. All of which are available on the website as well. Our bath and body products are made with the finest natural ingredients (many of them organic) and scented with pure Lavender essential oil.

Visit us and enjoy the wonderfully fragrant vista of fields of Lavender in a pastoral setting reminiscent of times gone by. We invite you to an experience that will delight the senses and soothe the body and soul.

Steve and Deborah

Seating Outside the Olde Red Barn

Dried Lavender Bundles

Lavender Wand Place Setting - Al Fresco Dinner

Lavender Body Butter