This year’s birthday marked a quiet celebration of lavender, lovingly woven into the decorations and gifts from loved ones (see below) and culminating into a long-wished-for dream, visiting a real-life lavender farm.
As it turned out, we didn’t have to fly to Provence, just to find lavender fields. In a small town in the Midwest, tucked between fields and a copse of trees, is the small farm of Long Row.
The barn is the showstopper in terms of architecture at Long Row, boasting a timeless design, and classic charm like a tin roof and timber-frame construction. Chip and Joanna Gaines would be proud. The interior is part cafe, part gift shop, and includes a space for rentals.
At the time of our visit, the lavender had been harvested, save for a few late-blooming plants, a favorite attraction to eager bees.
We were however given permission to see the recently harvested lavender drying in the barn loft, and the lavender ropes were turning blue-purple as they aged.
You can imagine the fresh lavender scents and the sensation of blue buds crushed underfoot as we walked. The scent of tea wafting from kettles in the cafe. The allure of lavender-filled treats awaiting consumption.
So yes, the farm is quite charming overall and while I regret missing the peak bloom season, I’d love to come visit again next year and see the fields abloom and restock on some loverly lavender products. Learn more about Long Row Lavender here.
Lauren Miller 