Lavender Lady BLOG

Ever wondered what it would be like living on a Lavender Farm? Follow the day-to-day life of Lavender Lady-Diane as she lives this unique and wonderful life!

Ordering in Time for Christmas!

Today, 12/18 is the last day we are told by USPS Priority that they can guarantee your package will arrive by Christmas!

However...for those of us that are waiting til the last minute, we can still ship USPS Express and get your package there in time, BUT you must call us to order!
Our contact phone number: 888-LAV-FARM

Thanks for your business, we deeply appreciate every customer!

Joe & Diane

Gifts For Men....Finally!!

We finally have added our "Gifts For Men" page! Highlighting the page is our "Old English Lavender Woods" After-Shave Tonic. This incredible tonic has been in our "line-up" for some time now...but just now added to our site.

Extremely effective as an antiseptic and moisturizer, this All Natural Vegan spray has a very attractive aroma of deeps woods, spice, and fresh herbs.

Created with a base of healing Hydrosols of Lavender, Helichrysum, Lemon Balm & Rose, and healing essential oils of Tulsi, Artemisia, Rosemary, Juniper Berry, Black Spruce & more. The result is a gentle, yet effective astringent that reduces redness and inflammation from shaving, fights blemishes, and leaves your face & shave areas smooth & hydrated.

Read More here

To see ALL our Men's Products go here

Last Chance Christmas Bazaar Dec 13-14

We will be at the Last Chance Christmas Bazaar located at the Hood River County Fairgrounds this next weekend. This is a great show for the "locals" and there is a wide array of vendors that make up this event.

We are very pleased to have the opportunity to honor our dear friend, and lavender grower, Treva Hoffman, at this event too. Treva was an Oregon Lavender Pioneer, a very talented, respected, and much loved Lady. Treva led the Treva Hoffman Foundation to support the fight against breast cancer up to her passing this last August 12th. The Treva Hoffman Foundation believes 'each step is a step' and each dollar gets us closer to understanding the causes, as well as working toward a cure. Funds raised stay in our local area to benefit cancer patients in our community.

We will have a table at this show where 100% of all the funds will go to this valuable Foundation. We even have a few soaps that Treva made, along with some sachets and other items that will be on the "Foundation Table". In addition, we are donating 15% of the sales on all of our other products from the other display tables. Please come down and help us honor and support the Treva Hoffman Foundation and our loved ones battling breast cancer, and take home some lovely aromatic gifts for your loved ones, or for just yourself.

Read more about The Treva Hoffman Foundation here

New Wreaths, Soy Candles and Great Deals!

Just in time for the Holidays we have gorgeous lavender Wreaths, New elegant Soy Candles, and awesome deals on our certified organic lavender oils, sachets, Helichrysum hydrosol and much much more.

Check it out here!strong>

Sniff Away what Ails You

Simple Solutions for vibrant health from Natural Solutions Magazine recognizes the calming benefits of Lavender.

Titled: "Sniff Away what Ails You" the article goes on to say:
If holiday stress has you OD'ing on sugary snacks or pouring yourself that 3rd glass of wine at night, a new study from the Warwick Olfaction Research Group in England offers a saner solution: Simply smelling certain fragrances has a stress-reducing effect on the brain that's similar to food and even some mood-altering drugs. "Some scents can trigger your pituitary gland to release hormones specific to easing many health-related ailments," says Michael Finkelstein, MD, a holistic physician in Westchester, New York.

"Lavender contains linalool, a substance that blocks the stress response in the body and relaxes the muscles," says Ruth Knill, PhD, an herbalist specializing in Oriental medicine in Boston. Perfect if you have neck and shoulder pains after marathon shopping trips.

Perhaps that's 1 of the reasons why our neckwraps, backwraps and Lavender Tummy warmers are so beneficial to use!

Hood River-National Geographic's Adventure Magazine Best Places to Live

Yep, We (Hood River) made #5 of the National Geographic Adventure Magazine's Top Places to Live!

Here is what the article says:
"5. Hood River, Oregon
A River Town’s Next Wave
The steady westerlies churning the mighty Columbia nearby have been drawing windsurfers and kiteboarders to Hood River for years. But lately an almost equal number of mountain bikers, powderhounds, and whitewater paddlers have started calling it home as well. Judging by the signs above all the new restaurants, the recent arrivals are partial to sushi joints, wine bars, and bistros with hard-to-pronounce European names. But this recreational boomtown hasn’t abandoned its roots—the focus here is still centered squarely on the action outside." Read More

No news for us, we absolutely LOVE it here! Our little town has become the hot spot for BIG Fun.

New Gift Packs!

Just in time for the Holiday Shopping, we have some brand new Luxurious & Pampering Gift Packs. Save money on all these items by buying them at a discount in the Gift Packs. There is even a new item added, "Lavender Dust Body Powder" that is only available in our Luxury Bath & Body Gift Pack. These won't last long, and some will not be available after they are gone. Get a jump on your Holiday Shopping and give the Organic Stress Relief: "Lavender"

View our Gift Packs here

New Pictures from our Lavender Farm!

We have added several new pictures to our website from this year's activities. You can view them here:
2008 Pictures

Enjoy!

Pure Unrefined Shea Butter

We are very excited to have formed a business relationship with Ah Shayh to aquire Pure unrefined Shea Butter directly from Ghana. This Shea Butter has greatly raised the nuturing quality of our healing balms, creams and butters. We are proud to support the vision that Ah Shayh displays and find intercontinental encouragement in their goals.

Ah Shayh mission statement is: "Ah Shayh is a collective owned and operated by women of color who are committed to maintaining a partnership with the Dagomba Women's Shea Nut Butter Collective in Tamale, Ghana (Africa).

The vision of the Ah Shayh team is to work with the Dagomba women and their families to provide necessary tools and resources for the production of shea butter. We are dedicated to bringing micro-credit, educational scholarships, and other resources to the women to aid the women and families of Ghana in becoming financially self-sufficient.

We will also work in collaboration with the chief of the village and local government towards the goal of eradicating poverty through access to education, economic opportunities, and support the women to become visible and vocal in their local governments."

We fell in love with the mission statement and purposeful intent of Ah Shayh and knew we had to try their Shea Butter. We are so very impressed! The Shea Butter sold by Ah Shayh is unrefined and has a very subtle pleasant aroma. Many companies use bleaches, deodorizers, or chemicals to alter the scent and appearance of Shea Butter. It is important to not purchase Shea Butter that has been altered in this way, as these processing methods deplete the product of its healing and medicinal properties, and also destroy the vitamins and minerals naturally present in Shea Butter. Shea Butter naturally has a cream color, and a distinctive scent, which dissapates once applied.

We have used, and continue to use, unrefined Shea Butter in all of our balms, creams and butters, but notice a major difference in Ah Shayh's. The Shea Butter comes in large "bricks", the same as when it left Ghana, and the structure of the finished product is immediately noticable in the finished product. Shea butter, even unrefined shea butter, loses a bit of its beneficial nutrients and properties each time it is melted and shaped, as in pouring into a jar. By the time most unrefined Shea Butters rich manufacturer's like us, it has been melted at least twice.

Shea Butter is naturally rich in Vitamins A, E, and F, as well as a number of other vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A and E help to soothe, hydrate, and balance the skin. They also provide skin collagen, which assists with wrinkles and other signs of ageing. Vitamin F contains essential fatty acids, and helps protect and revitalize damaged skin and hair. Shea Butter is an intense moisturizer for dry skin, and is a wonderful product for revitalizing dull or dry skin on the body or scalp. It promotes skin renewal, increases the circulation, and accelerates wound healing. It is also beneficial for the treatment of many different conditions, such as:
Moisturizer for Dry Skin
Eczema cream
Blemish cream
For Softer Smoother skin
For Burns
Wrinkle Reduction cream
Moisturizer for Dry Hair
Shaving cream
Anti-itch cream
Skin Abrasions

Ah Shayh continues projects such as The Bike Project which empowers students by purchasing bikes to help in their transportation to and from school. In rural Africa many students walk several miles to and from school. To read more about this project click here.

When you purchase our Lavender Shea Balm, Hempie Salve Balm, Foot Balm, X-TREME Body Butter, Mega Therapy Cream, and MSM Mega Therapy Cream, you are supporting the Mission of Ah Shayh and also treating yourself to the very best of therapuetic products for your skin and health.

To see the finished products we are cheerfully creating under the direction of our aesthetician, Diane Orcutt, follow the links attached to the names of the products above or by clicking here.

Patches is back

We were surprised, and pleased, to locate another 100 of our 1st Original Lavender Comfort Bear, "Patches". Unavailable for over a year, and soon to be unavailable again, but here until they are gone. Over 1,000 of these bears have been sold. They are just so cute!
Click here to learn more about "Patches".

Our Monthly Special for September is our "FLIGHT OF LAVENDER 2008". Available until they are gone, we always sell out of our Fine Lavender Oil collection for good reason. It is BEAUTIFUL! A great introduction of the beauty and diversity of small craft grower/distiller essential oil. Available this month for 10% off the regular price. See it on our Monthly Specials page.

Mark your calendars for the Hood River Fruit Loop's Pear Celebration Sept. 20 & 21st. Lots of special events happening along the Fruit Loop Farms, including our Popular Pear/Lavender Scones, Pear/Vanilla/Lavender Jelly, and Lavender Ginger Lemonade. Always a fun and bountiful time here in the Hood River Valley.

Fine L. angustifolia oils are ready

Distillation is still very much happening here on the farm, and we have just released our 2008 crop of Fine Lavender essential oils. It was a very odd Spring weather pattern for us, and some of our English (L. angustifolia) lavenders had the shortest stalks we have ever seen. The good news is that dispite the short stalks the oil from the flowers is the best we have had to date! Available now on our Aromatherapy page is Buena Vista, Sachet, Maillette, and L. angustifolia blend oils.

We also have a new Jelly that we are really excited about: Vanilla Lavender Pear Jelly! Decadent and oh so yummy! Awesome on anything you would put jelly on, my current favorite is to use it as a topping on Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream. This is to die for! Check it out here

4th Annual Lavender DAZE Festival!!!

4th Annual Lavender DAZE Festival!!

This Weekend: July 12 10-7PM & Sunday July 13th 10-5PM

See Details, Music Schedule, and more info here: LAVENDER DAZE


Get a Map


Dear Friends,
Please be our guest this coming weekend, July 12 & 13th, as we celebrate our annual Lavender DAZE Festival. Fun for the whole family, beautiful and aromatic!

Diane & Joe Orcutt
Hood River Lavender Farms

Lavender daze festival
Free Admission! 5 Bands, 20 Vendors, BBQ, Mexican Food, Lavender Gelato, Face-Painting, Local Wines, Alpacas & much more. For the kids we will be releasing thousands of beneficial Ladybugs into our wildflower garden, Par-T-Perfect will have the details along with fun "Lady Bug" activities!

Don't Miss this!
Hood River Lavender Farms
3801 Straight Hill Road
Hood River, Oregon 97031
888-528-3276
Saturday 10:00AM-7:00PM
Sunday 10:AM-5:00PM



The weather forcast is sunny & warm, bring your sunblock, beach chair or blanket, and chill at 1 of the most beautiful places in Hood River!

Sel Gris-The Beauty of Grey Salt with Lavender

Seems that the secret is out on 1 of our Best Culinary Products, Sel Gris with Lavender. There has been a huge spike in demand for our Sel Gris, with upscale restaurants & bars at the top of the list. Not a surprise to us, or our customers that have been using this French Gourmet Salt w/Lavender, but it has caused us to import many more pounds from France. Usage ranges from Gourmet Steaks and Foie Gras in Bistro-style cafes, to Ultra Rich Caramels and chocolates created by micro-chocolate companies. A list of Portland Bars are using the salt in a gamut of alcohol concoctions from Mint/Lavender Julips to Mojitos, martinis to pina coladas. Seems our most recent uses are from this small high-end retailers.

Our Sel Gris w/Lavender is the real deal and no shortcuts are allowed. We import this Gourmet Grey Salt from France, infuse it over time with our best Certified Organic angustifolia variety culinary lavender, and package it in a resealable air-tight package that allows this delicate yet intense aroma to remain fresh. If you don't know what makes Sel Gris such a wonderful salt, then you should read some history about it. Centuries-old collection practices and locale are just the beginning. Read more about it here

We love our Sel Gris w/Lavender on eggs, potatoes, meats, salads and fish. You can check it out by visiting our site here

The Fruit Loop Wine Celebration June 21 & 22

Solstice Weekend, June 21 & 22, begins the Celebrations of Special Events in Hood River. Rapidly gaining popularity for outstanding quality and diversity, the Gorge's Wines now have their own Fruit Loop Celebration. Many will be bringing out new releases, along with Live Music, and other fun stuff.

We are having our own event here on the Lavender Farm too, called
English Lavender & Chocolate--Beauty & Decadence
See our most fragrant and beautiful lavender in full bloom, and enjoy decadant, handcrafted Loganberry Liqueur/Lavender Truffles. In spite of the March weather we have been having in June, our English Lavender is beginning to show color. It should prime, and GORGEOUS by the 21st!

Currently, our Wildflower Garden is stealing the show. Literally thousands of Lupine, in different colors, are in bloom and HUGE, some over 4' tall! The poppies are beginning to open, along with Foxglove, Daisies, Sweet William, and numerous other Oregon Native Flowers. Bring your camera, it is stunning.

Mark your calendars for the
4th Annual Lavender DAZE Festival
Free Admission. July 12 10-7pm, July 13 10-5pm
Bigger and better than ever, this year's Lavender DAZE Festival has Live Music from: Ben Bonham, Fiddlegrass, Richard "Onehum" Tillinghast, Bob Connolly and Graham & the Crackers. Over 20 vendors displaying their talents, Food Vendors, Lavender Gelato & other cold yummies from Doppio Coffee, Cathedral Ridge Winery, Double Mountain Brewery, Face Painting & Children Activities from Par-T-Perfect, Massage Therapist on hand to pamper, Lavender Craft Classes, Alpacas, & Thousands of certified organic Lavender available for U-PICK! Bring your beach chair or blanket, sunscreen and the Family and chill at 1 of the most beautiful places in Hood River.

Check our site's page to click on the band's links and hear their tunes, and get more detail about this year's Lavender DAZE Festival: www.LavenderDAZE.com 888-LAV-FARM

We are proud to be recently mentioned in the following publications:
"Oregon & Washington Country Register"
"Gorgeously Green" by Sophie Uliano
Columbia Gorge Magazine
PDX Magazine
The Hood River Fruit Loop

Dramatic Timelapse of Mt. St. Helens

Thought perhaps someone out there might enjoy this dramatic timelapse USGS video of the dome growth on Mt. St. Helens from Nov. 10, 2004 to Feb. 28, 2008.

Dome building on Mount St. Helens

Now OPEN for the Season!

Our U-PICK Lavender Farm and Gift Shoppe is now OPEN 7 days/week!!! Hours are M-Sat 10-5pm, Sunday 11-5pm. Our Shoppe is full and Spring in our neck of the woods is Gorgeous! Bring a picnic, shop our store, sniff some Beautiful Lavender Oil, or just come by for the scenery. Our Wildflowers are growing fast and will be in bloom within the next month. See a video of our wildflowers here.

Old English Lavender Foam Hand Soap

Made With Organic Vegetable Oils!

Our Luxury Foam Hand Wash has been months in the making. Moisturizing & full of lather, this wonderfully fragrant hand wash gently cleans your skin with soothing foam, and leaves your hands feeling soft and smooth. Great for sensitive skin & dermatitis conditions. 100% Natural, No Parabens, colour or artificial fragrance!!! Good for you, Good for the environment.
Vegan.
8.8 oz. Foam Bottle

See it HERE

"Fiona" Organic Lavender & Rose Perfume

"Fiona" is Pure Organic Sensual Beauty!
An inticing marriage of our own Organic Lavender Perfume blended with the rare and pure essential oil of Rose. Sensual, exotic, warm, and absolutely romantic. Floral, and oh so very pretty. FIONA is a must for the lavender and rose lover. Note: We use Pure attar of Rose oil in spite of the rising cost of Pure Rose oil!

2008 Lavender DAZE Festival

July 12 & 13th, 2008, 10-5pm, our 4th Annual Lavender DAZE Festival takes place in 1 of the most beautiful places in Oregon. Food, Local beers & wine, Live Music, over 20 artists & artisans, Live animals, and 1000's of certified organic Lavender available for U-Pick. Oregon Tourist Attraction. You don't want to miss this!
We are busy adding updates such as Bands and their websites on our Lavender DAZE Festival page as it grows larger and more info is available.

March Specials-Culinary Items

This month we are offering specials on our Culinary Lavender products. Our Signature Blend Culinary Lavender is on sale for only $5.00.

Also, BIG Savings on our Gourmet Grey Salt, Sel Gris from France. This Premier Salt is infused with our certified organic angustifolia lavender. It is amazing on meats, veggies, chocolates & caramels, margaritas and nearly everything. Special Price: $8.25 for 6.5 oz. To learn why this is rated at the top of the list for gourmet salts look HERE.

Our famous Teas are also on special this month. Save 35% off our Gorge Wind Tea and Tranquil-a-Tea when you purchase both from our Monthly Specials Page.

Finally, we have our gorgeous Dried English Lavender Bouquets on Special too. Save over 30% on these remarkable dark full Lavender Bundles. See them HERE

To learn more about Culinary Lavender read this article

Hope you are well and the signs of Spring are starting to show their warmth your way!

Our Popular Lavender Soap is back!

Wanted to let everyone know that we have a good supply of our Old Fashioned Lavender Soap back in stock. Many of you wanted to be notified when it was available...so here ya go. Thanks to our many customers who make this soap continue to fly out of our store, we are glad that you realize what an awesome product this is. If you have not tried this luxurious soap yet...well, ya should. Long lasting, I use it as a shaving soap.

Joe

Green Weddings & Bridal Luncheons

Share your Wedding Vows in our quaint fragrant Green Old English Lavender Garden
among 1000's of Certified Organic Lavender with Beautiful Valley & Mountain Vistas.

We also offer reservations for Bridal Luncheons & Small Private Parties.

We can offer Wedding favors, ideas, bulk lavender, gorgeous-n-lacy lavender sachets, Lavender Heart Sachets, culinary Lavender, and loose lavender for showering Bride and
Groom in the bon voyage. Flower Girl's Fresh Lavender Head Wreaths and Fresh Organic Flower Bouquets.

Visit our Wedding Page for pictures & more information on making your day extra special in Hood River, Or.
Lavender Weddings

Pet Bereavement is Real

Anyone who considers a pet a beloved friend, companion, or family member knows the intense pain that accompanies the loss of that friend. We know that the feelings are real when we lose our pets, and deserve the same grieving and respect as if it were any other member of the familyWe hope that our Lavender Comfort Friends can be an aid as you work through this transition of bereavement, they can be a great idea to comfort the heart. Aroma can be a powerful stimulant towards healing. Aromatherapy is that grounded practice. To see our Lavender Comfort Friends click here.

Valentine's Day Specials

In honor of the One day of the year that is totally dedicated to Love, we have put together some Specials to help you express your feelings. Giftpacks intended to pamper & inspire a calm mood, to our improved Organic Perfume-It's AROMANCE!, & our Popular "Love Blend" Massage Oils. We even have a "printable" Love Poem available
on the bottom of our Specials Page.


We recently improved our popular Lavender Perfume, It's AROMANCE! & gave her a face lift. Extremely Sweet & Intense, this Parfum inspires Romance, creates a calm atmosphere, and can be used as an effective head-ache relief!
Spoil Her, treat yourself, just don't miss out on this Organic Essential Oil Perfume!

Sadie, our Chocolate Lab that is our "designated greeter" here on the farm, recently was on Portland news channel 8 (kgw). She was shown sitting in nearly 2' of snow on the farm. You can see her here on slide #24 & #33.

Bulk Essential Oil of Lavender-Organic

Big Savings on our Organic Lavender Essential Oil! Wonderfully alive, fresh & naturally fragrant, this pure steam distilled essential oil of Lavender is what has made us famous. Harvested in the early morning when the flowers are at their very peak. Every drop is distilled by Joe Orcutt (our Master Distiller). Joe has taken & taught master distillation classes, and has distilled with some of the most experienced distillers in the world.

This Special is perfect for Soap makers, Candle makers and other small manufacturers to greatly improve the quality of their product by using this High-Grade Organic Essential Oil. Share some with friends & family, or stock up for yourself.To learn why our Organic Essential Oils are so therapeutic click here...

NEW Release Oils including Mt. Hood Lavender

Only available previously on our farm this year, these varieties of angustifolia lavender essential oils are truly special. Presented in a 4-pack for added savings, these unique and absolutely beautiful oils offer aromas and benefits not found in any other variety. All of these plants have offered themselves gorgeous when in bloom and the essential oil reflects their beauty.

Victorian Amethyst-Crisp, floral with a lingering sweetness

Sharon Roberts-Beautifully floral with a note of citrus

Fiona-Spicey floral aroma

Norfolk J2-Herbal & floral, very popular on our farm

Also our VERY OWN Lavender--MT. HOOD!

View our Specials Page for more info...