Postcode: 3812
Days of Work: 28
Dates: 29th January 2013 – 25th February 2013 (Left 26th at 8am to head to WWOOF Host #4)
People: Sally (Host)

Apologies now for the lack of images in this post, but my camera had a spasm attack and re-formatted my memory card, thus deleting all my photos! Boo 🙁

When I first made arrangements to head to a Lavender Farm, all I could think about was the lavender bushes that we used to have in the UK, and how they were always covered with bees. Bees are great, don’t get me wrong; I don’t even want them to all die off, (wasps on the other hand is a whole other matter!) But I am allergic to them, so, hence the initial trepidation.

To my relief, I discovered that thankfully the time of year I was visiting, this wouldn’t be an issue. The growing and flowering of the lavender, which is the part that attracts the bees, would have already happened. The lavender that I would be around would be drying. Although I would later come to learn that even dried lavender captures the attention of the most adventurous and sleepy bees!

So, with peace of mind, I headed off on my first (cheap!) domestic flight – no mean feat for someone who is not too comfortable with flying. I will fly, I’m not that phobic about it, but I do have a tendency to take my overactive imagination with me when I step on board. I over analyse every single noise: What was that? Does the air steward look worried? What is she worried about? What does she know that I don’t? Thankfully, though, the flight was uneventful.

I was landed with an aisle seat, so didn’t get to see Sydney disappear or Melbourne creep up on me. But safely down in Melbourne, I immediately got to experience the chilling breezes of the city. Having just come from Sydney and temperatures that were indicative of the two-week scorching hot summers of the UK, to walk out to 17 degrees was a shock to the system, especially when dressed in nothing more than t-shirt and shorts!

A SkyBus trip to the city, followed by the unnerving task of trying to read the departure board at Southern Cross staying, I was finally cruising my way through the suburbs of Melbourne on the metro train. Reaching the end of the line, I was greeted by my host and taken by car to my new home for the next few weeks, and spent the evening getting myself familiar with everything, ready for work the following morning and all the exciting new things I was going to learn about lavender farming.

And learn a lot I did! I feel like a total wealth of knowledge now. Okay, that is probably a grand over-estimate of how much I actually know about the subject, but I know more than I did when I started, and I hope the little tit-bits I’ve included below give others a little insight into this world!

Harvesting Lavender
This is completed, on this farm and the others that my host occasionally tends to, not by machine, but by hand with a scythe. And it is very hard, tedious work! You really need to have a strong back and tough hands. The process normally happens early in the summer, which does mean the idyllic lavender field images are short lived. It can be carried out later, but if this happens, the quality of the flowers will be diminished.

Drying Lavender
Once the lavender has been harvested, there are two processes that it can go through – steam distillation (to collect the essential oils) or drying (in order to use the flowers/plant material). For drying, bunches of lavender are tied together and then hung up in a hot, dry environment, where the moisture can evapourate and created a bunch of dried flowers. However, any moisture in the air, be it from rain or condensation, during this period can put the flowers back to square one, as lavender has the ability to absorb water vapour from the air around it. Thus, the drying process can be quick or timely, depending on the weather and environment.

Grading Lavender
Who knew! There are actually different grades of lavender! I spent quite a lot of time grading the dried lavender, and getting it processed and sorted for varying products and uses. The dried lavender goes through a three-tier system where the larger flowers and stalk get caught up and pulled out. The lavender that goes through all four layers is the finest lavender available, and is used in products like loose-leaf tea or for cooking (my host’s lavender scones were legendary and apparently to die for – I just unfortunately never got a chance to try them!). The larger lavender buds are then more suitable for use in projects such as heat packs and cuddly toy fillings.

Lavender Uses
Using either lavender buds or oil, there are so many uses and products that can combine and use lavender. On the farm, the home grown lavender was used to make a variety of products, most of which I actually had a chance to make! Here is a list of just some of the things we made with our lavender: soaps, toiletries, creams, lotions, balms, oils, perfumes, honey, teas, lollies, candles, linens, heat packs, pillows and teddy bears! I also got to be present for the making and launching of a travel range that meets the 100ml or less liquids and, gels restrictions for air travelers.

Crop Maintenance
With the harvested crops no longer in the ground, the weeds have even more space to grow and thrive, so have to be kept under control. Because the farm is organic, no chemicals can be used, so all weed removal must be carried out by hand. Again, tedious and blister making. I managed to rip the skin off both my little fingers where they were bending around the weed stalks! Generally speaking, a lavender plant is good for about 8-12 years, depending on the seasons/weather/land, so good crop maintenance is essential – much like the oil 😉