While 2020 may have been a mixed bag for local lavender farms due to the pandemic, farmers agree they’re ready for an uptick in Sequim’s tourism this summer.

Sergio Gonzalez, owner of Meli’s Lavender at 62 W. Diane Dr. off Old Olympic Highway, said his staff is excited to have people back walking in their fields.

“It was a tough year, and we always want to do the best we can because visitors deserve the best,” he said.

Last year, state regulations forced farmers to keep it simple on their farms with U-pick, modified farm stores and curbside pickup while vendors, live music, and food booths were cancelled because of restrictions for special events.

This year, organizers of the Sequim Lavender Festival canceled their Street Fair in Carrie Blake Community Park for the second consecutive summer because of COVID-19, but partner farms and many independent farms continue to welcome people for the whole summer and during Sequim Lavender Weekend July 16-18 — considered Sequim’s most visited time.

At Lavender Connection, 1141 Cays Road, owners recently opened the farm fully after making the farm by-appointment only in 2020 due to uncertainties with the pandemic, they said.

“It went well,” co-owner Rebecca Olson said. “We definitely had a significantly reduced amount of visitors, but people had a great time and a personalized experience.”

Many farmers enhanced their websites and/or social media presence to bring in awareness to their farms.

Olson said they “ended up being OK” last year by adding to their online presence and joining the Port Angeles Farmers Market.

Opening back up “feels good,” she said, as her family is vaccinated for COVID-19. At the farm, Olson said their only COVID-related requirement is similar to most area-businesses requiring a mask inside the farm store if you’re not vaccinated.

“We want those with children who are not vaccinated and who are immune compromised to feel safe and have no worries coming here,” she said.

“We’re happy to come outside and offer curbside if needed for anyone.”

All summer long

Many farms opened earlier this year with plans all summer.

Washington Lavender, 965 Finn Hall Road, Port Angeles, is the first farm to host an event with its own Washington Lavender Lavender Festival from July 9-18. There is no charge for admission to see the lavender in bloom, and experience various vendors and demonstrations.

The farm and the George Washington Inn hosts other events throughout the summer too, including Hymn Sing by the Sea from 2-4 p.m. July 31, and the NW Colonial Festival, Aug. 12-15.

Owners and operators of Victor’s Lavender Farm, 3743 Old Olympic Highway, and Victor’s Rain Shadow Lavender Farm, 1410 Kitchen-Dick Road, put heavy emphasis on Sequim Lavender Weekend with free workshops, music, food from Bella Italia and more.

While both farms will be open that weekend, events will move to Victor’s Rain Shadow Lavender Farm, organizers said, with hopes to bring back a Barn Dance in 2022.

Co-owner Victor Gonzalez will offer workshops that Friday and Saturday along with music from Chez Jazz with Sarah Shea from 3-5 pm. Friday and Deadwood Revival 3-5 p.m. Saturday.

Jardin du Soleil at 3932 Sequim Dungeness Way, is another farm with a packed summer calendar and its own festival too.

Co-owner Jordan Schiefen said it’s been a busy spring and summer so far with “people ready to come out.”

“I like to call it ‘back to normal, plus,’” she said.

Jardin du Soleil did stay busy last summer, Schiefen said, because their farm’s offerings are predominantly outside. This summer, she anticipates even more people coming from all over the world as people become more comfortable traveling.

“We’re just excited to do things again and get to celebrate people coming this year from farther out,” she said.

The farm will host workshops on July 10 and 11, its annual Jardin du Soleil Lavender Festival July 16-18 with tickets covering all three days, and a Lavender Farm Experience where visitors can harvest lavender and make their own essential oil for all of July.

Yana Al of Seattle picks a lavender bundle at Jardin du Solei last Sequim Lavender Weekend saying she comes to the area once a year because she loves lavender. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash

Hot streak

With recent record temperatures across the state and Pacific Northwest, local farmers say their lavender, a drought-tolerant plant that thrives in Sequim’s rainshadow, kicked into bloom overdrive in the past week.

Susan Fahlgren, owner of Fleurish Lavender of Lost Mountain at 1541 Taylor Cutoff Road, said seeing her field change so quickly was “crazy.”

“Before the heat wave, I was looking at the calendar, and we were just starting to harvest some English lavender, which was about two weeks behind from last year,” she said.

“We had the heat wave and everything jumped ahead by about four weeks of normal, which really caught us off guard.”

Harvesting is good and part of the process, Fahlgren, said, but a lot of lavender will be harvested by Lavender Weekend.

Olson said her family has been harvesting lavender for a long time and it feels a little early to be harvesting but the heat impacted her farm closer to Dungeness, too.

“Last week we just had one variety blooming, but now half the field is blooming,” she said.

Nathan and Kim Daniel of Bremerton look through a Sequim Lavender Weekend program in the lavender fields at Graysmarsh Farm in 2020.

Optimism

A sudden heat change and moving on from the pandemic doesn’t have farmers sweating with many choosing to be optimistic.

“It’s hard to know what to expect, but we think people are ready to get out and see the blooms,” Fahlgren said.

While her farm is open during the week, Fleurish Lavender will offer live music each day of Sequim Lavender Weekend along with several vendors and treats like lavender lemonade.

Despite the diminished sales due to COVID-19, Gonzalez said he and his family are remaining optimistic as Meli’s Lavender remains open through the end of August on weekends.

“We want to stay positive,” he said. “It’d be great to get a million people here.”

For more about Sequim lavender farms, visit sequimlavenderweekend.com.

Sequim area lavender farms

Editor’s note: some farms are not listed because they could not be reached and/or sales are pending.

• B&B Family Farm, 5883 Old Olympic Highway; open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.daily through Sept. 30. Features U-pick lavender; lavender products and plants; free farm tours; leashed pets OK; July 16-18 lemonade, book signing and painters. Contact: 360-504-2585, bbfamilyfarm.com

• Back to Dirt Farm, 258914 US Highway 101; open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. through Oct. 15 (Fridays-Sundays). Features U-pick lavender, lavender products, workshops, U-cut flowers and tours; Open July 14-15 for Lavender Weekend with Lavender Flower Crowns workshops. Contact: 360-504-6070, backtodirtfarm.com

• Fat Cat Garden & Gifts, 21 Fat Cat Lane; open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Features U-pick lavender, lavender products and plants, and picnic area; Lavender Weekend will host food. Contact: 360-681-6832, fatcat-lavender.com

• Fleurish Lavender of Lost Mountain, 1541 Taylor Cutoff Road; open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Monday through Sept. 6. Features: U-pick lavender, lavender products, plants. Leashed pets OK. Lavender Weekend hosts vendors, live music and more. Contact: 360-681-2782, fleurishlavender.com

• Graysmarsh Farm, 6187 Woodcock Road; Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday through September. Features: U-pick lavender; lavender products and plants, berries. Contact: 360-683-5563, graysmarsh.com

• Jardin du Soleil Lavender, 3832 Sequim-Dungeness Way; Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. daily in July; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Monday Aug.1-Sept. 30. Features: U-pick lavender, products and plants, garden maze, picnic area, and more. Leashed pets OK. Lavender Weekend $10 3-day entrance with crafts, demos, music, food and more. July 10-11 workshops, fees apply; Brunch in Blooms July 25, fees apply. Contact: 360-582-1185, jardindusoleil.com

• Kitty B’s Lavender Farm, 82 Cameron Acres Lane; open daily 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. July 10-18. Features: U-pick, lavender products and plants. Lavender Weekend with vendors. Contact: 360-772-2062, kittyblavenderfarm.com

• Lavender Connection, 1141 Cays Road; open 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday-Monday through Sept. 6. Features: U-pick lavender, products and plants, oil distillation, and more. Leashed pets OK. Contact 360-681-6055, lavenderconnection.com

• Meli’s Lavender, 62 W. Diane Drive; open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Fridays-Sundays, through Aug. 29. Features: U-pick lavender, plants for sale, leashed pets OK. Contact: 360-461-9958, facebook.com/melislavender

• Nelson’s Duckpond & Lavender Farm, 73 Humble Hill Road; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily in summer; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Monday. Features: U-pick lavender, plants and products; picnic area; leashed pets OK. Contact: 360-681-7727, nelsonsduckpond.com

• Purple Haze Lavender Farm, 180 Bell Bottom Lane; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily through Labor Day. Features: U-pick lavender, plants and products; picnic area; leashed pets OK. Downtown store, 127 W. Washington St., also available. Contact: 360-683-1714, purplehazelavender.com

• Rancho La Morada Lavender & Flower Farm, 1434 Marine Drive; open 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Fridays-Sundays, through August. Features: U-pick lavender, lavender products, plants, trees, and more. Leashed pets OK. Contact: 360-461-7679, randolamorada@gmail.com

• Sunshine Herb & Lavender Farm, 274154 U.S. Highway 101; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily Thursdays-Tuesdays. Features: U-pick, lavender products and plants; Lavender Weekend hosts food. Contact: 360-683-6453, sunshinelavender.com

• Victor’s Lavender Farm, 3743 Old Olympic Highway; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, through Aug. 30. U-pick lavender, products, plants for sale; picnic area; pets on leash OK. Contact: 360-912-3938, victorslavender.com

• Victor’s Rain Shadow Lavender Farm, 1410 Kitchen-Dick Road; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday, through Aug. 30. U-pick lavender, products, plants for sale; picnic area; pets on leash OK. Lavender Weekend features live music, food, demos and more. Contact: 360-912-3938, rainshadowlavender.com

• Washington Lavender, 965 Finn Hall Road; open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily through Sept. 6 with Washington Lavender Festival going through July 9-18. Features: U-pick, lavender products and plants; leashed pets OK. Lavender Festival features vendors, food, essential oil and cooking demos, more. Contact: 360-452-4877, walavender.com

For more about Sequim lavender farms, visit sequimlavenderweekend.com.

During last year’s Sequim Lavender Weekend, Ulga and Andre Volozin of Seattle took photos of their family, including daughters Yana, Liza, Renata and Carina, and dog James at Fleurish Lavender of Lost Mountain. Family members said that was their second time visiting Sequim. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash

Sergio Gonzalez stands with one of the wreaths he made for a customer from lavender in his field at Meli’s Lavender Farm. He hopes visitors will find his farm off Old Olympic Highway this summer as COVID-19 greatly impacted his sales in 2020, he said. Sequim Gazette file photos by Matthew Nash

Juan Gonzalez and his son Tomas cut lavender for fresh bundles at the family’s Rancho La Morada Lavender & Family Farm last July. It was the first summer the farm opened in Dungeness Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash

Farah Schumacher shares some lavender with Tahan Jansz at Kitty B’s Lavender Farm during Sequim Lavender Weekend in 2020. The Seattle couple said they came to the area for their anniversary. Sequim Gazette file photo by Matthew Nash