With her husband Marco, a university educator and administrator and a 1994 Sequim High School graduate, Christa Hermosillo looks to take on her first full Sequim Lavender Weekend and Sequim Lavender Farm Tour & Fair as co-owners of Olympic Lavender Heritage Farm. They’ve been in Sequim six years with the ambition to own a lavender farm.
Christa, originally from Kettle Falls in northeastern Washington, said they were growing and researching lavender on their property before buying the 19-year-old farm last July right before Lavender Weekend from Mary Borland-Liebsch. In a year, the couple has added a more contemporary feel with a new logo, website, boutique and products. The couple also increased the farm’s total acreage from 5 to 12 acres with three field locations all in Dungeness.
Christa said they are planting thousands of new lavender plants on those extension fields this fall and next spring, as well as adding thousands of new plants at their main farm location this fall.
“Most lavender farms have one site in Sequim, but we are expanding out, which is part of the original intent of the lavender farm movement,” she said. The Hermosillos are joined by their children Raquel, 7, and Cruz, 4, considered junior managers of the farm, Christa said, who play outside more than ever at the farm and hardly ever wear their shoes when playing there.
Olympic Lavender Heritage Farm is at 1532 Marine Drive. See www.olympiclavender.com.
Question 4: What’s your favorite movie or a movie you always go back to watch?
Christa Hermosillo: “Zoolander.” It’s one of our all time favorites. It’s fun and ridiculous. It’s a classic for us.
Question 10: What is one thing people might not know about you?
Christa Hermosillo: I come from a diverse family. My dad comes from a long line of farmers and he opened three businesses while being very entrepreneurial. My mom owned a lot of apartment complexes and my sister (Carolyn Sapp Daniels as Miss Hawaii in 1991) was Miss America in 1992. I got the chance to travel a lot with her. As an adult I really like power tools. I’m a rejuvenating addict. When I was 23, my husband and I lived in a 100-year-old home. My mom walked in and cried because of how bad of shape it was in.
I bought a power gun and compressor and now it’s my favorite tool. (The house) made 200 percent profit when we sold it four years later.
Question 21: As a child, what did you want to be or do?
Christa Hermosillo: I always wanted to be a doctor. I got to college and found I was more interested in chemistry. I became a biochemist and did cancer research for 12 years.
Bonus Question 1: Where are your degrees from?
Christa Hermosillo: I have my Bachelor’s of Science from Seattle Pacific University and my master’s in chemistry from Washington State University.
Question 22: What are you listening to now?
Christa Hermosillo: The Norah Jones station on Pandora. I’ll listen to Etta James, too.
Question 44: Would you rather live to 100 or go out in a blaze of glory?
Christa Hermosillo: 100 if my quality of life is good. I’d love to see my great-grandchildren. My grandmother lived to be 97. She was fantastic and put on red lipstick and pearls everyday.
Bonus Question 2: What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about lavender?
Christa Hermosillo: How many uses there are for it from the food to oil to crafts to arts to therapy. It’s just a wonderful plant. I’ve always loved it but I’m more passionate about it now that we own the farm.”
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In Random Questions, members of the community each draw five random questions (sometimes more) out of 50 from a bag and he/she will answer these questions for your entertainment. With suggestions for random interviews, e-mail Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
