By: Nicole McKinney of Tea on the Trail
Woodstock Lavender Company is a family-owned farm in south-central Kentucky. It welcomes visitors to enjoy special events and hand-crafted products!
Driving through the fields of central Kentucky, I can hardly keep my eyes on the road.
Everywhere I look, I see rolling hills and cropland, pretty barns and horse fields.
Kentucky is known for its gorgeous bluegrass. But what I’m searching for is a slightly different color.
Lavender.
Tucked away in Pulaski County, Kentucky, you’ll find the Woodstock Lavender Company.
Just like most of the neighbors, this working farmland has been in the same family for generations. But on one pretty little corner, the crop has changed.
In 2013, Allison Horseman and Mary May, a mother/daughter duo started out with 50 lavender plants.
Today, their farm is thriving, growing every year, and it’s a magnet for visitors throughout the summer.
Looking for other things to do in central Kentucky? Try hiking Robe Mountain and Basin Mountain, East Pinnacle Trail, West Pinnacle Trail or Welch Mountain in Berea. Or check out the Bourbon Trail, including newer distilleries like Bardstown Bourbon Company and Lux Row.
Woodstock Lavender Company Events
The lavender season runs from late May into June.
On weekends during the growing season at Woodstock Lavender Company, you can pick your own lavender. Take purple hazed pictures to your heart's content. Reserve a box lunch for two, and have a picnic.
For the 2021 season, farm passes were $10, or $5 for kids. Admission includes a lavender bouquet that you can pick yourself, weather permitting! Check Woodstock Lavender's website for up-to-date pricing.
Weekdays at the farm are filled with events: yoga in the field, flower-arranging classes, and afternoon teas, to name a few.
Dreaming of a lavender field wedding? They’ll do all the work with an all-inclusive package.
The biggest event is Festival in the Field, a lavender-themed day party. There’s music, food and events for all ages.
Best of all, Allison and Mary are warm and genuine in their hospitality. Honestly, the first time I met them I felt at home! If you ask them, we’re all “farm-ily”.
It’s hard to explain how visiting a place that requires such hard work can be so peaceful, but it’s true.
Watching bees and butterflies visit the lavender, enjoying the glow of the sun, is pure relaxation.
Throw in some small-batch ice cream from the farm store, and you’ve got the perfect afternoon. Flavors? There are two: lavender honey and raspberry lavender.
The ice cream is made by Moonbow Mercantile, one of the businesses Woodstock Lavender partners with in their efforts to support other artisans, especially female ones. Three Lick Pottery supplies handmade mugs in the farm store.
Harvest comes at the beginning of July. After that, the fall brings different types of events to the farm.
My first Woodstock Lavender Co. experience was a chef-prepared farm-to table-dinner. We dined in the barn, and the sunset was glorious. The mood was rustic yet refined, and it’s one of my favorite memories.
Not able to get to a farm-to-table dinner? We recommend a meal at Charred Oak Whiskey Grill in Somerset!
Lavender Products
Shop Woodstock Lavender's website for the freshest batch of handcrafted lavender products for home, bath, and body; essential oil, distilled right on the farm; and an all-natural bug spray that’s safe for kids.
One of my personal favorites is a charcoal lavender facial scrub that soothes my ultrasensitive skin.
Oh, and culinary lavender!
Other goodies include lavender syrup, lavender lemonade mix and my favorite: loose leaf and herbal teas.
Due to the seasonal nature of Woodstock Lavender's products, at times some things could be out of stock online. They do make lavender products year-round, but the biggest re-stock of the year comes in late summer.
Want to use lavender in the kitchen? Enjoy these recipes for lavender crème brûlée, lavender simple syrup, chamomile lavender sleep tea, or a bourbon sour cocktail with lavender!
Allison and Mary are particularly passionate about partnering with other artisans, especially women, to provide unique items for lavender lovers.
They say “We work hard. We smell great.” From my point of view, they look pretty good too!
About Nicole McKinney
Nicole McKinney is a photographer, rare tea enthusiast, and nature lover. She lives with her husband in Eastern Kentucky. Follow Nicole at Tea on the Trail.
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