The Story of Full Bloom Lavender Farm: A Message From Essie

Hi everyone, it's Essie! 

Those who have visited the farm already may have heard this story before, but bear with me!

Back in 2016, the real estate market was hectic and my family and I had sold our house and were looking for a new place to call home. But everything seemed to sell the instant it went up for sale. Then, we saw a beautiful lavender farm that had just come on the market. It was love at first sight! I quickly convinced my parents this was the place for our family. I had no idea then that it would one day become my business and the place that had my heart (and my time!). I could not believe it and I will never forget the excitement of cutting my first fresh lavender bundle or making my first hand-screened sachet.

But it's been a journey. When we first moved onto the farm at the end of August 2016, my brothers voted for us to "tear out the lavender and put in a dirt-bike track". Absolutely horrified by my brothers' idea, my 12 year-old self was convinced that we could not destroy something so beautiful. In June 2017, at only 13 years old, I started an Instagram page for the farm. At this point, I would sit out by the road and try and sell fresh bundles. Most days, I would have just a single sale, and end up making $5 for the entire day. However, little entrepreneurial me was excited to be making any kind of money; regardless of the time I poured in. The following year, I continued selling at the road, but we also started doing private tours and photoshoots at the farm. Still, we were not formally open to the public.

In 2019, we finally opened the gates to the public with set hours; that summer is when I first realized that our farm could become a business, and my summer job! Now, you can find me answering phone calls, running our shop, hand-screening sachets, picking bundles, weeding (not often - that's a job for my brothers!), and of course producing content and posting on our Instagram!

I am proud of how far our farm has come; not only have we grown our business, but have expanded as a farm by planting hundreds more plants each year, and selling a range of products. I am so thankful to everyone who has supported my family's farm, and for the opportunity to meet so many phenomenal people from a variety of walks life. It is a privilege, and I feel truly honored to meet the people I do through the farm and to do so alongside my family.

During the lavender's offseason, you will often find me buried in my homework as a dedicated student, or at the ice arena playing hockey. I recently completed my first year of post-secondary school, studying to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration - all while competing on the institution's women's ice hockey team. 

Thank you and I hope to see you at our farm soon,

                                                                            Essie