Here it is March and the lavender is still snuggled into the snow. That doesn’t mean we are not busy with lavender.  Researching the distiller is just about done and we are ready to order one for this season.  The big news we learned of while we rest here on the island is Canadian Gardening magazine.  On page 86, (April Edition) we are listed as one of the special places to visit on Prince Edward Island. Thank you Canadian Gardening!  We are getting ready to participate in the Flower Show in Crapaud, PEI on 4/18-4/19/10.  We will have lots to say about lavender! Anita has designed a baby pillow of lavender for soothing the little ones. We have a new product called Soy lotion for hands and body.  We are still gleaning lavender.  When you walk in, it almost takes your breath away! As we prepare for the next season of lavender, we will have workshops, story and music making under the moonlight ski by the fire pit, lots of fairies to find on the fairy trail.  More lavender in the field will top off the purple haze created by the lavender.

On November 7, 2009, we covered the lavender.  It is a labor of love and truly good friends who help us out.  Thank you Jane, Harry, Norah, Roland, Laurie, Tanner, Russ, and both Anita and I. We cover with floating row cover and keep it in place by dirt.  There is allot of shoveling going on! After working for a few hours we came into the house for a bowl of pumpkin soup, and salad and pumpkin bread.  It always tastes so good after working hard! We know we have to become more efficient at covering and realize we need to roll the cover.  We will work on a better plan for next year.  It is allot to ask of friends.  We have some new products for next year that we are working on and hopefully they will be a great addition to our existing line.  Reta is working on something and Anita is too.  Oh, what creative minds! We also will continue to present at different organization.  We do talk about growing lavender but also how it is being with sisters. This past Fall we spoke at a Garden Club on Cape Cod and another on PEI, the Bonshaw Garden Club.  It is more about meeting such wonderful people and of course talking about lavender never gets dull!  I hope to hear from those of you who use lavender, cook with it or tell me about an experience in which lavender was a part.  Until next time, think and smell lavender!

The lavender is slowly going to sleep.  We will put the winter covering on soon.  Now, other lavender issues get worked on.  The sisters had their annual meeting in October.  Carol went to an International Lavender Conference in the UK in September. What a small world it is for lavender growers.  We all live in different climates, with different soils and yet we all grow lavender! There were people from Croatia, Poland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, USA,UK and Canada to name a few.  What a dedicated group of people! It was such a learning experience. Our planning has begun for next year with a variety of workshops to be offered.  The one I like best is making a fairy house.  The fairy trail continues to be a big hit, especially for the children.  Stay tuned to lots of news in the coming months.  The “Home for Luci” book is nearly sold out.  It is so wonderful.

The lavender was harvested, dried and bundled in July.  Very early this year.  We are working on finding a distilling solution.  With our summer help, Sasha, we were able to spruce up “Sasha’s Garden”, weed and lay down black mulch.  They plants this year are doing very well, especially the new plot.  We have had lots of visitors and loved the two women from Ottawa who read about us in Claire Cook’s book “Wildwater Walking Club”.  It is a hoot to meet all the great people who also love lavender. Yesterday, had a visit of four sisters (out of come for some tea and chat.We are getting ready to have the painting class this weekend! Kate has lots of ideas for the class.  We are so pleased to have her.

August 22, 2009; 10 AM to 2 PM. $70.00 (includes painting supplies)  Bring pencil, water bottle, paper towels and bagged lunch.  Beginners welcome.  Workshop includes a taste of lavender!Kate Furler, re known artist will be here on PEI for this special event.  Kate has lived and painted in Ireland for 10 years.  She is the featured artist at the Tig Connelly on Inishmaan.  She currently teaches on Cape Cod.   Only a few spots left so call or email asap, Carol@fivesistersoflavenderlane.com or 902-658-2203.

The lavender has been uncovered the beginning of June and the weeds are still there!  This year we will use more black mulch to cut down of the weeds.  We expanded into another area as well.  The black mulch will come in handy.”Home for Luci” by Dottie Cook Garvey is available  for sale.  A call to 902-658-2203 can reserve a copy for you.  The cost is $14.95 plus shipping. Luci is a fairy who finds a new home for her family. It is set on Prince Edward Island and most suitable for ages 5-11 years of age.Carol is going to the Lavender Conference in England in September.  There is always so much to learn about lavender!If you want to come to the farm, it is always “open by chance”.  If you want to weed, great! The potting shed has unique gifts as well as our most popular: lavender-vanilla tea, essential oil, linen spray and sachets. Enjoy the fairy trail or just stroll the farm.Don’t forget to look at our big offering this year….the “Five Sisters…Five Senses”.”Lavender Bites at Bites Cafe”  is our upcoming event for “Fall Flavours” this year at the end of September.   We may not get back to writing in this blog, so if you need to get in touch either call, or email us at Carol@fivesistersoflavenderlane.com or Anita@fivesistersoflavenderlane.com  

If you want to find us on the map, just go to Google Maps,  put in Five Sisters of Lavender Lane, press search button  and voila, there we are with telephone number et al! Cool

We were not available for a few days but all is well in lavenderland!  Check out our link to Tourism PEI; look under activities, then “Once in a Lifetime Experience”…….Five Sisters, Five Senses!    Here are some updates:we will have a booth at the Sumerside Women’s Institute Conference in May and then in June there is a regional one as well in Charlottetown.  There is still plenty of snow on the ground so the lavender is still asleep!  I am planning on attending the Lavender Conference in Cambridge, England in September.  If you are planning to be there, let me know. Oh, the book is coming along.  Anita did a great deal of scouting for the printing of it.  It looks like we have a winner!! Also, we will in “Occasions” magazine this summer! 

New news.  On May 13th, we have been asked by Woman’s Institute to be at their conference in Summerside.  We will have a display table of all things lavender!  Anita has been busy enrolling us with the Women’s Institute, Bonshaw.  We are joining our community friends!  There are also more community events in the pipeline…..stay tuned for more news.  The biggest news is that Dottie has finished writing and illustrating her book. Now it is up to Anita and Carol to get it published!  This is so exciting.  The story of Luci is wonderful but the illustrations are just gorgeous!! What talent hanging around these five sisters!!  We will be looking to do self publishing so if there are any ideas, let us know.  

The summer will soon be upon us and already we are planning for Lavender.  We will work with Tourism this year on the “Experience PEI” project.  Our webpage will be linked to theirs.  We will provide a four hour program for $40.00 each to include all things lavender.  Time in the field, time spent tasting it with our special tea, and time to roam the property.  The big hit will be the time spent writing and sharing short stories.  Refer to our brochure for more info. More plants will go in this year.  My passion for lavender is boundless.  I love talking about, working with it and sharing it with anyone who wants to know more about it.  Stop in any time.  As the sign says “Open by chance” , but if you want to make sure one of us is available, give us a jingle at 902-658-2203 to set up a time to visit. We continue to look for a still that will distill our lavender.  Our little one has worked very hard for us but need for a larger one can not wait.  Do you know of one? We are also working at a new method of drying the lavender.  Last Summer the rains came just when it was perfect for harvesting.  Oh! the things to be learned!  We have been scouting lavender growers all over the world for new ideas and learn more about this wonderful plant.  I just can’t believe how much success we have had since the beginning.  From the festivals we have made so many friends and met so many lavender lovers. We have had a song written by Glen MacEachren called “The Five Sisters of Lavender Lane” which tells our story.  We were featured on “On the Road Again” before it closed up shop .  We have been written about in Canadian Gardening and Salscapes.  What a road we have traveled! There are more adventures to be explored and with Dottie’s book, we may be going in a new direction.  She has another one in the pipeline on the five sisters and Anita has one too.  Mary continues to make products and Reta is so busy with keeping us honest!