What a wonderful Farm Day!
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to SEEAG for organizing another fantastic Santa Barbara County Farm Day, and to everyone who made Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm one of their stops on Saturday. A special shoutout to Santa Barbara County SEEAG employees and volunteers who helped make check in smooth for all the visitors we had! We loved welcoming so many people to the farm, sharing what we do, answering your questions, and spending the day celebrating local agriculture with our community.
Events like Farm Day are a great reminder of just how much interest there is in learning where our agricultural products come from and getting to know the people and processes behind them.
Our Lavender Distillation Demonstration Was a Roaring Success
One of the highlights of this year’s Farm Day was our lavender steam distillation demonstration, and we could not have been happier with the response.
Throughout the day, visitors were able to see firsthand how we take lavender grown here on the farm and use traditional steam distillation to produce lavender essential oil and hydrosol.
The demonstration was a roaring success! We had so many great questions and conversations throughout the day. It was especially fun getting to share a part of the lavender growing process that visitors do not normally get to see when they come to the farm during bloom season.
We spend a lot of time talking about growing lavender, but harvesting is only part of the story. Being able to show what happens next gave our guests a closer look at how we turn the plants growing in our fields into some of the lavender products we make and use here at the farm.
Getting Creative With Our Decoupage Shell Class
The decoupage shell class by Julie from Orcutt Wine and Design on Wheels was also a big hit!
We wanted to add a creative activity to this year’s Farm Day, and it was so much fun seeing everyone put their own personality into their shells. Visitors stopped in throughout the day to create something unique to take home with them as a reminder of their visit to the farm.
Thank you to everyone who sat down, got creative, and joined Julie. Seeing the finished shells she made with her students was one of our favorite parts of the day. Her next class here on the farm will be a wine bottle decorating workshop on October 10th from 3-5pm,sign up here!
Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm Featured in Noozhawk
We were also excited to see Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm included in Noozhawk’s coverage of Santa Barbara County Farm Day.
The article, “County Farm Day Offers Behind the Scenes Look at Agricultural Process,” highlights the opportunity Farm Day gives the public to learn more about local agriculture and the processes that often happen out of sight after something is grown or harvested.
You can read the Noozhawk article here:
Read the Farm Day article on Noozhawk
We are grateful to be included and always appreciate opportunities to share the story of our farm and Santa Barbara County agriculture with a wider audience.
Thank You, SEEAG and Our Farm Day Visitors
Most importantly, thank you to SEEAG and every single person who came out to visit us.
Whether you watched the distillation demonstration, made a decoupage shell, explored the farm, asked us questions, stopped by the farm stand, or simply came out to see what we have been up to, we appreciate you spending part of your Farm Day with us.
We hope you left knowing a little more about lavender and what goes into growing, harvesting, and distilling it.
And if you enjoyed your time at the farm, you do not have to wait long to come back!
Join Us for Afternoon Tea on September 26
Our next event is right around the corner.
Join us Saturday, September 26, from 3 PM to 5 PM for Afternoon Tea at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm.
This time, instead of learning how we distill lavender, you will have an opportunity to discover another side of this incredibly versatile plant: culinary lavender.
We will be serving lavender lemonade, lavender coffee, and a selection of delicious sweet and savory treats featuring culinary lavender grown right here on our farm.
It will be a relaxing afternoon to gather with friends and family, enjoy some delicious treats, and spend a little more time on the farm as we welcome the beginning of fall.
Space for Afternoon Tea is limited, and advance reservations are required, so be sure to sign up through our website and reserve your spot.
Thank you again for making Farm Day such a wonderful experience. We hope to see many of you back at the farm for Afternoon Tea on September 26! 💜🌿