Lavender Dreams: Frog Creek Farm Celebrates 10 Years in Ojai
In 2004, without a vision, we planted our first lavenders on our property in the Upper Ojai Valley, near the intersection of Highway 150 and Sulphur Mountain Road.
Prior to the planting, Jim Hall, a legacy Ojai farmer, nearby neighbor and superhuman being, helped us till in a couple of seasons of manure crop to nourish and prepare our soil. With his support we knew we had laid a solid foundation, and whatever we decided to plant would grow with gusto. We decided on lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) because of its perennial nature, drought tolerance and relatively low maintenance characteristics. It is also a plant with a unique, fragrant and beautiful bloom that paints a landscape with a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. And it attracts bees, butterflies and various other pollinators.
Our initial planting of approximately 600 plants consisted of three varieties that occupied 15 rows on about one acre of land. As we would later come to learn— time and laboring in the field have been our most influential instructors—we were a bit overzealous with our original undertaking.
Our lavender took to our healthy soil and matured beautifully. But now what?! We suddenly found ourselves a little too far out over our skis, so like all good would-be “farmers,” we improvised.
In what we now fondly refer to as our “Huck Finn Era,” we organized annual potluck harvest gatherings, charming our friends, neighbors and family to undertake the back-bending physical labor of harvesting lavender in the Ojai heat of June and July afternoons. In exchange, food, beverage and sometimes music were provided.
More often than not, our harvesting gatherings ended with dozens of people standing in our field of lavender basking in the glowing light of an Upper Valley sunset as the soothing cooler evening temperatures trickled towards us over Sulphur Mountain. As the music faded away, calm and quiet settled in, and tired young children were carried away in their parents’ arms. We knew we had created something special.
Next to the lavender field, a creek runs through the property where a cacophony of frogs and toads orchestrate each evening in late winter and early spring. Thus, Frog Creek Farm Ojai was born.
Photos courtesy of Frog Creek Farm
TIME TO TIDY UP
From these experiences, and at the suggestions of some of our friends (likely eager to retire as semi-pro lavender harvesters), we eventually decided to pivot to a U-pick farm. But before we could proceed, we had some work to do. Years of prolific growth had turned our clean, neat, multi-row field of lavender into a singular lavender blob. The number and density of plants in our original design had also inadvertently stunted growth and flower production. So began the arduous task of removing/transplanting every other row in our field to provide greater space for plant growth and visitor access.
We also decided to convert our lavender drying shed into a shady spot for visitors to escape the summer sun and double as an education center and tiny boutique to share the varieties of lavender we grow, and their various uses.
In 2014, with these major upgrade projects behind us, we needed a name. Next to the lavender field, a creek runs through the property where a cacophony of frogs and toads orchestrate each evening in late winter and early spring. Thus, Frog Creek Farm Ojai was born.
A FRAGRANT SANCTUARY
In the past 10 years, we have had the privilege of welcoming a diverse array of visitors from all over this planet. We have watched pregnant partners return with their babies and then year after year with their growing children. We have witnessed heartfelt matrimonial requests and joyful exchanges. We have openly shared our knowledge and understanding of these medicinal plants. Social media is littered with thousands of pictures of people enjoying the experience of our little farm.
Providing visitors with a sanctuary of peace and calm—a temporary escape from what is too often a stressful and tumultuous world—has been most important to us. We have seen and hope for a near-ethereal experience for our guests.
With dozens of people in the field the world is both great and small. The pace of life and breath slows. The mind quiets, stresses are momentarily forgotten. Visitors are together as a group, but alone in their private experiences. They are foraging, but not for food. Instead, it is for those unique moments in nature when something deep stirs within. A hush settles in, but observations are sharp. It is easy to become transfixed on a bee moving from corolla to corolla. If you close your eyes, you can better hear the hum of the pollinators, the call of a nearby warbler in the trees, the cry of the red-shouldered hawk high above or a gentle breeze moving the plants.
END OF THE SEASON
Because of Ojai’s long, hot summer days, our lavender bloom only lasts about six to eight weeks, which gives us natural boundary to our U-pick schedule. The sea of purple will begin in early June with the Hidcote and Royal Velvet; the field peaks during the early part of July and then fades as the July heat sets in. It’s during these days of high heat the lavender blooms become dense with their sweet oil.
The last major play of each season is the final harvest. In order to beat the heat, we arise before dawn to pick lavender stems and flowers remaining after the U-pick season is complete. We typically gather between 100 to 150 pounds of flowers (weighed without the stems) during that last push, which we then distill into our annual vintage of lavender oil—our most beloved product. Depending upon seasonal conditions, we generally make 35 to 45 ounces of pure lavender oil, most of which is available for purchase in our boutique.
Our 2024 season opening date is June 22. U-pick days are Saturdays and Sundays from 9am–1pm, with a special golden hour picking on Saturdays ONLY, 6–8pm. For more information visit FrogCreekFarmOjai.com or on Instagram @frogcreekfarmojai.
FIVE VARIETIES OF LAVENDER
In the spring of 2023 we cultivated an additional 250 plants on land adjacent to our legacy field. These “babes” produced a minimal crop last summer but will contribute in small part to our 2024 harvest. Between the two fields we have now have five varieties of lavender.
Lavandula x intermedia Grosso: This is our most prevalent plant, and is the primary contributor to the production of our distilled lavender oil. It has a deep, dark purple flower that is also great for dry cut bunches.
Lavandula x intermedia Provence: A paler, greyish flower, but its fragrance is highly sought after. It takes a handful of years to mature. Our 15-year-old overgrown plants were removed in 2021 and individual starts replanted that same year, so these should be hitting their fragrance stride this summer.
Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote: We grow a unique dwarf variety that creates small dry cut bundles. It’s a visual fan favorite with its compact, vibrant purple, velvety flower spikes.
Lavandula angustifolia Royal Velvet: Very similar in color and texture to the Hidcote but with a more spacious flower spike, longer stem and a sweet, pleasing fragrance.
Lavandula angustifolia Miss Katherine: The distinct characteristic of this lavender is the pinkish, white flower spike it produces, which adds a unique accent to lavender wreathes.
