Carolyn Blair was facing ongoing health issues, often visiting doctors without finding relief.
She turned to natural remedies to aid in her recovery — specifically lavender. She discovered this during a trip to Sequim, Washington.
“That was the first time I saw a field of lavender,” she said. “I told my husband we should try it. We had an old, abandoned area. So, I bought 3,000 baby plants.”
She planted each one by hand on Mother’s Day 2018.
“The gentleman we bought babies from said, ‘It’s probably going to take about three years before you have your first big harvest.’
“The first summer they were like, ‘Boom.’ They just took off. They love it in Oracle because we’re a little bit lower elevation. They’re Mediterranean, so they don’t like the heat, really.”
The couple is sharing their love of lavender with Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm in Oracle and The Lavender Manor in Downtown Tucson, the latter of which opened in October 2022.
This is the blooming season for the farm, which is an hour north of Tucson. “The first field was at our home, and we bought 10 acres in the middle of Oracle, right off the main road,” she said. “It was a big investment. It was 2019.”
In honor of the first of two fields, The Lavender Manor hosts a Mother’s Day tea. Blair stressed that the plant isn’t just medicinal.
“You can craft with it,” she said. “We do wreath workshops. You can cook with it, which is good for you as well. I tell our guests that lavender is the cousin of rosemary. Whenever you use rosemary, you can use lavender.”
For these classes, the Blairs screen the lavender three times to ensure it’s “super clean.”
Frequently, the farm has festivals themed after fairies and Frida Kahlo. They also show family films and host yoga.
Blair said she and her family work hard on the farm, considering the process is all done by hand. They hand-harvest the lavender — 6,000 plants — with a pair of scissors .
They could purchase a machine, which would also help with buds. However, it costs $10,000.
“Everything is very labor-intensive,” she said. “But I think people appreciate that it’s organic and it’s quality. Sometimes our prices are a little higher because of that. I know our prices are a little higher because of that.”
The charming boutique in Downtown Tucson is a store and tearoom that also sells lip balm, lotions and oils, among other items.
“There are people who think that they don’t like lavender,” she said. “It’s usually because they have never smelled fresh lavender.”
Blair is also an artist, contributing pieces to the farm. Other local artists are also featured at the spaces.
Blair’s second career came “late in life,” she said. “I guess I’m late in life to live out my dream. My husband was in the military, though. We got married young, but we’re still together.”
The Blair family sees thousands of butterflies and bees, and an influx of guests during the season, which runs from Memorial Day to mid-June. Afterward, the family harvests the lavender and infuses it into lotion, lip balm and oils
“I realized how disconnected people are from nature,” she said. “We also do field trips, not so much during the busy season. The kids love it. They come out to the farm.
“They just come out and they have fun. They love the lavender lemonade. What we offer is a lot of fun and educational.”
Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm
1221 N. Rancho Robles Road, Oracle
The Lavender Manor
347 E. Fourth Street, Tucson
lifeundertheoakslavenderfarm.com
