I was only ten years old when I asked my mom what I could do to earn money for college, because it is never too early to save money! She simply answered "lavender". At the time we only had two lavender bushes, so we planted more. In our 10th season, we now have 25 varieties of lavender, with 25 plants in our quarter acre yard, and 250 plants on our acre farm.
The picture above was my first day at the Buhl, Idaho Farmers Market. I started out on one small table with simple soaps and a few other products. I was very proud of the $40 I made on my first day! Now I can barely fit all the products on three tables!
I am now 18 years old and still making products and expanding our inventory with a lot of trial and error. I have help from my dad the Miracle Grow fertilizer and my older brother the heavy lifter. My mom helps me with the machine sewing and embroidery, and keeps me on track with the finances and production. My relatives are still as supportive as ever, helping when they can and growing lavender for me.
As for myself, I am currently a freshman in college studying biological engineering at the University of Idaho. I am using the money I earn to help pay tuition. My mom is now a retired teacher, running a coffee shop here in Buhl, named 208 Caffeinate. Our culinary lavender is featured in a house special called the Lavender Goddess! This is an exciting adventure for all of us. We are currently looking for more acreage so we can expand even more. We would love you to visit our farm!