Having a farm had been a lifelong dream of ours. We’ve always shared an interest in botany with one another and we love spending time outdoors.
Our property is situated at 44.725274° N, which is about halfway between the Equator and North Pole, and it was completely undeveloped when we purchased it in the fall of 2020. It was our blank canvas! We took a course through Michigan State University on farming lavender and decided to begin planting the following season, in 2022.
Our land was former state land, and it once was logged and operated as a red pine plantation. Red, white, and jack pine now live here along with maple, ironwood, beech, cherry, oak, and hemlock. There are a few sugar maple trees that are almost 5 feet wide and at least 150 years old, dating back to the end of the last large logging boom in our area. The lichen and moss are abundant, and the humus is thick in these northwest Michigan woods!
Mosses are among the oldest land plants on Earth, and some species can be dormant for up to 40 years before reviving and rehydrating. We transplanted a portion of reindeer lichen and broom moss from one area of our property to another to create a moss garden. We formed the moss into a triangular design and as avid rock collectors, we continue to add to the garden with our rocks year after year.
There are over 7,000 species that belong in Lamiaceae, known as the mint family, and lavender is dated to be at least 2,500 years old. The earliest known use of lavender dates back to the Egyptians, who used a scented oil distilled from lavender flowers for perfume, cosmetics, and mummification. Lavender has antimicrobial, sedative, and anti-inflammatory properties that have been known for as long as the plant has been around. The Greeks and Romans also used lavender for its medicinal, aromatic, and cleansing properties.
“Lavare” is the Latin infinitive for “to wash”, and is where the name “Lavender” is believed to have originated from. During the bubonic plague, lavender was even used as an amulet and as adornment to ward off the “bad air” or foul smells associated with the illness.
In 2022 we began planting lavender rows on the most easterly side of our property. It is an open meadow that borders the woods. The field receives approximately 14 hours of sunlight around the summer solstice, and we generally receive at least 40 inches of rainfall a year.
The soil in our area is characteristically sandy. Lavender is a Mediterranean plant, and it thrives without much water and in sandy soils. As so, we decided to plant the cultivar Lavandula x Intermedia, known as Phenomenal Lavender, which thrives in our zone 6 climate.
The cycle of life, whether told through biology or botany, is the most amazing testament to the beauty of God’s will and grace. The 10,000 year-old soil harbors a host of nutrients and water that alone feeds the roots of the lavender.
We hand-harvest and use only organic methods in production. We do not water or use fertilizers. Our harvested lavender is particularly high in camphor, which means that the buds have a spicy and herbal scent similar to menthol or eucalyptus.
We’re influenced by various garden techniques and design styles, although find most of our inspiration from Japanese aesthetics. The concept of “wabi-sabi” symbolizes impermanence and imperfection, while “ma” symbolizes the importance of negative space. Leaving some areas within our gardens natural and untouched while pruning other areas in detail accentuate the two extremes.
Our zen garden showcases the transitions between each season. In the spring, we await the thaw and watch how the shadows of the trees retreat as the sun climbs higher each day. In the fall, we watch the leaves float and twirl as the clouds become denser and lower.
In 2025 we planted a wildflower bed using the native species of yarrow, echinacea, and butterfly weed. The habitat created from it fosters the activity of caterpillars, insects, and pollinators much longer than our lavender can provide, as we cut the majority of our harvest mid-July. Lavender is ready to harvest when it is at the peak of potency. The concentration of essential oils in lavender is highest when the buds have just begun to bloom, but haven’t all blossomed yet.
Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed leaves, and butterfly weed is a species of milkweed. Once they become adults, the monarchs can feed on nectar from a variety of flowers, including lavender.
Our raised vegetable beds are made using fallen red pine trees and huegelkultur techniques. Each triangular raised bed is made of six logs wedged together and secured to the ground with rebar. “Huegelkultur” is a German term that relates to mound culture, or the building of raised beds on top of a base containing decaying wood, logs, branches, and other biomass debris. There are many benefits to building raised beds this way, such as water retention, nutrient release, and soil improvement.
Thank you for your love and support, and we hope that you enjoy the lavender!!
Natalie and Tyrell
Good Earth Gardens, MI