In our search for a more regenerative approach to growing Christmas trees and lavender, we discovered Shropshire sheep. They are able to graze around our trees and lavender without causing damage. This reduces our need to burn diesel and compact the soil with a tractor, and also provides several other benefits.

Our sheep are shorn annually and the wool is processed. Shropshire wool is medium grade, good for hats, mittens, socks, sweaters, and has many other uses.

Intensive rotational grazing means that our sheep move to a new pasture every 4 or 5 days. This ensures optimal health for the flock and pasture. Grazing promotes soil microbiology and organic matter buildup.

Inevitably, there are some sheep who go to be processed for their meat. Lamb has fed many cultures for a long time. Our lamb is locally grown and pasture grazed.

Our sheep have a home indoors and out of the elements. Their bedding builds up with their manure and is used to mulch around our trees and plants. This mulch fertilizes the soil and holds moisture.

We use a no-till approach when planting our lavender. All of our planting is done by hand. Tilling the land releases carbon into our atmosphere.

Keeping weeds at bay is also done by hand and is assisted with water permeable ground cloth. Minimizing herbicide use keeps soil and insects healthy as well as prevents soil erosion.

Lavender plants are kept pruned to optimize plant health and maximize blooms. This ensures a long life for each plant to provide pollinator habitat and a refreshing experience for humans.

If you love lavender, you are in good company! Many folks do, and those who do can sometimes be fanatics. Our lavender fields gather a community of folks that grow, cook, craft, or find peace in it.

Land that grows trees and is also grazed is known as silvopasture. This results in decreased mowing time, reduced herbicide and non-renewable fuel reliance, and fertilizes our plantation.

We use a no-till approach when planting our trees. All of our planting is done by hand. Tilling the land releases carbon into our atmosphere.

Mulch is part of the cycle of our farm. We use it around some of our trees. Ours is a mix of compost, sheep manure/bedding, and other organic materials. It provides our trees moisture retention, weed control, and fertilization.

Coppicing, or stump culture, is the practice of growing several trees out of one stump. A carefully cut tree will leave behind a stump that will send up a new tree. This reduces many inputs and adds a lot of stability to the soil. We plan to employ this method in the future when we harvest.

The holiday season at Lavender Hill Farm is an incredible time. Families and friends gather together to pick out their tree and make memories. It is a blessing to be able to hold this space for our community.

Our diversity creates an ecosystem that plays host to many animals and lots of microorganisms in our soil.

Zero-Waste practices like composting, recycling, reusing, and repairing help to efficiently use non-renewable resources and on-farm resources.

We conserve water by intentionally growing drought tolerant lavender and efficiently irrigating when our crops do need a drink.

Intentional plantings for wildlife habitat, along with reduced herbicide use and no perimeter fencing help to nurture our greater ecosystem.

Continuing education ensures that we are keeping up to date with best practices for sustainable and regenerative farming.