A New Chapter at PepperHarrow Farm

Expanding Our Lavender Fields

If you’ve been to the farm recently, or if you’re just curious, you may have noticed a BIG change: a new addition to PepperHarrow Farm (40-acres big, to be exact!)

This past January, we made the exciting (and a little scary) decision to buy 40 acres of land, the land adjacent to our current farm, to expand our lavender fields to become one of the largest lavender farms in Central Iowa. We thought we’d take you behind the scenes to see what this experience has been like and what it means for us, and y’all, as we continue to grow.

Planting New Lavender Fields

We started this project in early spring, and it has been no small task. Between prepping the soil, laying rows, and hand-planting thousands of young plants, it took weeks of early mornings, late evenings, and lots of teamwork to get it all in the ground.

We had over 6 employees working 4 days a week for about a month to get all of our 15,000 baby lavender plants, planted. As of mid-June, we’ve officially wrapped up planting and we’re already dreaming about next year’s blooms. Can you imagine how beautiful this view is going to be?

Why Plant More Lavender?

There are so many reasons we love to grow lavender at PepperHarrow. It’s likely a given that we’re absolutely in love with the beauty of the blooms themselves, but we also really love how the plants always keep a gray/green sheen, even in winter. It really helps take the edge off of the winter blues, because we can look out and see these beautiful plants growing when we look out our windows from the house.

For us, lavender is also more than just a fragrant and beautiful addition to the farm. It’s an incredible plant/flower for pollinators. With its long blooming season and deep nectar stores, lavender serves as a reliable food source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Its tightly clustered flowers allow pollinators to forage efficiently, making it especially attractive to honeybees and native bee species alike. Plus, because lavender thrives even during dry spells, it continues to support pollinators when other blooms may fade. By planting lavender, we’re not only adding beauty and scent to our farm, we’re actively helping sustain the ecosystems that rely on healthy pollinator populations.

Setting aside the beauty of lavender and the important role it plays in supporting pollinators, one of the most rewarding aspects of growing lavender is being able to harvest and distill it ourselves. Using our own copper still, we’re able to extract pure lavender essential oil right here on the farm, which becomes the heart of many of our handcrafted products. From salves and mists to candles and soaps. There’s something deeply satisfying about the cycle of growing, harvesting, distilling, and creating our goods, all in one place. All made from the land we tend to.

 What It’s Like to Plant & Grow Lavender

Growing lavender is a commitment. It thrives in well-drained soil, full sun, and needs plenty of air circulation, which are all conditions that mimic its native Mediterranean climate. You might think lavender might be a low-maintenance plant, but establishing healthy plants takes careful planning, proper spacing, and thoughtful attention to soil conditions.

Lavender prefers to be left alone more than fussed over, but it does demand consistency. Pruning is key, which is done once a year to keep plants vigorous and healthy. We monitor for signs of root rot after heavy rains and make sure weeds don’t crowd the base of the plants. While it's drought-tolerant once established, young lavender needs a careful balance of water and dryness.

Other Goals We Have for the Lavender Expansion

Our biggest goal with this expansion is to grow more lavender and find more opportunities to share what we love.

Here’s what we hope to do:

• Increase our You-Pick lavender experience (with a lot more space)

• Expand our line of handmade lavender products

• Host more lavender related events and workshops

Image Credit: Swoops ‘N Scoops

What This Means for PepperHarrow (And Y’all)!

Our lavender expansion is more than just planting more rows, it's a deepened commitment to the land, flower farming, and to you. By adding 40 new acres and planting over 15,000 young lavender plants, we’re laying the groundwork for something truly special. More space to welcome visitors, more blooms to support pollinators, and more opportunities to distill and craft the lavender-based products you love. This is a big leap for us, and one that comes from the heart. 💜

Our biggest goal with this expansion is simple; to grow more lavender and share what we love. Whether that means strolling through our expanded You-Pick fields, attending a hands-on workshop, or enjoying the calming scent of our farm-grown essential oil in your home, we want you to be part of this next chapter. We can’t wait to see where this journey takes us and we’re so grateful to have you along for the ride.

If you haven’t visited us before, now is as good of time as any! We have a number of classes and events lined up for the summer and into the fall that we’d love to share with you. We can’t wait to show you around!

XX Jenn and Adam