Little Sky Farm first came into being, in 1985, with 18 apple and pear trees to begin a small orchard. Our three acres, located in a small valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains, north of Boulder Creek, grows under a little piece of sky ringed immediately with Redwood, Douglas Fir, Live Oak, Tan Oak, and Madrone trees and more distantly by Santa Cruz Mountain ridges.

In 2004 with an effort to produce a lavender suitable for cooking we started a unique, seed sown English lavender, Lavandula angustifolia (L. angustifolia). Our seed was obtained from four distinct seed stocks including one from the Provence region of France. In 2005 approximately 1000 plants were put into the ground, and we are now getting close to our 5^th lavender harvest in early summer, 2010.

What sets Little Sky Lavender Farm apart is the fact that it is a crop grown from seed, distinctive from the cloned variety that is used for making soaps, lotions, etc. A variety of cultivars have been developed to maximize the production of lavender oil. Unfortunately, maximizing oil content does not translate into an herb suitable for cooking.

Our naturally grown, genetically diverse seed grown crop is much lighter, sweeter, and better suited to the spice rack than most of the lavender currently available.

In 2007 we began to branch out with an enclosed garden (to keep the deer away) with a variety of naturally grown herbs including basil, tarragon, mint, thyme, lemon verbena, lemon thyme, chives, savory, and Greek oregano. We also began farming, naturally grown, heirloom tomatoes inspired by Dave (our garden master) with flowers decorating his enclosed garden. Our 2007 tomatoes were so well received, by local restaurant chefs and markets, that we doubled our plantings and expanded the number of varieties for 2008 and 2009.

We will again, this year 2010, increase the number of plants and varieties as we continue to expand Little Sky Lavender Farm into the future. Dave has faced challenges with gophers that have developed a love of his tomato plants and flowers, as well. This year… more, above ground container gardening will be the spotlight. We will conquer those rascals, we will prevail.

We at Little Sky Lavender have as our mission, to develop and introduce a lavender that will fit neatly into the spice shelf amid the pantheon of spices gourmet cooks use to enlighten their meals.

Our goal is to provide quality culinary lavender for cooking. Once a staple in the households of Europe, and still used widely there, it is truly a unique experience in the culinary arts. What sets Little Sky Lavender apart is the fact that it is a crop grown from seed, distinctive from the cloned variety that is used for making soaps, lotions, etc.

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Our farm is closed to the public.