If you thought there wasn’t any lavender fields just hanging out on the Western slopes of Colorado, well you’d be wrong.
Last November during my birthday trip, I took a trip around Colorado to explore some of the places I’ve never seen. One of the places I decided to visit was Grand Junction, to one, see the area, and two see my Aunt and Uncle.
During my travels in the area, they took me on a drive through Palisade’s many farms to a place called Sage Creations Organic Farm. While it was November, nothing was in bloom, but that didn’t make it any less beautiful.
Lavender Fields in November
When we arrived at the farm, we were provided with a cute map that shows the many rows of lavender fields existing on the property. I was able to learn more about this farm in the charming lavender shop with the bright purple doors. There you can ask the owners about the farm and purchase lavender bundles, lotions, oils and more.
The helpful staff let me know that in June and July, the lavender fields are in full purple bloom. It’s quite a beautiful backdrop with Mount Garfield in the distance. I tried to imagine what the lavender fields must be like in June and made it a point to come in the summer.
During the cold months, you can find a quaint place to roast marshmallows outside and enjoy hot chocolate.
Visiting The Lavender Farm & Lavender Festival in Palisade
This year, the Lavender Festival falls on June 26th and goes through June 28th. There you can enjoy the delightful lavender aromas which fill the local park in Palisade. In just a short distance, you can also journey over to Sage Creations to pick your own bundles of lavender.
Below are some fun facts about Lavender and how you can pick your own lavender this season!!
Place To Stay in Palisade:
- Wine Country Inn
- Spoke and Vine Motel
- Palisade Wine Valley Inn
To see all recommended lodging options, go here.
Picking Lavender in June
Be prepared for the hot weather. Grand Junction can reach temperatures as high as 100 on a good summer day. Dressing in lightweight and light-colored clothing with good shoes is a must. Avoid sunburn by wearing long sleeve shirts and pants, or using an organic sunscreen.
Things you Should Bring When Picking Lavender:
- Breathable summer clothing
- Hats and sunglasses
- Good walking shoes
- Sunscreen
- Lots of drinking water
You can save time and pick your lavender before everyone else by purchasing bundles of lavender on their website under the U-Pick Lavender option. We chose to purchase the 5 bundles of lavender for $35.
How to Pick Your Own Lavender
When you get to Sage Creations Organic Farm, they give you a large basket with everything you need to pick lavender. You’ll get scissors, a bundle measuring guide, a map of the farm, and rubber bands to secure your bundles.
Once you have all your tools, you can go out into the fields designated for picking lavender and go nuts!
Steps to picking your lavender:
- Grab a handful of lavender and hold it tight.
- Take your scissors and cut your lavender closest to the stem but just before the branch of the lavender bush (don’t worry, they’ll show you how to do it).
- Cut the lavender
- Measure the thickness of the handful using the measuring tool
- Add more lavender to your bundle if necessary
- Tie a rubber band around the bundle
Annual Colorado Lavender Festival
To celebrate the rich purple that takes over the property at Sage Creations Organic Farm, the Lavender Association of Colorado helps put on a Lavender festival in downtown Palisade where people can gather to enjoy the aromas of lavender and pass out from severe relaxation.
At these festivals, you can listen to music, eat lavender cake, take a horse-drawn carriage ride, make lavender crafts, and so much more!
Lavender Sparkling Water
If you have the opportunity, and if they make it available next year at the Lavender Festival, try the Lavender Sparkling Water brought up from Bluefly Farms in New Mexico. You can buy 4 packs or enjoy a cold one while walking around the festival.
Simple Lavender Lemonade Recipe
If during all of your lavender fun you have the chance to purchase some culinary lavender, you should make a point to do so. You can buy a bag of culinary lavender for $8 a bag, and use it for cooking.
One of my favorite ways to use it is to make a simple lavender lemonade. The recipe from Sage Creations is below:
- Boil 1 cup of water with 3 TBSP of Lavender
- Add the 2 cups of the sugar to the water and lavender and mix until the liquid is clear.
- Remove from heat and let the simple syrup cool
- To make lemonade combine 1 part simple syrup, 1 part lemonade, and 4 parts water
Things You Can Do With Your Lavender
My family and I have a few plans on things to do with our lavender. We like using ours to make smell good items. But here are a few other recommendations below.
Using Fresh Lavender at Home
- Combine with sage to make sage sticks
- Place in a vase and enjoy the fresh aroma for several days
- Hang them upside down and let them dry out for a decorative look
- Baking cakes or making beverages
You can get more advice on how to use lavender in your daily life by speaking with someone at Sage Creations Organic Farm! You can also purchase their items online here.
Fun Facts about Lavender
There are 47 different types of lavender that can be used for a variety of reasons. On a lavender farm, these plants usually thrive in rocky and sandy soils, making Grand Junction the perfect place to grow! Lavender also comes from the same plant family as mint.
Most lavenders are purple and blues, but some have been known to be pink and yellow. And of course, many know lavender to have a great many soothing and relieving abilities for people with joint pain, depression, sleep issues, and anxiety.
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