Lookout Lavender Farms launches this year’s uPick season this weekend. Husband and wife owners Alice and Bill Marrin said the celebration starts Friday from 4-8 p.m. with a special treat for all ages.
“We’re expecting a visit from some Highland cows from Blessing Creek Farm,” Alice said. “People can cuddle with the cows, take a picture with the cows as well as pick lavender. We’re looking forward to having them join us.”
\The fun continues Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The schedule for the rest of the season is posted below.
The couple bought the Rising Fawn, Georgia property in 2016 while they still lived in Atlanta. They thought it would be for their retirement and weekend getaways.
“But we also realized once we bought this property, we needed to do something with it,” Alice said. “It was pretty much a junkyard. It had to be cleaned up.”
Alice said she made a promise to herself. If she planted one lavender plant and it lived, they would give the farm a try. “That one sole lavender plant I planted in 2016 lived,” she said.
The couple joined the US Lavender Growers Association and started planting in spring of 2017 and folks have been picking their lavender bunches ever since. The couple have been living on the farm since 2019.
Alice said lavender doesn’t require as much care, compared to tomatoes and other garden plants. The herb is pest and deer resistance and has a pleasant scent. She said they did have to prepare the growing areas since the natural soil is not conducive to growing lavender.
“Lavender grows best in alkaline soil,” she said. “Ours is acidic, at least at the top of the mountain. We add limestone gravel and that brings the pH up. And it also grows in drier areas. And you saw what May was like. We get a lot of rain here. So, we have to elevate our rows, so they drain well. Those are the two big things we have to do.”
At the end of uPick season the couple dries some of the lavender and extracts the oil to make skincare products and sell the essential oils.
“I know very few people who don't love lavender,” Alice said while noting its fragrant aroma, and how it can be used in herbal health products.
Alice said their on-site store, The Lav Shack will be moved under a large tent outside to accommodate more shoppers.
Lavender is a perennial plant and Alice said it requires minimal maintenance during the off-season. There are a few times where older plants are replaced with new ones.
Guests don’t have to pick lavender bundles if they don’t want to.
“It's a lot of work to pick a bundle,” she said. “You have to bend over and cut, and it's hot, and a lot of people just want to sit on the bench. Bring some food, meet up with your friends and have a picnic here.”
Driving onto the farm during the full-bloom season is a site to behold.
“We have a beautiful grove of hemlocks,” she said. “When you come into the driveway, you're just surrounded by them. It's a real pretty. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
\here will be a $8 per adult fee to enter the field. Each paid adult (12 years and over) Is given a wristband upon entry. There is no pre-registration for the event – first come, first serve.
uPick bundles are $7 each and staff onsite will show visitors how to measure the diameter of the picked stems and how to cut the stems. The staff will sanitize the scissors between each usage. A bundle is approximately 1 inch.
Pets are not allowed in the lavender fields. This is for sanitary (they grow culinary lavender) and insurance reasons. Please do not bring your pets to the uPick events as they will not be permitted to enter.
They will provide a porta-potty for guests. The staff does want to allow ample space in the field for guests and if necessary, they will have visitors wait to enter the field until there is availability. This has not been an issue in the past, but they can't guarantee a quick entrance.
No professional photography is allowed during the uPick hours. Those wanting to schedule photo shoots should contact Lookout Lavender Farm directly.
Lookout Mountain Lavender Farms
- 1039 North Moore Road, Rising Fawn, GA
- They are located in the New Salem area on Lookout Mountain, near Cloudland Canyon State Park and Canyon Grille.
- Visit their website at www.lookoutlavender.com