Our Story
It started with a feeling...
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In a magazine, my husband Jim and I found a picture of a family gathered around a table on an outside patio at twilight, laughing and smiling.
The scene captured the unmistakable warmth and joy of a big, happy family experiencing life together in a place they love; that feeling bounded off the page and lit a spark in us.
Reminded of life's greatest rewards, we wanted to capture that feeling for our family.
So, Jim built a barn with a woodshop for his projects and storage for our kayaks and paddleboards.
In the middle, he created a cozy area for our family's own twilight dinners and moments of merriment, furnished with wooden tables illuminated by warm lights.
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It was a work of art worthy of the Rhode Island coastal landscape, and it was the beginning of what we would build together – but there was still an empty section of the barn, and we weren't sure what to use it for.
So, we decided to make lavender a part of our project.
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My love for lavender began as a child, enjoying the smell and sight of the plants as I pulled into the driveway. I knew the land surrounding our barn was ideal for growing lavender – some varieties even thrive during Rhode Island winters.
We began by planting 250 lavender plants and turned the vacant section of the barn into a lavender room, in which we'd hang the harvested lavender as it undergoes the drying process. Two years later, we're nurturing 2800 plants of culinary and fragrant lavender varieties.
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Today, our thriving lavender business has become a beloved part of our family.
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Our 100% organic lavender is carefully harvested and tied into beribboned bundles by hand and sold to local markets and merchants. We are expanding and will soon sell hand-crafted lavender soaps, candles, and sachets in our online store.
Whale Rock Lavender is a labor of love for our family. Just as when I was a child, I always smile at the smell and sight of our lavender when I pull into the driveway. We are excited to share our lavender with you!
–Tara Griffin, farmer
