Business Is Blooming on Tennessee Lavender Farms
In partnership with: Tennessee Department of Agriculture
When Marcee and Greg Mathews decided to visit the Oak Ridge Lavender Festival on a whim in 2015, they had no idea the effect it would have on their future. Inspired by the demand for lavender, Marcee saw opportunity for a new business. She used her resources and business degree from the University of Tennessee to brainstorm while Greg started researching.
As it turns out, it takes quite a bit of prep work to make lavender grow successfully in Tennessee, as the plant doesn’t do well in heavy clay soils and high humidity. Greg drew on his experience growing up on a tobacco farm and his college agriculture degree to come up with a plan to plant lavender on 7 acres of their property. Lavender takes about two years to really produce anything usable. In 2019, MGM Lavender Farm, so named using the couple’s initials, was officially in business.
Blossoming Business
Four years after that initial trip to the Oak Ridge Lavender Festival, Greg and Marcee returned to sell bundles of their own.
“We took 500 bundles and sold out before the event was over,” Greg says.
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MGM continues to grow, adding 50 to 100 plants to the operation each year.
“We’ve got close to 500 plants now, and we’re getting 10 to 12 bundles per plant,” Greg says. “When the lavender is in bloom, we cut it, take it to the barn and hang it up to dry, just like tobacco.”
Beyond bundles, MGM has ventured into making various side products as well, including linen sprays, candles, soaps, hand salves, sachets, bath salts and even some pet products. They develop all recipes and products themselves and sell mostly at craft fairs and other events.
The couple’s Knoxville property has become an agritourism destination. Photographers and local artists come out for portraits and to paint the lavender while it is in full bloom. The Mathewses also hosted a garden club for a tour and offered a “Yoga in the Lavender” event.
“We started this as a hobby, really just to use some of our property, but it’s turning into a business that’s doing better than what we envisioned,” Greg says.
Lavish Hill Farms
Tim and Beth Walrich, owners of Lavish Hill Farms in Gallatin, took a different path on their lavender journey. A master gardener, Beth was delighted when she learned that lavender is one of the only plants that attract butterflies and bees while also repelling wildlife. After going down a research rabbit hole – including rewatching one of their movies, It’s Complicated, in which Meryl Streep’s character is a chef who cooks with lavender – she was intrigued.
“I made honey lavender ice cream, and I was hooked,” Walrich says. “From there, I started really experimenting with it.”
Walrich began calling around to see if anyone would let her work on their lavender farm to determine if it was something she could truly get into. She found a willing mentor in Annie Baggett, owner of Sunshine Lavender Farm in North Carolina.
“I flew out there and worked on her farm for a few days,” Walrich says. “I learned about growing lavender in the South, like how you need to separate the plants a bit more so they have aeration between the plants because of our humidity.”
Walrich also traveled with Baggett on a group trip to Provence, France, to study lavender. “I went there to learn more about this plant and its original origins, and it was just fantastic,” she says.
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Growing Goodness
In 2015, the husband-and-wife team officially started the lavender farm, and they got their first harvest in 2017. Today, there are 800 to 900 lavender plants on 12 acres with different types of cultivars – some for skin products and others for culinary use.
“Our bath and body products are just amazing,” Walrich says. “But when I tell people that we’ve got lavender jam, their ears perk up. It’s so different, so unique. It gets attention.”
Lavish Hill Farms offers three kinds of lavender jam developed by Walrich including Rhuberry (rhubarb, strawberry and lavender), Berry Bomb (blueberry, strawberry, cranberry and lavender) and Very Cherry (sweet and tart cherries and lavender).
“It’s just a hint, but the lavender really accents the flavor,” Walrich says. “It adds another dimension to the taste and it doesn’t overwhelm.”
She also makes a savory herb mix and is currently working on a line of salad dressings. The possibilities don’t end there – it’s only just the beginning for Walrich, a self-described “lavender lifer” who sees endless potential for lavender.
See more: 5 Ways to Cook With Fresh Lavender
Long Live Lavender
- Once it’s been dried properly, lavender lasts for a long time. On Walrich’s trip to France, the group watched people do a historical dig, where they discovered a bag of lavender that was 150 years old and still smelled good.
- Walrich recommends the book The Lavender Lover’s Handbook, which contains helpful illustrations and tips.
- Lavender needs to dry in a cool, dark environment. If it’s exposed to too much light, it can take the color out of the lavender.
- If you’re going to cook with lavender, make sure it’s culinary lavender (or it’ll end up tasting like soap). Also, be sure to sift it well before using.
- A typical lavender plant can last up to 14 years.
About the Farms
MGM Lavender Farm
North Knoxville, TN
(865) 924-4247
facebook.com/mgmlavenderfarm2017
Lavish Hill Farms
Gallatin, TN
(615) 598-1156
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I’m looking for a good, reputable source for certain types of lavender cuttings, suck as Dutch Mill. Any recommendations? I’m located in Laclede Cty, Missouri. I’m a Master Gardener and building on a small plot that I’ve already planted this year. My goal is to make essential oil through steam distillation. We really don’t have much in our area available, as far as oils and products.