At Pause Lavender Farm Organic Is a System, Not a Spray Claim
At Pause Lavender Farm, our approach to organic growing is about much more than what is, or is not, applied in the field.
Our Transition to Organic
Beginning in 2023, we participated in the USDA’s Transition to Organic Partnership Program, with training and support through Michigan State University and the MSU Organic Farmer Training Program.
Back then, we thought we were already using organic practices because we didn't use pesticides or chemical weed killers, but the TOPP experience taught us there is much more to it. It changed the way we thought about growing lavender and how we cared for the land as a whole.
Grateful for a Wonderful Mentor
We were also fortunate to be paired with Lucy Pier, a third-generation farmer and owner of Blueberry Pier, whose mentorship helped us look at the farm as a whole living system. Her time to mentor and shared knowledge made a big impact.
Goodbye Black Landscape Fabric
When we first started Pause in 2019, we had the traditional rows of lavender with black landscape fabric. I soon realized I hated looking at long rows of lavender with black landscape fabric! It was not an enjoyable experience. I wanted the lavender to blend in here surrounded by woods, pollinators, native plants, and the changing seasons of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
But without landscape fabric, how do you manage weeds without using chemical weed control?
Learning Organic Weed and Pest Management
Weeds compete with lavender and create conditions that will make pest and disease management an even greater part of your to do list. We never relied on chemical weed killers or pesticides, so moving toward organic production meant learning better ways to work with the whole growing environment.
We learned more about soil health, biodiversity, pest and disease management, natural fertility, and the many small important decisions that support an organic system.
Some of those decisions hurt - literally!
Digging Up and Relocating Rows
Pictured above are rows of lavender after the landscape fabric was removed and before we relocated the plants.
As we learned more, we chose to redesign former rows of lavender and remove black plastic so the farm could better reflect the way we wanted to grow lavender. My back still remembers that decision to dig mature lavender by hand, but the results were worth it.
Organic is a System
We also learned that organic goes way beyond a simple “we don't use pesticides” claim. It includes how crops are grown, how tools and equipment are cleaned and handled, how ingredients are stored, what they may come into contact with, and how they are documented from the field through harvest and production.
Beyond the Harvest
Organic lavender practices do not stop once it is cut. It may go on to be something we eat, drink, bath in, or use on our skin. How it is harvested, dried, stored, handled and used in a finished product is part of the organic story too.
Our lavender is grown organically outdoors in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, with the same care carried through propagation, growing, harvest, storage, and product making.
Organic is not one decision. It is a system of decisions.