Lavender harvest Decenber 2023, image Bonnie Robertson
Hello everyone,
Well…summertime has arrived, marking the end of one helluva workshop and event-full year! I can’t pretend I’m not relieved at the prospect of downing the event-prep timetable and taking a breather but, before I do, I’ve just one more thing with which to tempt you (at what I know can be such a crazy time of year)! Oh but it’s a beauty…
When I planted the field, I hadn’t intended for the lavender to do its thing at such an unsociable time, but I can neither hold back its flowering or postpone it…I can only be guided by its very own habit and the weather patterns that eventuate.
And is it such an unsociable time? To be honest, the few LAVENDER HARVEST WORKSHOPS I’ve had the enormous joy of bringing to fruition have proved to be anything but. The optimum number of participants for such a day is 2 – 4 peeps, and busy hands at immersive, uncomplicated tasks can be accompanied by as much chatter, peels of laughter or quiet, as you like…an opportune break away from the helter-skelter of the silly season. At least that’s how they’ve transpired so far!
Out in the field, we’ll cut all the bundles we need for both play and a distillation; with the scent of lavender imbuing the air alongside the drone of bees and (if we’re lucky) cicada song too. With the use of a scythe (with which we can take turns – it’s easy, I’ll show you how or I don’t mind cutting the lot while you sit on a chair under an umbrella sipping elderflower cordial!) we can make quick work of the harvest, but it’s an experience to treasure: as a general rule, you can only ever look and admire fields or gardens of lavender, rather than touching and participating, which makes all the difference in the world.
With the morning’s outside component done, we’ll take our haul to the Dairy, where ticking fans accompany bare feet on the cool concrete floor. Of all the workshops here, funnily enough this is the one that most aligns with my own way of life…with how I use that big white space during the summer months. We’ll enjoy a very simple little seasonal something to eat in the loggia, and after preparing our haul and having some extra fun along the way, the quiet time of distillation will be one of pure reverie. Once Hildegard has played her part, there will be bottled, pure lavender water to take home. All in all, this will be a day at which you can completely bliss out!
I envisage just one opportunity to run such a day this lavender season (and therefore ’til this time next year). It will depend entirely upon the weather, for which predictions seem to change by the hour! I’m proposing next THURSDAY 12 DECEMBER. With a weather hold for FRIDAY 13th!
If you think you can free up those days enough to blow with the wind and you’d like to join me for what will feel like a pure celebration of summer…an idyllic day of escape, I’d love to hear from you and to see you here! Perhaps with a friend or two in tow? Or if I receive enough individual responses, I’ll aim to make a day around those who have a mutual desire to engage in this glorious activity. You can find all the details here but please don’t make a booking ‘til we’ve been in touch and discussed the date. If I can run two such days I will…the weather outlook doesn’t yet reach the following weekend but we could try the Saturday if it’s conducive. (Whoever thought this was a good idea? I do ask myself!). But what I do know is that when these spontaneous days can be brought to bear, they are pure heaven!
With warmest wishes
Mickey
