About

History

My Ramona lavender farm history is the culmination of my family. My mom grew up on her family’s small subsistence farm in Iowa.  Her parents, like most at the time, were strict and hampered by the stress of the Depression. They had frost on the walls inside their house which my grandma called diamonds. My mom and her sisters spun tall tales about Christmas presents, never really received, to tell their friends at school. Food was scarce, so a ripening tomato was eagerly anticipated and enjoyed if you got it before your siblings. My mom always did love that first tomato!

I was the last of my mom’s five children, a baby come-lately, so I spent a lot of time with her.  She taught me about the joy and sometimes necessity of growing things. She reveled in being the first one on the block whose tomatoes ripened, an occasion to be celebrated by dropping off a few at the neighbor’s doors!

The Next Generation

Just as I got my love of nature from my mother and aunt’s, I am eager to share mine with my daughter and granddaughter. They already have a love of the outdoors trying out new parks all the time, as well as spending time in the lavender fields. I enjoy seeing that nature gave my mother food and myself flowers, and for the next generation my daughter loves to run outside and my granddaughter just loves to play! Nature is there for everybody however they choose to enjoy it.

History

From left to right: my Auntie Jean “Lavely” Nelson,

my Auntie Mary “Lavely” Copperud and my Mom, Ruth, “Lavely” Austin

My Grandparents

Leona Eugenia Marie (Wheatly) Lavely and Vivienne Adelbert Lavely

My mom grew up on her family’s small subsistence farm in Iowa.  Her parents, like most at the time, were strict and hampered by the stress of the Depression. They had frost on the walls inside their house which my grandma called diamonds. She and her sisters spun tall tales about Christmas presents, never really received, to tell their friends at school. Food was scarce, so a ripening tomato was eagerly anticipated and enjoyed if you got it before your siblings. My mom always did love that first tomato!

I was the last of my mom’s five children, a baby come-lately, so I spent a lot of time with her.  She taught me about the joy and sometimes necessity of growing things. She reveled in being the first one on the block whose tomatoes ripened, an occasion to be celebrated by dropping off a few at the neighbor’s doors!

Meet Claire Barclay

My lavender farm is really the culmination of my family history. No longer reliant on the home garden for food, I feel privileged to be able to grow flowers. Many don’t know but smell is our strongest sense, and can create memories or bring you back to a special time. Just as the smell of a tomato plant reminds me of my mom, the calming scent of lavender brings me serenity and joy. I enjoy growing, harvesting and creating with my lavender.  The saddest thing for a farmer is for no one to enjoy their crops, so I strive to sell out by the end of each season. My clients depend on me to provide a freshly harvested, competitively priced and handcrafted product. I create each and every product with love so my clients can experience their own serenity and enjoy their own happy memories.

The Next Generation

Our Daughter and Granddaughter

Missy Anne Thompson and Evie Anne Thompson

Just as I got my love of nature from my mother and aunt’s, I am eager to share mine with my daughter and granddaughter. They already have a love of the outdoors trying out new parks all the time, as well as spending time in the lavender fields. I enjoy seeing that nature gave my mother food and myself flowers, and for the next generation my daughter loves to run outside and my granddaughter just loves to play! Nature is there for everybody however they choose to enjoy it.