Starting a Lavender Business

Agriculture Academy’s

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Thank you for downloading this guide!

Lavender farming can be extremely rewarding for even the smallest of growers, making it a great option for those looking to boost their income.

You may be wondering how you could possibly compete with large enterprises, especially if you are a new farmer looking to find your niche in the market. Fear not, for we here at Agriculture Academy have created this

ebook to show you the different ways you can make your lavender production a success. We are going to follow this up with a series of

informative videos and brochures showing you how to grow lavender, explaining what varieties would be best for you and a whole lot more!

With that in mind, let's dive into it! Here are our ideas for how small, beginner farmers can profit from lavender farming.

Profiting from Lavender Farming

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Getting Started You do not need vast expanses of land to make a success of lavender farming. Production can be started on a small area. This is actually preferable, especially if you have little to no experience growing the plant. Rather keep things as simple as possible by starting small and expand production has you gain experience and the business grows. It is important however to have a long-term plan or vision for your business. So, take a look at the current market trends and demand for lavender in your area. Remember, customers are becoming more ethical in their consumption habits and as a result, value organic, locally sourced

products so you might want to base your business plan around that.

What are You Going to Produce? Do not think that lavender farms are limited to profiting from their flower harvest alone. There are plenty primary products lavender farms can produce. The most common is of course the flowers, which can be sold as fresh bouquets, but also dried. You might also want to focus on growing living plants for local landscapers and homeowners. Potted lavender is also finding new life as an indoor pot plant. You can also think about extracting oils from the flowers.

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Value-added Products You don’t have to stop here though; you may want to add value to your products by creating your own supply chain. This can also keep you from being at the mercy of fluctuating consumer demands by becoming your own best client. You can do this by producing your own range of beauty products, like soaps, bath salts, exfoliating scrubs, lotions, aromatherapy oils and creams. Other examples of value-added products include foodstuffs like flavoured oils, vinegars and salts. Potpourri and pet products could also be an option.

You Farm as the Attraction One of the most exciting options could be developing your lavender farm into a destination venue. With the beautiful blooming purple fields, your farm could become an attraction. You may wish to develop your own herbal center, complete with spa and pamper options. You could have a plant nursery that specializes in rare varieties of lavender and other herbs. You may want to start a café or restaurant that celebrates lavender in its recipes, opening the possibility of having an edible garden that customers can walk through.

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Lavender labyrinths and mazes can also entertain your guests and keep children happy while their parents enjoy a meal. With their picturesque fields in the blooming season, lavender farms also make the perfect wedding venue. This will require further investments in chapel and venue construction, however. If that is the avenue you choose to follow, you may want to erect chalets and other facilities for overnight stays while you’re at it. Your farm could also become a training centre focused on teaching the horticultural skills required for lavender production, or other skills like soap-making, essential oils, and cosmetics. Bee farming can also be a lucrative option. Honeybees love the lavender flowers and you can harvest your own honey by placing hives in your fields. This opens the option of creating an on-site or online shop where you can sell all your products too. You can also provide clients a working farm experience by offering overworked city dwellers the opportunity to escape the chaos of urban life by allowing them to work and stay on your farm. One of the most successful examples of this is the Worldwide Opportunities in Organic Farming in Australia.