May is a special and busy time for Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm, tucked in the foothills in Oracle. The start of summer marks the beginning of bloom season, saturating their fields with the flower’s signature hue.
“Bloom season is what everyone waits for,” owner Carolyn Blair noted. “The field is all purple, and there are thousands of bees and butterflies. It’s magical, you can see pictures of it and talk about it, but it’s one of those things you just have to experience.”
Life Under the Oaks prepares for its upcoming season with new products, workshops and events that come with this year’s harvest. Along with their famous afternoon teas, one of which is Sunday, May 14, Blair and her team will bring “a little bit of farm to the city” at their Downtown Tucson store, Lavender Manor.
Blair started using lavender for medicinal reasons, and after a visit to Washington, “the lavender state,” she decided to start her own farm in 2018. It was a passion project combining her love for art and nature, but it also provided a key educational resource to those interested in lavender and its uses.
“It’s known as the mother herb,” Blair said. “You can cook with it, craft with it, use it for health benefits and nothing goes to waste. We use every bit of the plant for one item or another.”
Lavender is not usually seen as a desert flower, but it doesn’t need much water to grow. According to Blair, the older the plants are the less water they need. This makes them ideal for hot and dry climates, especially in mountainous regions that emulate their Mediterranean homeland.
Life Under the Oaks sells its lavender in a variety of forms, including dried flowers, oils, culinary ingredients and beauty and health products. A key point of business for the farm has been the medicinal and healing qualities of lavender.
“The public in general, especially young mothers, want natural remedies,” Blair noted. “Our products are all made naturally and come from the farm. It’s so much better quality than what you can find online or at a big box store.”
The farm also offers artwork, ceramics and jewelry, all made by Blair, the farm or local artists throughout Tucson.
Blair couldn’t mention the farm without highlighting their other activities, including workshops and private parties at both their locations in Tucson and Oracle. Their most attended events are afternoon teas, and their upcoming Mother’s Day parties are almost completely booked.
“They’re popular because there aren’t many places to go get tea in Tucson,” Blair said. “Once people find out we have lavender, especially in a Tucson summer… it’s a nice escape for people to come up and see something thriving so well.”
Blair created Life Under the Oaks to fill a need she saw in the community for local quality and natural lavender. For almost five years, the farm has provided the flower, along with education and resources for those who want to learn more about it.
As summer draws near, Blair assures outdoor lovers that Life Under the Oaks is a unique place to explore the fields and take advantage of all the benefits of lavender. The best part, according to Blair, is it’s a flower oasis open to the community.
“I wanted to be able to share it with people,” Blair said. “In our area, I didn’t realize how many people didn’t know about lavender. It’s good for people to become aware of what we offer and to help educate the future.”
Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm
1221 N. Rancho Robles Road, Oracle
Lavender Manor
347 E. Fourth Street, Tucson
520-820-3454
lifeundertheoakslavenderfarm.com
lifeunderoaks@gmail.com
