A scented trip to Schley, North Carolina

In the little town of Schley, North Carolina sits a farm owned by Annie Baggett. I visited there and thought you might like to also.

Annie 's Sunshine Lavender Farm is located in our piedmont region of North Carolina meandering between zones 7 and 7a. The piedmont is the area between the mountains and the middle eastern region. NC has a diversity of growing conditions from the Appalachian mountains to the sea.

A perfect spot for growing lavender. If you roll down your windows, you can smell it before you see it.

During open house days, Annie invites local artisans to interpret their version of the beauty and sample some of the products sold from the farm. Here we see Tom Hege painting her yellow barn where the lavender is drying.

On this particular visit, I tasted some lavender vanilla ice-cream. It was a deep mellow flavor and maybe not my taste but I just had to try it. Annie grows several varieties of lavender and makes her soaps, lotions, balms, sachets, and the such for you to purchase online or at the many markets she attends. You can order the lavender in bundles or wreaths also.

How often have you longed to walk through a field of lavender?

Here in the soft southern sun grow colors of violet and purple set off just perfectly by the green in the leaves. The bees are most delighted. Annie isn't just a lavender grower. She has the most delicious garden located just outside her kitchen. Annie raises a few chickens and there was a cat or two. The yellow barn is home to the drying lavender, horses, and stores the products she sells.

On the day of my visit, gardeners strolled the grounds in their colorful hats which played on the breezes coming through the lavender field. I invite you to go with me as I speak my southern drawl and present to you The Sunshine Lavender Farm. Listen with me as we visit.