A Harrison County start-up lavender farm and western Iowa agri-tourism destination has been awarded the Iowa Farm Bureau’s “Renew Rural Iowa” Entreprenuer Award. The IFB says Tim and Mary Hammer’s Loess Hills Lavender Farm is visited by hundreds of visitors each year.  The Hammers are transplants to the Loess Hills, and grow lavender on a hillside near Missouri Valley.

After a great deal of research and studying the agronomy of growing lavender, the Hammers found that the sloping hills and unique soil makeup in the Loess Hills is ideal for raising lavender. The Loess Hills Lavender Farm was established in 2009, and now the Hammers host visitors on the farm May through October. Visitors to the farm can walk through the fields, pick lavender flowers and visit a shop that features items made from local craftsmen.

Additionally, the farm features a boutique with lavender items including creams, lotions and sprays. The fresh cut lavender is distilled for its oil and is then used in all of the available products. Mary Hammer found the recipes for the products and fine-tuned them until they were ready to be sold to visitors.

RRIA is an Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) initiative supporting new and existing businesses through education, mentoring, and financial resources. For more information about the next RRIA Business Success Seminar, “The Journey to Your Vision,” on September 22 in Winterset, go to www.renewruraliowa.com.