Harvesting Lavender by Sickle

From soil to sachet…

Each year our vibrant purple lavenders come out and take our breath away. Guests wander the gardens alongside the stunning perfumes that meander around the property.

When some of the rows have the lavender flower head at ⅓ in bloom, it is time for our first harvesting opportunity, hand harvesting. And the best lavender harvesting equipment to help with this is a sickle.

Hand harvesting at the Wānaka Lavender Farm is completed with a very sharp, fine-toothed sickle (these are sold at the shop or via email). Tim and his dad grab a fist of lavender and then with a swift swipe across the bundle, and a rubber band to hold together, the lavender bunch is ready for hanging. The lavender is hung to dry for a minimum of three weeks in a dry Central Otago shed.

Once dried, our lavender can be left as bunches or used in a variety of products.

Lavender are a beautiful addition to any dried bouquet or simply a stand alone bunch for a favourite vase. The flowers will still hold a beautiful aroma for weeks to come, too. When visiting the farm, guests will be greeted by the sweet smelling lavender bunches hanging from the roof of the shop and tearoom.

Though we enjoy having rows of hanging bunches in the buildings for the aroma and aesthetics, most of our harvest is set aside to be rubbed down by hand. This releases the lovely, highly fragrant lavender flower from the stem, which will then be sieved and cleaned ready to be distributed into our products. Grosso flowers (from the family Lavandula x Intermedia) are used in our sachets, wheat bags, scrubs and soaks. Whereas the consumable lavender flowers (Lavandula Angustifolia) are used for our delicious culinary products including tea, salts, sugars and our farm-made tearoom treats!

LAVENDER ORGANZA BAG

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There is so much we can do with lavender, whether it is used fresh or dried. At the Wānaka Lavender Farm, we are always thinking up new ways of making enjoyable products with lavender as the star ingredient.

Have more questions about lavender? Feel free to read this Farm Story where we've answered some of the most common questions we get asked.