Purple Ranch Hand's Blog at GardenStew.com

Lavender Update 2

Purple Ranch Hand — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:13:42 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 4:13 pm (GMT 0)

The above lavender is located on our largest field. This field has about 700 plants all in full bud like you see above.

The above lavender is in the front of our farm. We have a small test field where we try out different varieties to see how they react to our soil if at all. This is the Grosso variety. Grosso holds it's buds better but is not as fragrant as Provence.

It is funny. Our test field is in full bloom. Our large field is in it's budding stage. I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I did taking them. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Bee Careful

Purple Ranch Hand — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:00:37 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:00 pm (GMT 0)

Nature is really amazing. It is interesting to me that the spider looks so much like the inside of the buttercup. I'll bet if the bee had it to do over again he would have picked a different buttercup. Funny, that's how life is sometimes. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Back From Brenham Texas

Purple Ranch Hand — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:02:25 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:02 pm (GMT 0)

Sorry I haven't written in a few days. I did an event in Brenham Texas this weekend. For those of you outside the US you may not know the significance of Brenham Texas. That is where the best ice cream in the world is made. Blue Bell ice cream. Unfortunately I was not in Brenham to eat ice cream. Purple Ranch was invited to a festival there that has a history of 118 years. We had a great time. Met a lot of great people and ate some great German food. That is my sister Brenda and Sherry in the photo. We have had a really good response to our farm. A lot of folks want to come out during harvest. By the way that is in about two weeks from now. I have my camera ready. You will all feel like you are standing in the field. My surprise for my Mom went over great. She loved the book. Well until next time. Laveder Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Clemitis is Blooming

Purple Ranch Hand — Wed, 07 May 2008 02:40:28 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 6:40 am (GMT 0)

Just as everything else the clemitis is in full bloom here at Purple Ranch. My new brochure came in from the printer yesterday along with new labels. I am really excited about this new brochure. 16 pages in full color. I told all of you I had a surprise for my Mom for Mother's Day. The cat is out of the bag. I created a 24 page photo book of all the plants I have taken this spring out at Purple Ranch. It is a hard cover book and it came out great. If I might say so myself. Well until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Pergola Update 2

Purple Ranch Hand — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:49:12 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:49 pm (GMT 0)

Worked hard this weekend on the pergola. Almost done with the physical structure getting ready to move on to the built in benches. I am so ready to get this one done. Should finish up about the time that the lavender comes into full bloom. It will be a beautiful sight. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Lavender Update

Purple Ranch Hand — Mon, 05 May 2008 11:40:04 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:40 pm (GMT 0)

New lavender update from Purple Ranch. Wow! What a weekend. Our lavender is really budding. The larger field that we have has not popped open yet but the small field in front has blooms all over it. Thought I'd share some with you.

For those romantics out there. A sunset view from a budding lavender field.

Hope you enjoy. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Tips on Growing Lavender

Purple Ranch Hand — Fri, 02 May 2008 09:21:29 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 1:21 pm (GMT 0)

Stew Crew,
That's my new name for all of you. Those of you interested in growing lavender there are a couple of things you might want to consider. They like dry warm climate. Mix equal parts gravel, sand and sandy lome. Make a mound about 12 inches high. Put your plant in the center so it is elevated. Don't water the plant but the roots. Don't water too often. If you water the plant itself it is more susceptible to getting fungus which can and will spread from plant to plant. Lavender likes to breathe. Give it plenty of room. If you have white rock available to you place that around the bottom of the plant covering the mound. The white rock will reflect the sun light and keep the plant warm and dry. Which it will love. DaphDaph, we have not grow lavender from seeds we always use clippings. I am curious to see how yours do. Keep me informed. We have mostly Provence but we also dabble in some of the Grosso. Provence is more fragrant but the Grosso seems to hold it's buds longer. Just a little info. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

The First Lavender Buds

Purple Ranch Hand — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:28:10 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 1:28 pm (GMT 0)

This is an exciting time. The first lavender buds have popped open here at Purple Ranch. We have been busy getting some of our products ready for a full month of May. We have three events coming up next week. I will be working on the infamous pergola this weekend so updates will be coming soon. This is going to be a great season. I look forward to sharing it with you all. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Lavandula stoechas (Spanish Lavender)

Purple Ranch Hand — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:21:01 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:21 pm (GMT 0)

The Spanish Lavender is in bloom at Purple Ranch. We only have a few of these since they are not good for the products we produce. They are however probably what the Romans used in their bath water. They are great for heavy traffic areas because they are very fragrant. Some of you may know them as Rabbit ear lavender or pineapple flowers. It is obvious why they would have that name. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Pergola Update

Purple Ranch Hand — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:07:35 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 8:07 pm (GMT 0)

My Dad and I worked on the pergola this last weekend. My Dad is a little over 6ft tall so you can see the scale of the project. It is 20 feet wide by 12 feet deep. It over looks the first tear of lavender. I hope to finish the structure except for the built-in benches this weekend. It took me half a day just to pick out the lumber. I have been busy working on a special gift for my Mom on Mother's day. I'll let you know about it a little later. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Been a while

Purple Ranch Hand — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 15:22:10 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 7:22 pm (GMT 0)

It has been a few days since I have written. A lot of things going on here at Purple Ranch. Last Saturday we hung the Purple Ranch sign at the entrance of the farm. This is no ordinary sign. I designed the sign and had a guy out of Houston Texas cut it out of quarter inche steeel. It is 3 layers. Two white and the center being Purple Ranch Purple. I wired LED lights behind the white layer so at night the logo lights up. Really cool if I might say so myself. This thing weighs over 300 pounds. Quite a job. We put the skin on the greenhouse and I poured the foundation for a pergola I am building near the lavender field. It's a pretty good project. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Got a Friend!

Purple Ranch Hand — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:21:40 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 4:21 am (GMT 0)

This weekend I shot some really nice photos on Saturday morning. This rose looked like it was a fire ball. The bug there is some type of lady bug. Hope you enjoy as much as I did. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand[/img]

A Family's Journey

Purple Ranch Hand — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 17:48:27 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 9:48 pm (GMT 0)

Most of you know that my Mom started a lavender farm about 3 years ago. I thought I'd share some of the rest of the story. Yes, we faced all types of trials and adversity as we started this farm. We lost 75 percent of our crop the first year. The above photo tells some of the rest of the story. Four years ago my youngest sister was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. There are four of us kids and none of us had had any physical problems but now it was different. As we all watched my sister Brenda grow in her faith but wither down to almost a skeleton as her chemo treatments took all she had. My Mom and Dad would keep her during the week and take her to her treatments. Being a very logical thinker I would sometimes visualize life without her in an effort to prepare myself for the worst. Obviously not in hopes of that, but in my own way dealing with the loss of not only my sister but one of my best friends. I had never seen someone as strong as she was. God took on new meaning for my family. We were at the bottom just looking up wondering what next Christmas or Thanksgiving would be like. Would there be one extra plate or gifts under the tree that bore a name but had no recipient. In an effort to support her, all of us that could, shaved our heads to honor her as she lost her hair. I remember the first time I went home and saw everyone sitting there with their new hair styles. We all laughed and joked about the funny shaped heads we all had. Through all of this we learned to not make the outward things important, but see what was in the heart. I saw a family that I could take pride in being one of them. The above picture is all of us honoring my sister Brenda in our own way. During this time my Mom put her dream of the lavender farm on hold in order to take care of Brenda. There is a happy ending to this story. A couple of weeks ago Brenda got a positive bill of health from her doctor. Her cancer has now been in remission for 3 years. Below is a picture of her and my Mom a few weeks ago. Alive and well selling lavender at the Tomball German Festival.

I know she will read my blog some day. So here is my plug. It's good to have you with us Bren. I love you. So, until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Sad day at the farm

Purple Ranch Hand — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:19:21 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:19 am (GMT 0)

Sad day here at Purple Ranch. I have been watching these eggs each time I go out to the field. They are Killdeer eggs. We see them all over the farm doing their broken wing act when you get close to their nest. This nest was made in an indention where we had rooted up a lavender plant that didn't make it through the rains of last year. So I have been keeping track of these eggs. This weekend when I went to check on them they were gone. No evidence of shells in the nest so I assume a snake or the coyotes that frequent the fields had a midnight snack. Every year we have these nests in our driveway. They lay them right there on the hard aggregate. My Dad told me yesterday that he walked down the drive last year and some young ones had hatched. When he came up on the nest all of them were dead. So he went to tell my Mom. They came out to look at the nest and those chicks were running around until they saw my parents then they played dead again. My Dad said they were laying all over the driveway. That could kind of tie in with that possum shot I saw earlier today. Until next time. Lavender Up!

PS. I will try to get a photo of an adult so you know what I am talking about.

Purple Ranch Hand

Daffodil's are Blooming

Purple Ranch Hand — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:00:36 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:00 am (GMT 0)

The daffodils are out in full bloom now. I didn't realize there was a little friend in the yellow one till I put it on my computer. Always something to see. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Purple Bearded Iris

Purple Ranch Hand — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:38:35 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:38 pm (GMT 0)

This bearded iris really caught me by surprise. I didn't go out there for a couple of days and then when I did this was the treasure I found. I hope you enjoy. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

Where is Sid when you need him?

Purple Ranch Hand — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:49:55 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:49 pm (GMT 0)

Every time I see these dandelions in the field I think of the movie Ice Age. Remember, Sid the sloth eats the last known dandelion. I think Purple Ranch needs to get a sloth. As much as I dislike them, they make for interesting photos. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Mockingbird came to visit

Purple Ranch Hand — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:44:34 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:44 pm (GMT 0)

Today a I got a photo of a common visitor we have around Purple Ranch. Those of you who know about mockingbirds, you know that if they have a nest they will do anything short of calling out the military to protect their nest. Today I got this shot and came out unscathed. How fortunate for me. Until next time. Lavender Up!

More Blue Bonnets

Purple Ranch Hand — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 13:35:50 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:35 pm (GMT 0)

The blue bonnets are really coming out here at Purple Ranch. I finally got some time this morning to walk through the field and take some photos. What a relaxing place. You know they say a picture is worth a thousand words. I don't know that my photos do justice to these beautiful gifts of nature. I always hope that I come close to capturing the essence of this time. Yesterday we worked on getting a sign pole up at the front entrance of the farm. We had a welder weld a 16 foot sign post that we will eventually hang a 3-d lighted sign from. Another little project I have been working on for a while. The weather here has not been very cooperative. We have had a lot of rain. Today is beautiful. Not a cloud in the sky. I hope you enjoy the blue bonnets. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hands

Purple Ranch Hand — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:26:47 -0400

Author: Purple Ranch Hand
Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:26 pm (GMT 0)

Above is the beginning of the field you saw in my photos yesterday. That was last year when we planted. The bottom picture is of my sister, Brenda, actually harvesting the lavender. To give you a little bit more info about my Purple Ranch Hand name. Our last name is "Hand". Until next time. Lavender Up!