Recent Entries to this Blog Wooden carving of eagle holding fish
Posted: 29 Oct 2008
Bumble Bee Video
Posted: 17 Oct 2008
Hot Weekend at Rowlett Freedom Festival
Posted: 30 Jun 2008
Not often I'm in a photo.
Posted: 23 Jun 2008
Lot's of buzzing around the lavender field.
Posted: 23 Jun 2008

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Purple Ranch Hand's Blog

The life and times on a lavender farm in Texas.


Lavender Update 3

Category: Lavender | Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 4:04 pm













Above are photos from this last weekend at Purple Ranch. The lavender is looking great. These pictures don't do justice when it comes to the beauty of this field. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

This blog entry has been viewed 384 times


Dallas Master Gardners Tour Update

Category: Lavender | Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 2:59 pm




Lark Sparrow


Lark Sparrow on nest.




Pergola update.

Last Wednesday the Dallas Master Gardners came out to Purple Ranch Lavender Farm for a tour. They all seemed to have a great time. Leslie Gibson, reporter from the Rockwall Herald Banner came out and experienced the event. Mom had made around 200 lavender sugar cookies and lavender lemonade for the event. I will say they really enjoyed those. There were none left. We sold a lot of products in the store and the lavender was in full bud with some blooms showing. Unfortunately the pergola was not complete but we had plenty of seats for everyone. The lark sparrow nest was a frequented sight for the tour. Those babies got a lot of attention. By the way, they are lark sparrows. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

This blog entry has been viewed 379 times


New Family on the Farm

Category: Lavender | Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 1:58 pm



We have added three new members to our Purple Ranch Family. We have at least two nests in our lavender plants. This one had three eggs and the other has 5 eggs. They have not hatched yet. These little characters are so funny. Any time you make a noise around them you get wide open mouths. We don't know what kind they are yet. Today is a busy day for us. We have 50+ people from the Dallas Master Gardner's Association coming out to tour the farm. My Mom has lavender sugar cookies and lavender lemonade ready for the tourists. Should be a lot of fun. The news paper will also be there. Gotta go. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

This blog entry has been viewed 413 times


Roses at Purple Ranch

Category: Lavender | Posted: Mon May 19, 2008 4:00 pm















Purple Ranch is just covered with blooms. I shot these this weekend. I love it out there when there is so much to see. My photos don't do justice for what mother nature has given us this year. I hope you enjoy as much as I did taking these photos. Pergola and lavender update to come. Until next time. Lavender Up!

Purple Ranch Hand

This blog entry has been viewed 418 times


Lavender Update 2

Category: Lavender | Posted: Wed May 14, 2008 4:13 pm



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


This blog entry has been viewed 371 times


Bee Careful

Category: Lavender | Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 9:00 pm



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

This blog entry has been viewed 362 times


Back From Brenham Texas

Category: Lavender | Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 1:02 pm



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

Last edited: Tue May 13, 2008 1:04 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 459 times


Clemitis is Blooming

Category: Lavender | Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 6:40 am



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

This blog entry has been viewed 757 times


Pergola Update 2

Category: Lavender | Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:49 pm







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

This blog entry has been viewed 375 times


Lavender Update

Category: Lavender | Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 3:40 pm



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

Last edited: Mon May 05, 2008 3:40 pm

This blog entry has been viewed 470 times




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