While walking through a lavender field at a lavender festival in Washington State, Mary Hamer realized she āhad to do this back home.ā At that moment, the idea of Loess Hills Lavender Farms was born. Tim and Mary Hamer have been in the lavender business since 2009 and have continued to work full-time on their business since then. Though Loess Hills Lavender Farms was the first lavender farm in the State of Iowa, Tim and Mary have worked hard to not only produce lavender but to create a state tourism attraction.
At Loess Hills Lavender Farm, Mary and Tim grow lavender, host tours, produce lavender products, and run a gift shop on the farm that displays the work of over forty local artisans. On display with their lavender products are photos, paintings, barbed wire sculptures, jewelry, woodwork, linens, and other wonderful seasonal crafts.
Mary and Tim have recently added new landscape features to the farm, including a lavender showcase area and a pergola. They are continuing to add additional features, with future plans to host large events like weddings and produce natural shampoos and conditioners.
In May 2015, Mary and Tim attended the Venture School Program sponsored by Iowa Western SBDC and the University of Iowa. They walked away with top honors for their companyās growth in the program. The Hamers continue to attend SBDC workshops and work one on one with the SBDC as they continue to grow and expand their business. āWithout the guidance and help from the SBDC, we wouldnātā have had the courage to continue with our dream. All of time and support they have given us has allowed us to pursue our dream and turn it into a reality.ā
Tim and Mary continue to put an incredible amount of work and passion into the farm and are excited to see what the future has in store for Loess Hills Lavender Farm.
For more information on Loess Hills Lavender Farm, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/The-Loess-Hills-Lavender-Farm-254469127953992 or their website, www.loesshillslavender.com.
