It's referred to as nature's firework because of its bursting colors of purple, blue, and pink varieties. It's lavender. And it's at the center of many labyrinths and farms all over rural Michigan. As part of a growing agritourism trend, lavender farms are flourishing more than ever.
Dr. Wynne Wright is a recently retired professor of Michigan State University, and leads an extension program related to lavender. She also started the Great Lakes Lavender Growers Association, bringing together lavender growers, commercial farmers and hobbyists across Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
She's been growing lavender for the past 10 years and says Michigan's conditions provide suitable conditions for the crop.
"Lavender is a crop that originated in the Mediterranean, and likes dry, sandy, well-draining soil," she says. "It doesn't need a lot of water, and it likes what a lot of crops would consider poor quality soil. We have a lot of sand in Michigan, and we don't get a whole lot of rain. It doesn't require a great deal of work in that it's a fairly sustainable crop. We also benefit from the snowfall because the snowfall helps to keep the soil warm in the winter."
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