About Us
Bald Butte Lavender Farm
We are Carol and Chuck Stiff of Bald Butte Lavender Farm. In 2018, we bought our 3-acre farm south of Pullman in southeastern Washington. A desire to be purposeful with what we grew on the farm sent us on a journey to explore our options. We spent hours watching YouTube videos, conducting additional internet research about what would grow best in our climate and soil, and ultimately we decided on lavender. Once we decided on lavender, we slowly added 17 cultivars and over 750 plants over a 5-year period. In 2022, we sold our first lavender products at local Farmers Markets and several holiday venues. Currently, we sell lavender products at our farm store and greenhouse located in Johnson, Washington.
We became lavender farmers after retiring. Farming is a physically demanding job, but we experience a sense of peace and calmness being connected to the land. Building and running our own business has brought us great satisfaction and enjoyment. Come visit our farm and learn about the art of growing and harvesting lavender, and then shop our handcrafted collection of products made right here on the farm.
Our Journey
For our family, Johnson is the continuation of a personal journey that started in Wisconsin. We have lived in six different states and moved eleven times. During this time Carol received graduate degrees in horticulture, forestry and adult education, and was involved in university and private industry biotechnology research. She also developed her life long passion for plant tissue culture and started her own company Kitchen Culture Kits, Inc. With graduate degrees in forest management and biometrics, Chuck has worked in university research/education/service, continuing education, consulting, and industrial forestry. Gardening has always been his passion.
Lavender Northwest Association
Bald Butte Lavender Farm is a proud member of Lavender Northwest Association (LNW), an organization created for the purpose of showcasing and promoting lavender grown in the Pacific Northwest. Lavender Northwest is a collaborative, mutually-supportive community of NW businesses and services that provide outstanding lavender-focused products, education, and agricultural experiences, thereby showcasing the NW as an outstanding region for lavender in the United States.
Acknowledgements
We have visited numerous lavender farms in the Pacific Northwest. The growers have graciously provided their valuable time while sharing their wealth of experience and providing us with invaluable insights. In particular, we greatly appreciate the advice and guidance provided by Tom Binder (Crockett Road Lavender Farm, Milton Freewater, OR), Beth Hammerberg (Down By The River Lavender, Wenatchee, WA), Tammy Lewis (Flannigan Creek Flower Farm, Viola, ID), Joseph Downs (The Lavender Boutique, Wenatchee, WA), and Chris Mulder (Barn Owl Nursery, Wilsonville, OR).
