Lavender Farm Finds Success

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Story Published: Jul 20, 2009 at 7:26 PM PDT

By Ryan Simms

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SELAH -- Times are good for a lavender farm in Selah.

In between the gold and green of Selah's rolling hills, a patch of purple is enough to get everyone's attention.

“People just love the look and the smell and the benefits," says Adele Kilseimer, who owns one of the oldest lavender farms in Washington.

At Kilseimer’s “Selah Ridge” farm, business has greatly increased in the past few years. As a result, Kilseimer has watched firsthand as the demand for lavender grows.

“People are discovering all the uses you can get from it," Kilseimer tells Action News.

According to Kilseimer, there are now more than ten lavender farms in southern Washington. With each one doing a booming business, chances are that additional farms will follow.

“They are more popping up, little by little” says Kilseimer. “The interest is there, so they're becoming more popular."

While lavender has long been a popular ingredient in soaps and lotions, it’s also becoming an ingredient in food. An increasing number of upscale restaurants are grinding up lavender petals and using them as spices. In the process, growers like Kilseimer are receiving even more business.

“It's just all around a good thing to have," Kilseimer tells Action News reporter Ryan Simms

So while apples and cherries might get a lion's share of the attention in Yakima County, purple fields like Kilseimer’s could soon be popping up all over the state.

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