Lavender & Catnip

The two plants that anchor our farm are lavender and catnip. We grow lots of each, and it never seems to be enough to satisfy the demand for these popular herbs.

Lavender

As of summer 2007, we are growing three varieties of lavender- Grosso, Provence, and Hidcote. Lavender forms the backbone of our summer harvest- we use it in our fresh cut bundles, weave it into lavender wands and baskets, hang it to dry for loose lavender that will make its way into our lavender and moth repellant sachets, or use the dried lavender in our popular fall wreaths.

Even Head Farm Boy Packy (who is rather allergic to lavender and tends to run screaming from the room when lavender wands are being woven) concedes that it is a beautiful plant that the bees adore, and therefore well worth growing. As long as he doesn’t have to help harvest it.

Catnip

We love easy to grow plants here at Ostman Farm, and catnip is one of the easiest. Eddie the Cat makes sure that we plant enough each year to supply him with more than enough to chew on, and whatever is left we dry to use in our ever expanding assortment of Cat Toys:

Fun Bundles (for a quick burst of excitement)

Crazy Oblongs (more sturdy than a bundle, with snappy ‘tail’ action)

Wacky Blind Mice

Silly Birds