Find your nearest market:Standing as a landmark in the heart of the Hampshire countryside, The Lavender Fields at Hartley Park Farm has been producing English lavender near Selborne for the last ten years.
Third generation farmers, Tim and Ann Butler, grow four varieties, namely Folgate, Maillette, Imperial Gem and Grosso, which are picked in season by hand.
Tim says: “We harvest during the early morning period to ensure the highest yield of oil, and it is immediately taken to our distillery on the farm. Lavender loses oil immediately from the moment it’s harvested, so you have to be quick.”
Distillation by steam takes place to ensure the purity of the oil, and is then left to mature – reaching it’s best after several years.
The lavender is then bottled on the farm, alongside the drying, cleaning and packing of lavender seeds, capturing the essence of Hampshire into a bottle.
See the farm and hear from Tim Butler about their experiences at Hampshire Farmers Markets, and what is on offer for visitors to their stall.
If you’d like to find out more information about the Lavender Fields, please visit www.thelavenderfields.co.uk. You can visit the Lavender Fields stall at many Hampshire Farmers Markets dates.
