NEOB Lavender Farm

By Gabrielle Tieman-Lee

Straight from the pages of your favourite fairy tale, a magical place can be found just outside of Virgil where you can plunge yourself into a floral wonderland.

Niagara Essential Oils and Blends, better known as NEOB Lavender, draws you in straight from the road. Perfectly round bushes of fragrant lavender scent the air surrounding the farm, wafting in through your window and pulling you onto their property like a magical force you just can’t fight.

Harnessing the ancient restorative and healing powers of these plants and others, are owners Melissa and Robert Achal. What began as a flower business – supplying fresh cut flowers to stores across Canada – has since evolved into a large scale essential oil and natural health and beauty products operation. It all began when Melissa says she one day found her greenhouse had become filled with lavender.

“We kept coming back to lavender,” said Melissa. “We started to read up on (lavender) and realized all of its properties and it developed into essential oils and our products from there.”

Melissa, who is completely self-taught, began hosting tupperware-esque Lavender Experience Parties, bringing her products directly to customers and discussing their wants and needs from the fragrant plant. From there, the product lines developed and grew as Melissa listened and learned how lavender could fill the void in both home and beauty products.

Today NEOB Lavender carries hundreds of natural products that utilize real essential oils, uniquely made on premise. These products include essential oils, culinary grade oils, pillow sprays, soap bars, homecare products and the very popular health and beauty skincare line which includes day and night creams, skin healing creams, lotions and more.

Their facility and farm have expanded in tandem with their product line; housing over three acres of lavender on premise (12 acres total across the region), rose gardens, a greenhouse (which holds lemongrass, rosemary, peppermint and more), a retail boutique and an antique store.

NEOB as well has a research facility on premises where their team can research new plants, experiment with hybrids and cross pollination and test the durability of plants within Niagara’s climate.

“We do all of our research here and once it becomes a success, we launch out a field,” said Melissa. “We live in Niagara and we want our plants to thrive here, so sometimes you have to create your own.”

These brand new plants include NEOB’s very own type of lavender - Massuet Lavender (also known as Niagara Lavender) - which is a cross between a few different types of lavender. It is said to be heartier than other standard varieties which makes it easier to grow in Niagara’s climate.

“We are kind of in a biosphere (in Niagara),” said Melissa. “It is a microclimate. We are protected by the escarpment and with the lake effect it makes it a great climate for growing your own lavender.”

NEOB has also experimented with roses – creating a crossbred Niagara Rose which is used in their essential oils and product lines. New to farm is the addition of Shiitake mushrooms which they plan to harvest for the plant’s great anti-wrinkle properties and utilize in their skincare line.

Along with their curated hybrids, NEOB grows over five different varieties of lavender including the white blooming Melissa Lavender and Glorious Lavender which is known for being used in sweets and baking.

“Each one is very different from the other in scent profile, taste and uses,” said Melissa. “(Melissa Lavender) is my favourite to just pick and chew and freshen my breath - it’s really delicious - but Massuet Lavender is great for meat marinades.”

New this summer is NEOB’s re-formulated festival season; instead of hosting their annual two-day concentrated festival, NEOB will be spacing out the celebrations over the entire four week flowering season. This will allow for more events, more hands-on activities and more tasting of the lavender products.

“We want to create a tasting event for everyone,” said Melissa, “so everyone can try the lavender and experience how great it is in food and see how easily it can be used beyond home and body products.”

From mid-June to Mid-July, NEOB will be hosting Lavender Picnic Lunches each weekend. The event will cost $65 dollars per person and include a demo on how to grow lavender and a tutorial on its culinary uses, lunch (to include a salad with a lemongrass and lavender vinaigrette, a gourmet veggie sandwich and a dessert), a cooking demo with samples and a tour of the facility and distillery – all while enjoying a cup of lavender peach ice cream.

The day will conclude in the flowering lavender field so you can pick and design two lavender bouquets with your choice of three different shades of lavender. You will also receive 10 per cent off any purchases made in the boutique that day.

Pick Your Own Lavender events will also be hosted throughout the week during flowering season for $25 per person. This ticket also includes lavender peach ice cream, a mini vial of lavender essential oils and 10 per cent off boutique purchases.

Can’t make it during flowering season? Daily tours are run from May to October and there is always something to be seen on the farm.

“No matter what time of year you come by, there is always something happening,” said Melissa. “For example, in the late fall time, we are harvesting the Rose Geraniums, and all you smell is roses through the entire field and greenhouse.”

All products and tickets are available for purchase online or in their boutique at any of their five retail locations including Niagara-on-the-Lake, Oakville, Stratford, Elora and Port Carling (opening this May Long Weekend). TM

Fresh flower fields: Pick your own Niagara

By Gabrielle Tieman-Lee

The smell of warm grass, that excitement from spotting a blossom peaking up from the frozen soil, those first papery petals that unfurl on the trees: it’s the official sign that winter is over! Instead of heading straight to the store to brighten up your home with a bouquet, why not pick your own? Wander in the fresh air through rows of fragrant seasonal blooms, scissors in hand, plucking the petals straight from the soil for your own unique arrangement (and just think of the photos!) Here is a selection of beautiful flower farms right in Niagara’s backyard that offer pick-your-own options.

This beautiful environmentally responsible farm located just over 30 minutes from Niagara Falls has become famous for their handson floral workshops and fresh hand-picked bouquets. The organically-managed, 15-acre flower farm offers a number of floral workshops and events from May-October that are held right within their dahlia fields. These events combine pick your own flowers with other hands-on activities which in the past have included yoga amongst the flowers and bouquet building demonstrations.

When: Events/Workshops held from May-October.

Check website for details Where: 32775 Feeder Road West, Wainfleet Price: Price varies according to event/workshop

NEOB Lavender

NEOB Lavender is home to over three acres of picture-perfect lavender fields, rose gardens and an aromatic greenhouse filled with herbs and plants. New to the fields this year will be pick-your-own lavender days. Held Monday-Friday during the plants’ four week flowering season, customers can pick and design their own lavender bouquets right in the fields. Choose from three different shades of lavender, all which are unique in scent, while enjoying a lavender peach ice cream. Tickets include two bouquets of lavender, one lavender ice cream, one mini vial of lavender essential oil and 10 per cent off boutique purchases.

When: June 18th-July 18th Where: 758 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake Price: $25 per person (parking included)

Wendalane Farms

Cultivating over 50 field-grown varieties of fresh cut flowers, the family owned and operated Wendalane Farms, located in Wellandport, is just as beautiful as the flowers they grow.

Presently the farm grows just under two acres of annuals, perennials, bulbs and shrubs seasonally – including the always popular sunflowers, lilies and zinnias. The farm features a seasonal self-serve stand at the road where you can pick a fresh cut bouquet while enjoying the smell of the flower farm. T heir gorgeous bouquets and seasonal arrangements can also be found at the Grimsby Farmer’s Market from May to October.

When: May-October Where: 5998 Canborough Rd., Wellandport Price: Price varies according to bouquet