Vine Gate Lavender Floral Farm: A Touch Of Provence In Hillsdale
It’s unusual to find a lavender farm in our neck of the woods — lavender is a Mediterranean plant — but Ron Reinken is showing that it can be done. He’s cultivating it at Vine Gate Lavender Floral Farm in Hillsdale, New York, and we can all give ourselves a pat on the back for his choosing to bring it here.
“Lavender fits into the culture of this community,” Reinken says. “A lot of people here truly appreciate the benefits that come with lavender.”
If the scent of lavender is supposed to help promote calmness and wellness, imagine what a field of the plants can do for the senses. The variegated shades of purple, the quiet hum of buzzing bees, the fragrance wafting through the air — a trip to Vine Gate is a gift just when we need it most. This is the first year the farm has been open to the public, and people are coming, thrilled to bits to pick their own bunches, coo over Buddy the Cavalier King Charles puppy, and just spend some time relaxing beside the purple fields. Reinken loves seeing moms bringing their little ones to walk around and take in the natural world. It’s also a safe activity — there’s plenty of space for social distancing while picking lavender.
Ron Reinken with his dog, Buddy
Reinken and Marie Castle, his life and business partner, are from Long Island. He’s a retired elementary school principal; she’s still teaching. When he retired, he decided to pursue his earliest interest — he studied horticulture and plant science at Cornell. Reinken’s been coming up to this area since the early 70s; his parents had a summer home in Columbia County and moved up here when he graduated from high school. Now he’s full-time resident living, in fact, in the house his father built.
Four years ago the couple bought farmland in Hillsdale and started growing lavender, testing different varieties, making sure the land was suitable. Every year they grew more and began selling it at local farmers markets. This year they decided to open the u-pick farm to the public. They built a shed to house their wares and added honeybees, which are attracted to lavender. Right now there are about 1,200 plants in bloom, 10 different varieties, and there’s still a lot of land waiting to be cultivated. Reinken has big plans: more lavender, other flowers, eventually vegetables (all grown without chemicals, by the way) and someday their own house built on the property, somewhere hidden from view.
A couple of the varieties are still in trial phase; Reinken says they need to make sure a variety is hardy enough to withstand our climate and has no diseases.
“It takes a little bit of science, I’ll be honest with you,” he says. “If you give the lavender appropriate care and location, you can get them to survive and be hardy. You need well-drained soil and some protection in the winter.”
Reinken’s dual background in horticulture and education make him the perfect ambassador as he guides visitors through the field, explaining the purposes for each of the varieties. There are those used for culinary purposes, or bouquets, or purely for their scents, which also differ among the types. He offers scissors (visitors can bring their own) and demonstrates where to cut the plant and how to care for the bunch once it leaves the farm. It’s a natural fit, with their educational backgrounds, for the couple to sit on the education research committee of the United States Lavender Growers Association, setting up protocols for new farmers.
Castle is the craftsy one. She makes the sachets, neck and eye wraps, the soap and lavender sugar scrub and other items. During the holidays she makes and sells wreaths and swags.
The greatest amount of color on the lavender plants is through most of July, but the goal is to stay open through Columbus Day weekend. The couple plans to sell pumpkins at the farm, making it a seasonal destination. A reprieve comes in January, then they start planting the seedlings in March. Reinken and Castle do it all themselves.
“It’s not work,” Reinken says. “It’s a passion. I’ve come full circle to my interests and roots.”
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