Nicole & Mike Mohr
Nicole and Mike Mohr have worked for years toward their vision of turning their acreage into something beautiful and useful. After unsuccessful attempts growing wine grapes, the couple finally found their calling in lavender farming.
The Mohrs aptly named their new venture “Mohr Lavender Please!” when they started planting over 2,200 lavender plants across nine varieties in spring of 2021. The fields are tended by Nicole and Mike and often with the help of their teenage children Ella, Laura and Jonathan, who all enjoy pitching in.
The decision to start a lavender farm came unexpectedly after the couple had a chance meeting with Ricardo Besel who told them about the equipment he developed that could automate part of the harvesting process. Nicole dove into researching lavender farms, and she and Mike decided to take the leap.
While still working jobs in healthcare, the Mohrs devote all their spare time to nurturing their fragrant fields. “Our lavender farm is a labor of love – we are learning new skills as we go and it is very enriching and challenging,” shares Nicole.
The family’s initial crop of 2,200 plants includes: ‘Gros Bleu’, ‘Phenomenal’, ‘Riverina Thomas’, ‘Provence’, ‘Impress Purple’, ‘Abrialii’, ‘Buena Vista’, ‘Opal Rain’, and ‘Royal Velvet’ varieties. Nicole favors the ‘Riverina Thomas’ for its resilience, having only lost one plant through a difficult winter. Mike often sports a vibrant ‘Opal Rain’ sprig behind his ear as he tends to work.
The farm focuses on developing culinary lavender products like bitters, baking extracts, sugar and seasonings. As Nicole explains, “We want to teach and inspire people to see lavender as a culinary flavor,” and that is exactly what she did after a presentation to fellow lavender farmers about culinary lavender at the latest LNW Expo Conference in Sequim, WA.
The Mohrs kindly shared about having made some mistakes along the way, like overwatering that first crop, but now have a solid rhythm down in tending to their aromatic crops. The Mohr family has big dreams for their little farm, with intentions to steadily expand fields and offerings in the years ahead.
As one of the newest lavender farms in the USA, it is evident that the Mohrs’ passion for lavender permeates everything they do. Their fledgling fields hold such promise, nurtured by this family’s dedication and dreams. Thank you to the pioneering Mohr family for so generously sharing their time and their unfolding journey with us.
Contact Information:
Website address: Mohrlavenderplease.com
Instagram: @Mohrlavenderplease
Facebook: Mohr lavender please
Telephone: 208-699-3895
Email: [email protected]
Contributed by
Mike & Sandra Mitchell
Willamette Valley Lavender
Edited & formatted by
Michael Lemmers
RavenCroft
