You-Pick Information
June is the month here at the farm - Purple Rows of Lavender!
No worries if you were not able to get a You-Pick Ticket - you can still enjoy the lavender fields with scent, sight, and touch. You can also enjoy the Lavender Shop and take home lots of lavender products we make right here at the farm and try some lavender ice cream. You don't want to miss out!
June is the month people from not just Georgia, but our bordering states as well visit our farm to enjoy our lavender blooms. It's a definant bucket list must! Until recently lavender could not be grown in Georgia, due to our large amount of rainfall, high humidity, and our famous Georgia clay. No one wants to miss seeing lavender now in Georgia.
We grow rows and rows of lavender one of the largest lavender farm in Georgia. We grow 19 different varieties of lavender. Our most popular lavender for You-Pick are the tall stem Intermedias, which are know as French lavender. This is our most fragrant lavender and dries amazingly. It is the lavender used for sachets and neck wraps, soaps, etc... We grow several varieties of Intermedias from Grosso, Bridget Chloe, Spike, and Phenomenal.
Tickets are sold out for You-Pick Lavender: Prices were $15 for 50 stems of lavender and $5. for parking.Tickets are nonrefundable or exchanged, since this is a very busy event.
If you are going in a group be sure to purchase all your tickets at once, instead of each person buying their ticket. Tickets go fast so there might not be a ticket for each person to take time to buy their own. Usually one member of the group or if going with a friend purchases all the tickets so they can get the same time and date of ticket and do you-pick together, then they just pay the person that bought the tickets back. Once the tickets are sold out for that time we cannot add or exchange tickets.
Due to popular demand and so that you-picks will be enjoyable we had tickets sold online. They are now sold out! We do limit how many people in the you-pick field at one time to Only 12 people. We will have 1 area only to do you-pick. You-pick area will be marked and you can Only you-pick in this areas, because we want others that visit to enjoy the other fields that are not picked over for photos, walking rows up close to the lavenders, etc...
Do I have to purchase a you-pick ticket to only wander the farm fields? No, but you do need to purchase a parking pass which you can pay at the black box upon entering main entrance with exact $5 or the shop accepts cc payment for parking.
What if I'm at the farm and want to pick and did not purchase a ticket? We only sell you-pick tickets online this year to avoid overcrowding in the shop and the tickets may be sold out already by the time you arrive at the farm. So it is best to plan ahead and purchase your ticket online right away. We must limit how many people are in the you-pick field at one time, so reserving your time guarantees you being able to your-pick.
When you arrive at the main entrance: If you purchased a you-pick ticket/s and parking pass we will have your arm bands and parking pass ready at the entrance. If by chance we are not at the entrance to due staff shortage you will pick up our bands and pass at the you-pick Tent. No worries if you did not purchase a parking pass at time when you purchased your you-pick ticket because you may insert your exact $5 fee for parking into the black box at time of arrival or pay in the shop with cc.
*Please bring your online ticket with you if possible - which you can save to your phone or print once you have made your online purchase for tickets. We will also have a list of names with dates and times for you-pick purchases at the you-pick tents. No refunds or exchanges will be given. This will be a rain or shine event. We will have tent coverage in the you-pick field. If we have strong storms with lightening at the farm we will allow you to use your ticket during the other times of you-pick we have scheduled. You will need to call (706-974-8230) the farm to check other times. You can contact the shop of weather conditions, or check weather report for Dahlonega (south area just north east of Hwy 400).
Parking Fee: During the months of June through August we do have a parking fee of $5 per car of up to 4 people (children under 12 are not counted). Vans of more than 4 people will need to pay extra. There is an extra charge of 1.00 per person over 4 in a car. You can purchase your parking fee online with your you-pick ticket or at the farm if you have exact cash. There will be black metal collection boxes - as you enter the farm on a post AND as you walk to the back field. If you do not have exact $5 cash for parking - no worries - you can pay inside the shop. The parking fee allows us to replace and repair parking areas and reseed grass and walkway areas, as well as pay for our extra staff members during this busy time. If just visiting the shop and not the lavenders - there is no fee to park. Thank you for understanding.
Overflow Parking: *If the main area of farm parking is full we have another area just past our circle driveway in front white mobile home. Please be sure to park at this area on the grass - from the driveway. (Pull in to driveway and then park off driveway sideways on the grass, so we can get more cars in on both sides of driveway.) See signs for parking and marks to direct you.
What's the best day to come and do you-picks: Weekends are busier- but usually slows down at lunch time and again at 3:00 pm. Weekdays are usually fine and are slower at lunchtime and after. Having our you-pick days through most of June it allows many opportunities to come and enjoy the you-picks.
What does the lavender not look so purple? Sun has a way of making the lavender look grey and not so purple. Sun washes out the purple color to our eyes on a bright sunny day. But just wait till the sun goes lower in the western sky and that purple pops or hold you hand behind the lavender blooms and they will stand out. This is why photographers want to take photos at the Golden Hour - just before sunset.
What to do at the farm during You-Pick Days: Many people love walking around the farm to see all flowers and lavender, taking photos, checking out our farm chickens in their coop, visiting the lavender shop, enjoying lavender ice cream from the shop, and sitting and enjoying the day with family and friends.
What if I have a toddler and I want to pick? Children under 12 years of age are not allowed in the you-pick field. We highly recommend having someone with you to watch your young child/ren while you are doing your you-picks. Here in Georgia we must hill up our rows 12" to grow lavender and our rows contain irrigation lines. Also roots of the lavender run just under the weed cloth. We want to take care of the lavender so we will have more blooms next year. To cut lavender we use scissors and will have a basket for holding your lavender stems, so your hands will be busy. If lavender is cut beyond the second set of leaves it can kill the plant and we want our lavender to bloom for many years. Thank you for understanding.
Can I bring my pet to the farm? Sorry / No, due to sanitary reason and having chickens here at the farm.
Supplies: We will have all your supplies here at the farm is included. Once you arrive at your time you have chosen to do you-pick lavender, walk over to our tent and you-pick field which will be marked with yellow tape. We will check your name and armband and hand you a wicker basket, safety scissors, visual directions of how to harvest, and a ring that is the exact size of 50 lavender stems. You will have 30 minutes to do your you-pick, which is plenty of time to cut your 50 stems. Then when finished cutting return your basket, scissors, ring, and directions to the attendant at the you-pick field. She will then band your newly cut lavender together and you may enjoy the rest of the farm and/or visit the shop, or purchase some lavender ice cream inside the shop. We have several areas to sit and enjoy the farm.
You-Pick Baskets Must STAY in the You-Pick section. Sorry you cannot take our baskets to any other area at the farm, since other people will be waiting to use the basket after you. If you want to have a basket for your photos, please bring one from home.
Can I take photos at the farm with my 35 mm camera? We absolutely love taking photos during open shop hours in the lavender and flowers using a 35 mm camera, but people are not allowed for portrait photos at the farm! We do allow cell phones photos for the flowers and people. If you have a 35mm cameral whether an amateur or a professional we do not allow portrait photos (of people). This allows everyone a chance to enjoy the farm and parking is more assessable.
Are there restrooms at the farm? We are very lucky to have a portable-potty that is cleaned weekly. We do not have an inside public restroom. There are many places before coming to the farm that have public restrooms. We are only 3 minutes from the busy corner of Hwy 60/Chestatee and Hwy 400/19 with public restrooms. We are also just 15 minutes from Dawsonville.
How should I dress to do you-picks? Weather is usually very warm in June, so be sure to dress comfortably and wear closed toe shoes since bees love our lavender and clover in the grass. Bending over is a must to do you-pick. Hats are often a great idea to protect your face and head from the sun.
Do you have drinks or food at the farm? We do have a coke cooler in the shop, but we do not have a food venue or restaurant at the farm. However we do sell our lavender ice cream in June beginning June 6th.
We do have several picnic tables you may use. If you bring your own picnic lunch be sure to bring a trash bag to collect your food packages before dispensing in our trash cans. Our garbage service requires all trash in bags. Thank you.
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You-Pick Flowers - July through October
Other Flowers You-Picks this Summer: Once the Zinnias are in bloom - which usually will bloom in July - August. We will have these days of Zinnia you-picks as soon as we know.
Dahlias - we may have also these for you-pick once we see the amount of blooms. We always want plenty in bloom for photos.
Tickets will be sold online for the Dahlias and Zinnias too. Watch for dates for these you-picks.
Sunflowers: We will have some sunflowers available in the shop already cut for purchase once they bloom. We plant the sunflowers close for their support against the winds and love to have plenty of blooms for photos. We will have 3 areas this year for sunflower blooms.