Castle Farm Lavender Fields
Castle Farm is a family business located near the village of Shoreham in West Kent. The Alexander Family have been farming in the Darenth Valley since 1892 when James Alexander transported 17 milking cows from Ayrshire in Scotland and took up residence in this south-eastern part of England. Castle Farm is a busy, working farm comprising of 1,100 acres. It produces such crops as wheat, barley, rapeseed, hops, apples, pumpkins and lavender. It is also home to a grass-fed herd of beef cattle. However, in recent years it has become well know internationally for its lavender crop. Castle Farm began its lavender enterprise in 1998, producing the essential oils associated with the flower. It is now the largest lavender farm in the UK, growing over 110 acres of the flower. Furthermore, it has become quite a tourist attraction with the farm staff running tours during Summer and the height of lavender season.
Today I had the pleasure of visiting Castle Farm and being shown around the lavender fields as well as the associated facilities for extracting the essential oils. The tour started promptly at 10:45 AM so as to avoid the high temperatures the UK is currently enjoying. We were allowed to walk among the lavender crop which covers 80 acres and comprises of several different species of the plant. Our guide gave us an overview of Castle Farms history, how the lavender is propagated, planted and subsequently harvested. We were then shown how the crop is steamed and the lavender oil separated. The raw oil is then sent away for grading and to be used in both beauty and food products, many of which are then directly sold by Castle Farm. Over the years the farm has managed to increase its overall yield of lavender oil.
The lavender fields at Castle Farm attract a lot of international tourists and offers a striking photo opportunity. When the owners initially thought of diversifying and growing lavender they travelled to Province in France which has grown such crops for centuries. Their initial plan was met with scepticism from the French who didn’t believe the UK was hot enough for lavender. That has not proven the case and Castle Farm currently in a major supplier in the UK essential oils market, which is worth £1.1 billion. The farm itself as well as offering the spectacle of the lavender crop at the height of its season, also has a comprehensive farm shop with a broad range of traditional and organically grown produce. Like the bluebells at Emmetts Garden which bloom in April, the lavender fields at Castle farm are well worth a visit for nature lovers, horticulturalists and those seeking something colourful and seasonal to photograph.
Roger Edwards