Tools

Lavender Industry More Potent Than Ever

by KREX News Room
by Amanda Brandeis

Story Created: Sep 29, 2012 at 7:42 PM MDT

Story Updated: Sep 29, 2012 at 8:51 PM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.- For three days lavender aficionados are in Grand Junction for the Southwest Lavender Conference. The herb has existed for thousands of years, however, its presence is becoming more potent than ever.

Kathy Kimbrough, the President of the Lavender Association of Western Colorado, said, "It's coming back into fashion, and in the last 10 years or so it's become a very popular herb. A lot of people are now beginning to realize that it's more than just something in your yard."

Paola Legarre, the owner of Sage Creations Organic Farm, said, "At this conference there are people from all over the United States. We learn from each other and it's also a great way to showcase what we've been doing here in Colorado."

This year's Southwest Lavender Conference couldn't have come at a better time.

"The Lavender Association of Western Colorado received a specialty-crop grant from the Colorado Department of Agriculture to test and research lavender essential oils at high altitudes," said Kimbrough.

The grant will help take the local lavender industry to new heights.

Kimbrough said, "This will help us distinguish our lavender essential oils from anywhere else in the world. We've heard that high altitude essential oil is a higher grade, is more therapeutic, is more valuable."

"I think we have the potential of growing it on a larger scale," Legarre said.

"We have it growing from 4,600 hundred feet in the Grand Valley up to 7,000 feet in Cedaredge," said Kimbrough.

It will also take our economy to new heights too.

"For two reasons: it helps people start their own businesses and most of these small businesses are owned by women," Kimbrough said.

Local lavender connoisseurs look forward to the day when 'Western Slope Lavender' is a household name throughout the world.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KREX - News, Weather, Sports for Grand Junction | Montrose | Glenwood Springs - Coverage You Can Count On and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Most Popular
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.
News Channel 5 Weather