Mike Renzella
The Haldimand Press
When Kim and Brian Drew purchased a farm in Canfield back in 2014, they knew they had a beautiful piece of land on their hands, but they weren’t yet sure how they were going to utilize it.
“We started the lavender farm in 2015 after a year or so of living on the farm,” said Kim Drew, owner of Purple Haven Lavender Farm, a popular agri-tourism destination in Canfield that offers a variety of products and experiences to those that visit.
“We originally came from Burlington,” she explained. “Brian’s grandparents had a small cash crop farm when he was a small child and he loved being on the farm. It was his desire to move to the country – that eventually brought us here.”
The decision to open an agri-tourism destination grew out of the love the Drews felt for the ‘beautiful’ property they now lived on, along with their son, his wife Shannyn, and their children: “We wished to share our love with others.”
“Lavender and herbs were something I had always grown, and we decided to take that love one step further and grow it on a larger scale. More challenging but definitely rewarding,” said Drew, noting that as of now, the business is fully family-owned and operated.
“We not only grow the lavender, but we make all our own products here on the farm. We also have a certified kitchen on the farm where we make a large collection of culinary items. We try hard to only use our own produce or locally grown produce from other farms in Haldimand.”
While initially the Drews only grew lavender, they have since expanded into sunflowers and wildflowers, with further plans to incorporate lilies, irises, roses, and more, in addition to the fruits and veggies that are also grown on the farm.
Why did the family decide to invest so heavily in creating an agri-tourist destination?
“Lavender farming is and will continue growing in popularity. Just like the wine industry in Ontario has done over the past 20 years, I believe lavender farming will do the same. Because it has a short season, we have expanded into other flowers and even pumpkins in order to bring people out all year long.”
Purple Haven strives to offer something for everyone to enjoy. They time their experiences to the different seasons. During warmer months, they offer popular yoga workshops, with some more currently being planned for the fall. Additionally, interested patrons will have the opportunity to picnic on the farm this September and October.
“People can pre-order a picnic lunch (to be held in the on-site pumpkin patch); we will set it all up for them and then they can enjoy a walk through our trails – our little part of the Carolinian forest.”
Other recent events hosted at the farm included artisan soap-crafting workshops and an afternoon tea social, followed by a crafting session that saw participants creating their own soy candles-in-a-cup, bath salts, and a hand-picked blend of lavender chamomile tea.
They have also recently opened a new storefront where visitors can purchase a selection of items made on the farm: “We sell several lavender items in the store that are bath and beauty items such as soaps, lotions, and body wash, including a men’s line of beauty care items. We also sell a culinary line from lavender-infused jams, seasoning blends, and tea blends to non-lavender items such as salsas, chilies, jams, jellies, pickled beets, dill pickles, dried herbs, and infused salts and vinegars, which are all made in small batch processing in our on-farm certified kitchen using our own or locally sourced produce.”
Drew touched on why she feels agri-tourism is rapidly becoming a favourite activity for local families: “Being able to offer our customers an opportunity to come experience how we operate the farm and how we make our products is something people can’t get by shopping at a box store. We like working with local businesses so we can bring something uniquely Haldimand to our patrons.”
For more information on upcoming events taking place at Purple Haven, visit their Facebook page or check out their website at purplehaven.ca. Additionally, look for their products at all three Haldimand Farmer’s Markets.
