Lavender harvest is usually the highlight of our year. After months of tending the rows—watching tiny green buds swell into fragrant purple spikes—it’s finally time to bring it all in. The air is thick with the smell of fresh blooms, the fields hum with bees, and the bundles in our hands are the beginning of soaps, oils, and body care that will carry the scent of summer all year long.
But like most things in farming, it’s not all Instagram-worthy moments and this year in particular left me in tears most days I was able to harvest. Yes, we're in a pretty big drought, but that wasn't our biggest challenge. What we encountered this year was an army of grasshoppers who think our lavender buffet is open 24/7.
Why Grasshoppers Love Lavender (and Why We Don’t Love Them Back)
In a perfect world, lavender’s strong scent would deter pests. This year it seemed like last year's grasshoppers evolved to eat only lavender. They munched on tender buds, leaves, and even chewed the plants down to the woody stems, leaving plants stressed, less productive and sometimes...dead. This year I planted 1,000 new lavender plants. I won't know for sure until I mow and do a final count after the first freeze, but I'd say I lost about 75% to grasshoppers.
They’re especially tough in dry years, when surrounding vegetation is sparse and our well-irrigated rows look like the only salad bar in town. Unlike a quick overnight frost or a passing rainstorm, grasshopper pressure is constant—every day we harvest, they’re right there, hopping out of the way just long enough for us to see the damage they’ve left behind.
Harvesting Around the Challenge
Harvesting lavender this year was a race against time and nature. For the highest oil quality, we cut when the buds almost fully bloomed. But with grasshoppers in the mix, we sometimes have to cut a early to save what’s left. This year, there wasn't a lot left for us.
We tried our best with what was available - mostly low-tech, mechanical methods of control.
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Leaving wild spaces around the farm to give them other plants to chew on.
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Mowing strategically—not too short and sometimes not at all, so they have grass and weeds to eat instead of lavender.
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Encouraging natural predators like birds, frogs, and even praying mantises.
While it wasn't perfect, it helped protect a lot of the already established plants without resorting to harmful pesticides that could harm bees, butterflies, and other pollinators we've worked over the years to nurture.
The Takeaway
Lavender harvest is as much about problem-solving as it is about gathering blooms. Every season teaches us something new—this year, it’s how to work with nature’s cycles, even when they come with too many legs and a big appetite.
When you use our products, you’re not just getting lavender—you’re getting the story of the season, the hands that harvested it, and the battles fought to keep it safe from grasshopper feasts.
And next year? We’ll be ready for them.