Damali Lavender Farm &
Bed & Breakfast
Come to relax. Stay and
be inspired.
By Judy Stafford
A
large, lumbering golden retriever aptly named Kahlua greets us as we turn into
the driveway, parking himself right in our way. He’s very intrigued by our
presence and welcomes us warmly to the Damali Lavender Farm and Bed and
Breakfast, reminding us that it’s time to take a breath, slow down, and start
to unwind before we go any further.
The
rows of small rounded bushes and the tall wispy lines of the vineyard lead the
way. Instantly, even in the last sleepy days of winter, the aroma of sweet
lavender gently curls up and tickles our senses. The large, two-story farmhouse
comes majestically into view on top of the hill, painted against a backdrop of
a crystal, deep blue sky. Now we know why this part of the country is compared
to Provence, the wine-rich region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean.
The covered, white-pillared veranda immediately makes us feel like relaxing, so
the Muskoka chairs are our first stop.
Off
in the distance beckons Salt Spring Island and the ocean peaks out through the
trees. It’s hard to imagine getting any work done around here with this view,
but David and Marsha Stanley and their partner Alison Philp have done more than
just work hard, they have manifested their dreams.
Less
than four years ago, the first seeds of a lavender farm hadn’t even been sown
in their minds when David and Marsha headed on a holiday to Washington State to
take some time off and open themselves up to new adventures. Knowing they
wanted to leave the stress of the mainland and return to their roots on the
island, they started a three-year plan to change their lives. Well, fate had
other ideas and waiting three years was not on the agenda. Amazingly, or synchronistically
perhaps, things fell into place faster than they could have ever imagined.
A
chat with their old friend Alison, who immediately shared their vision of
moving to Cobble Hill, a chance drive-by past an old sheep farm that had
recently been taken off the real estate market, David suddenly being offered an
early retirement package and bingo, their vision sprouted.
And
their timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Agritourism is the latest venture
to hit the mainstream and will soon be the largest sector of tourism. First
popular in Italy and Spain, now it’s hit North America with a vengeance.
According to BC Agritourism, tourism in BC is a $9.2 billion industry and
visitors are increasingly seeking nostalgic, rural experiences. People are
becoming more interested in where their food comes from and they want to meet
the farmers.
Well these new farmers, started with 600 lavender plants in 2004, and they now tend to five different varieties and 7500 plants in total. They also manage a fledgling vineyard, a small orchard, olive trees, a veggie garden, sheep, chickens, geese, and a recent adoption into their family—Chevy the wonder-jumping dog.
They
did downsize in one area, going from 30 sheep that came with the farm, to just
three moms and three babies. “We sold some and ate some. Sheep aren’t the
smartest animals, but we aren’t the smartest farmers either. We didn’t realize
when we took down a row of fencing that would mean we couldn’t move them from
the pasture to the barn very easily. One day, we herded them one by one with
Alison holding open the door. With just one more to go, they saw the sliver of
light through the crack and bolted, knocking Alison flat on her back,” Marsha
laughs as she remembers.
“Then
we had to start at one all over again,” explains David. “But, we have learned
other things. We now know we need to add an extra foot to the top of our fences
to keep the deer out. They walk right through the lavender to eat the tops off
the vines.” Farming was never on their radar, but David grins like a schoolboy
declaring that now he gets to drive a tractor.
Marsha
quickly points out that after the first year, she and Alison decided that
wasn’t fair. “So now we can drive it too. I’m not good with the bucket, but
carrying things from here to there. I can do that.”
They’ve
also learned that they can have a plan, but Mother Nature may have a different
one. Where to place a field and where to move rocks doesn’t always work out as
intended. Strategizing on where to move the abundance of boulders, renown in a
place called Cobble Hill, turned into a job no one anticipated. “I’ve turned
into a rock picker—when I plough the fields, I just grow more rocks,” says
David.
“Yes
we grow rocks really good!” laughs Martha.
Well
you can’t eat those, but Alison explains, “We do grow enough vegetables to feed
ourselves pretty much all year round. Even now we can usually find something
green for a salad.”
They
probably couldn’t have managed without fate also playing a hand in their
stumbling upon the worker bees of the WWOOFers. An acronym for ‘Willing Workers
on Organic Farms,’ folks worldwide travel to farms to work in exchange for room
and board.
One
afternoon, when Alison was working at her day job at Tourism Cowichan, she met
up with a young Japanese man who was travelling the world by bicycle and on his
way to Victoria. The longer they chatted, the later it got. Alison didn’t want
to see him going over the Malahat in the dark, so she invited him to dinner. He
stayed three months.
Since
then, they’ve been blessed with a variety of farm helpers from young students
to a 51 year-old woman from Calgary. They built proper living quarters and this
season will be the third visit from one young man from Italy.
Marsha,
also working fulltime off the farm, says, “I feel like I’m working seven days a
week, and I am. But I love the physical work, the outdoors, the planting, and
making our own products with the lavender. It’s a lot different than
accounting. And we don’t need to ‘do’ gym memberships.”
And their Lavender Shop is bursting with the bounty of their hard work. From soaps, to bath salts, to hand lotions and face creams, to culinary lavender and seasonal fresh & dried flower bundles, to comfort bags and body scrubs—the list goes on and on. You can’t help but relax the minute you step inside and the magical fragrance of healing lavender takes over.
But
the true heart of the farm has to be the large, open-concept country
kitchen/living area in the newly built farmhouse. The expansive windows and
French doors, bring the glorious view right inside to meld with the warmth of
the gold, green, yellow and cream décor. Complete with Mediterranean-style
tiled flooring, a centerpiece island, a dining table, a deep, welcoming couch
and several armchairs, a large screened TV, and a fabulous fireplace. You’d
never have to leave this spot, ever.
Still
hammering nails to hang pictures and putting up towel racks moments before –
they welcomed their first guests last fall. Designed specifically with a bed
and breakfast in mind, all three bedrooms are adorned with full ensuite baths,
and little kitchen nooks with miniature sinks and fridges. The Lavender room,
with a large, majestic bed covered with crisp white linens also boasts a
magnificent view of the ocean from a plush window seat.
David,
Marsha, and Alison are ready to inspire more visitors as they gear up for their
first full summer with bookings already for August. They have farm activities
planned on top of what can be done in the area: take a wine tour, go
sightseeing for birds, sign up for a whale watching adventure, or play a round
of golf. This July (2008), they’ll be hosting their first annual Lavenderfest.
They’re also planning to participate in the Cowichan Valley Wine and Culinary
Festival again in September. You can book your wedding here, come for a tour,
browse the shop, or just walk the labyrinth. Check out their website for
directions and contact information.
Damali:
an acronym for their three names, David, Marsha and Alison, which in Arabic
means, ‘beautiful vision’ is a vision indeed. Stop by for a visit, or a night,
or even three months. Kahlua will be waiting to greet you at the end of the
drive. You won’t be disappointed.
