A labyrinth of lavender, bees, flowers, and wildlife running along the pathways through the center of the farm was a glimpse of what could be seen at the 11-acre plot Bees N Blooms. The CCOF-Certified Organic farm opened back up to the public for Valentine’s Day weekend between Feb. 12 and Feb. 13 from 10 a.m to 3 p.m. During the event, guests could take in the sights and purchase an assortment of gifts for their Valentine, including lavender gift sets, honeys, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and flowers.  

Speaking about the process of opening back up, owner Susan Kegley stated, “We haven’t always done Valentine’s Day weekend. It depends on whether or not we are ready for people… To get ready to open is a lot of work, so we try to wait until the weeds stop growing. We use what’s called occultation, which basically means blocking out the light to do weed control. Since we are an organic farm, we don’t use herbicides or anything like that.”

Upon arrival, visitors are met with an arch introducing the Lavender Labyrinth; this is the starting point where farm maps are available. From there, individuals can choose to wander freely. The walk through the labyrinth was full of jackrabbits running around and lead to flowers, a tree nursery, and a pond further down with several different routes available. Fenced geese, ducks, and chickens were tucked in the left corner of the farm, which attracted many, especially children. At one point, Kegley even opened up the gates to allow two little girls to greet the animals. 

Solano County resident Susan Carpenter commented on the attraction, exclaiming, “It’s really cool to have an operating farm for the kids.” Carpenter was exploring the farm for the first time with two others, and is looking forward to coming back once everything is in bloom. The group also made sure to pick up some goodies, “We got salts, sprays, oil, and [lavender] sashes to put under our pillows,” Carpenter stated. 

The majority of the people who attended the event were new to the farm. “Most of the people I have talked to have never been here before. This is their first time; they just wanted to stop by and say ‘Hi’,” said Rebecca Rosenzweig, the Agricultural Operations Manager. Rosenzweig pointed out, “The farm opened in 2016, and for the past couple of years, we have been growing exponentially.”

When asked about what’s in the farm’s shop, Rosenzweig explained, “Inside is a bunch of goodies. We have our own bees, [so] we sell our own honey. We also melt down the comb of our honey and make candles!… Susan is actually a chemist, so we distill our own essential oils and our own hydrosol, [or] room spray… We have over nine types of lavender, [so] there are different smelling essential oils… There are lotions, oils, cookbooks, regular loose lavender as well as local olive oils, local balsamic, lavender flavored balsamics and oils, books, shirts, and so much more.”

In addition to Bees N Blooms being a beautiful place to enjoy, Rosenzweig explained, “This is also supposed to be a place of learning where we can teach people about the importance of pollinating, regenerative farming and organic agriculture.” 

To learn more about the environmentally friendly farm and to keep up with future events, go to www.beesnbloom.com.