Opening Monday June 1st

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:39:17 GMT

If you are seeking a calming moment – our first swathes of lavender are now in “bloom’ – wander through our fragrant flowers combined with Cornish sea air – a beautiful experience – we also have a selection of gifts – handmade on our farm.

Visits by appointment only

info@roskorwellfarm.co.uk

Tel: 01326 280229

(We are respecting Government Guidelines with regards to Covid 19)

Bringing home the harvest

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 15:28:00 GMT

It seems like no time since our first lavender plants were delivered. The little nuggets arrived in their thousands, tiny and full of potential. Now suddenly, thanks to this season’s abundance of both sun and rain, they’re big, blooming plants, ready for harvesting. I feel almost sentimental!

However, there’s no time to muse, as we have 5 acres of plants to harvest. It feels daunting; however after months of keeping on top of the weeds, it’s wonderful to be gathering our actual crop!

I use a sickle. It’s the perfect tool for cutting bunches of flowers, provided you keep it nice and sharp. Plus, there’s something really satisfying about working the land with the same tools our ancestors used. However, there’s none of this Ross Poldark careless, scythe-swinging action. Sickle-cutting involves getting up close to the plant and grasping a bunch of stems firmly in the left hand (I’m right-handed). The curved blade is designed to both contain the bunch and slice neatly through it. It’s an easy tool to control, so you can make sure you’re not cutting into the old wood, which effectively prevents further growth.

It sounds easy when you write it down, but it’s tough physical work. Luckily, the lavender scent lives up to its relaxing reputation, and I kept telling myself that at least I wasn’t cutting the caulis that used to grow on our farm…

We tie the lavender bunches together as I go along, so we don’t end up with a massive, anarchic pile of stems going off in all directions. Yes, hand-woven twine would add a picturesque touch, but speed is important: we use elastic bands. The bunches are stacked into crates, and taken to our barn for drying.

The idea of bunches of lavender hanging upside down in the barn or farmhouse kitchen is an appealingly evocative image – and it’s still the best way to dry the flowers! Mark has strung twine from the beams - We now have this gorgeous, purply-blue ceiling that rivals the Sistine Chapel for beauty, and smells incredible. It’s moments like this when I really understand why we’re doing this. Below the bunches, Mark is working on the still, preparing for the next stage.

Then, last month, our mechanical harvester arrived from Bulgaria. We’ll use this lovely machine for harvesting lavender for the still, when it’s not important to keep it in bunches. It gently and efficiently gobbles up row after row of lavender, all set to be made into essential oils. Mark’s been busy with the harvester, filling up the bags, and bringing the cut flowers and stems back to the barn for distilling into gorgeous lavender oil. It’s incredibly exciting.

If you want to know more about Roskorwell Farm and our crops, please contact Mark, or me, Sam on info@roskorwellfarm.co.uk, or like and follow our Facebook page

Couple start Cornwall's first lavender farm at Roskorwell on Lizard peninsula

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 09:23:00 GMT

Sam and Mark were looking for a place that suited their small-scale and sustainable methods. They said the old farm at Roskorwell, above the coastal village of Porthallow near St Keverne, was ideal and the couple moved in last year...
Read the full article on CornwallLive

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Opening Monday June 1st

Bringing home the harvest

Couple start Cornwall's first lavender farm at Roskorwell on Lizard peninsula