Lavender Harvest Labor Needed

It’s time to do a full harvest of our production lavender field—about an acre of Grosso lavender—and we need some farm labor! If you are interested in a few hours or a few days of harvest work, think about joining us on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, August 3rd through 5th. The farm is otherwise closed to the public on those days. Here are the details:

The Work

Harvesting lavender involves intensive manual labor, such as bending over the plant, grabbing a handful of lavender stems, and using a scythe to cut the stems and create a bundle approximately 2 inches in diameter. The bundle is rubber-banded together and placed in a bin. Each plant yields about 3-5 bundles. We have about 2,400 lavender plants. Whew! The bins will be transported to a barn, where we will hang the bundles to dry. We’ll need to unpack the ropes with hanging hooks too. We need help with all aspects of the harvest and hanging.

Description Of The Different Roles:

1. Cutter: This role requires bending over or kneeling on the ground and cutting lavender with a sharp scythe. This is a repetitive task involving safely cutting and placing the cut stems in a neat way so the Bundler can easily create the right size bundle. Cutting from a single lavender plant should take 30 seconds. This task is out in the field in the sun. It may be hot. There may be bees and ticks and the occasional gopher snake. There will be prickly things to avoid. The best attire for this task is long pants, long-sleeved shirt, sturdy close-toed shoes with socks, a hat, and sunglasses.
2. Bundler: This role requires someone who is up for the challenge of moving fluidly between two jobs as needed, and also someone reliable who can pay close attention to detail. The Bundler will follow a Cutter (6 ft plus distance), creating bundles of the right size from the cut lavender stems. Bundlers can also bundle in the shade. Bundles will be approximately 2 inches in diameter, wrapped with a rubber band. If the bundles are not made the right size, then we cannot process them correctly for our oil distillation process later down the line, so attention to detail in this task is essential. The Bundler will also gather the bundled lavender into plastic bins and bring them to the pickup area. There may be bees and ticks and the occasional gopher snake. There will be prickly things to avoid. The best attire for this task is long pants, long-sleeved shirt, sturdy close-toed shoes with socks, a hat, and sunglasses.
3. Bundle Hanger: This job is for someone who does not want to stand out and work in the heat, as it will be done inside the hanging barn at a farm in the Mark West Springs area. It will involve unpacking each individually packaged rope, untangling it, and tying it off to the rafters in the drying barn. Once the ropes are up, the lavender bundles will be hung from the ropes. The first day morning shift will be entirely devoted to uncoiling the rope, so if you want to just hang lavender, consider arriving during the afternoon shift. This job involves reaching up repetitively to hang the lavender, and could also involve standing on a small step ladder to hang the bundles at the top of the ropes. The best attire for this task is long pants, a cool shirt (the barn can be a bit hot), and sturdy close-toed shoes with socks. While this is a large space (a 1,000 square foot open room with a ventilation fan going), masks will be required because it is indoor work.

What You Should Expect

• There will be two shifts per day, with lunch provided for both shifts in between. The first 15-30 minutes of each shift will be for check-in and training.
  • Morning Shift: 8 AM to 11:30 AM
  • Lunch: 11:30 AM to 12:15 PM
  • Afternoon Shift: 12:15 PM to 3:15 PM
• Minimum 3.5-hour commitment required.
• We provide all the tools needed and gloves for you to wear.
• It may be hot. The lavender field is in direct sun. We’ll have shade and water nearby, but if you sign up to be a Cutter or a Bundler, come prepared to be out in the sun (hat, sunglasses, long pants, long sleeves or sunscreen). We are hoping for cool weather. And the lavender field usually has a nice breeze, so it can be quite pleasant.
• The field is bumpy and has some sticky weeds. A hat, long pants, long-sleeved shirt, sturdy close-toed shoes, and socks are best for maximum comfort.
• The Cutters and Bundlers will be bending, kneeling and stooping a lot.
• The Hangers will be reaching up a lot.
• No children under 15 and no dogs. We need to stay focused on the harvest.

What’s in it for You?

• $13 per hour of work.
• Two bundles of lavender to take home.
• We will provide lunch, water, music, and a shady spot to get out of the sun.
• Satisfaction at seeing the lavender plants be transformed into neat little balls, while the bundles pile up!
• Inhaling the wonderful fragrance of cut lavender and enjoying spending time at Bees N Blooms!

How do I Sign Up?

Send us an email at info@beesnblooms.com with the following information:

• Name
• Phone number
• Day(s) and time block(s) you would like to work. We may fill up fast, so please provide several time slots that work best for you. If we are full during the selected time, there will be a wait-list. Options are:
  • Monday, August 3, 8 AM to 11:30 AM
  • Monday, August 3, 12:15 PM to 3:15 PM
  • Tuesday, August 4, 8 AM to 11:30 AM
  • Tuesday, August 4, 12:15 PM to 3:15 PM
  • Wednesday, August 5, 8 AM to 11:30 AM
  • Wednesday, August 5, 12:15 PM to 3:15 PM
• What task(s) you would like to do
• Any limitations you may have (i.e. physical)

We’ll get back to you soon!