We provide tours for an up-close and personal look at how we run our farm to benefit pollinators and build healthy soil. We offer four different tours (see options below), taking into account accessibility and mobility concerns for seniors. At the end of the tour, you can sit in the Pavilion under the umbrellas to enjoy a picnic lunch overlooking the Lavender Labyrinth. Bring your own lunch or we can provide a catered lunch (consisting of sandwiches, chips, fruit, cookies, and drinks) for an additional fee. Cost is $20 per person, with a minimum charge of $200 for up to 2 hours. Advance reservations are required.

The honey bee is a fascinating animal! The colony works like a superorganism to gather and manage food stores, tuning their reproduction to the seasons to maximize their chances of surviving. Communication is one of the keys to their success, making them one of the most sophisticated insects on the planet. On this tour, we’ll watch the bees at work, talk about the different jobs honey bees have over their lifetime and learn about swarms–how the colony reproduces in the spring. We’ll discuss the hazards bees encounter in the increasingly built environment that humans have created. These hazards include pesticides, pests such as the Varroa mite, diseases, and lack of sufficient diverse and healthy forage. We’ll also talk about some common native bees in Northern California.

Pollinators of all types benefit from the work of home gardeners. On this tour, you’ll learn about which flowers are most attractive to honey bees, different kinds of native bees (bumblebees, carpenter bees, longhorn bees, mason bees, and more), and butterflies, and why trees should be a part of your planting plan. You’ll also learn how to incorporate principles of regenerative organic agriculture into your garden plan and ensure season-long bloom for pollinators.

Explore different lavender varieties, see how we grow them, and learn how we process fresh blooms into lavender buds, essential oils, and hydrosol. As we wander through the Lavender Labyrinth, you’ll discover what makes each variety unique in fragrance, color, and purpose. We’ll share how we plant, care for, and harvest our lavender, followed by a behind-the-scenes look at our processing equipment. You’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for how lavender is transformed from plant to product.

Conventional agriculture relies on herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers to boost productivity. But this comes at a cost to agricultural ecosystems, destroying the life in the soil and decimating wildlife habitat. Regenerative organic agriculture moves away from this model, with rebuilding soils, integrating livestock into the system, and providing habitats for beneficial insects and accommodating wildlife as the primary pathways for regenerating a healthy and productive farm ecosystem. On this tour, you’ll learn about the methods we use at Bees N Blooms to manage the farm using regenerative, organic techniques.