A Beautiful Lavender Farm in Niagara County
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On a warm summer, Sunday morning I paid a visit to Kin Loch Farmstead to meet up with Alex Plante, owner and creator of this beautiful space. I learned about Kin Loch late last summer through a social media post and had put it on my bucket list to visit this summer.
Alex and her husband, Ryan moved to Western New York from New York City and opened Kin Loch in the Spring of 2018. What they have created in a short 3 years is nothing short of magical. From the lavender fields to the beautiful barn that can host any sort of event or get together, the farm brings nothing but peacefulness, calming sounds and the beautiful smells of lavender.
Learn more Alex and Kin Loch below.
How did Kin Loch come about? What made you want to start a lavender farm?
When Alex was living in NYC, she had an idea that one day she wanted to open a wedding rental business (online + in person) where people could rent out décor and furniture pieces for their special day and then return them. Part of her 10-year plan was to incorporate a barn which would be her showroom and then have a lavender field once the business was well underway. The plan flip flopped when she and her husband, Ryan moved to Buffalo for his job a few years ago. She has always loved lavender and while she was on maternity leave, she had this idea to purchase land to convert to a lavender farm so that’s what they did. They bought a farm, and the lavender field came first. Her passion is the lavender piece and the events she plans and organizes at the barn are the more “business” side of things. When she moved to Buffalo, she wasn’t privy to one specific area she just knew she wanted to live where the soil quality was good to grow the plant.
Kin Loch sits on 30 acres and has a test field in the front entrance where her current lavender grows and where the popular u-pick classes are held. Alex uses no chemicals, making her product organic. In the back of the property sits another 15 acres where she hopes to one day house a greenhouse and large lavender field which would make it the biggest in the Northeastern part of the United States. Lavender is grown from cuttings and are usually planted in the spring. They take three years to fully establish.
Your favorite part about owning/growing your lavender farmstead?
There are lots of parts of the business from the u-pick events to rental events like weddings, showers, and private parties we hold in the barn, but I’d say my favorite thing about owning my own business is growing and tending to the lavender fields.
Her second favorite part of owning her own business is teaching classes. Especially the Lavender 101 class. Not many people know lavender is a herb not a flower and there are lots of ways it can be used, like as a repellant, for burns, or in food. It’s beautiful to smell and is found to calm nerves and stress.
You grow French and English lavender – do you have a favorite and why?
Alex grows 8 types of French and English lavender and when asked what her favorite kind was, she said Grosso is her favorite type on the farm. It’s a French type of lavender that has the highest oil content and it’s a good size, makes a statement, it smells good and it’s reliable.
What does Kin Loch mean?
“Family Lake”
What is a typical day like running the farmstead?
Kin Loch Farm is open May thru October and in the winter months we are making product, like our candles, lavender product and planning for next year. During the peak months Alex is on-site Thursday thru Sunday and every day is very different. One day she could be chipping wood in the forest and tending to the lavender test area in the fields up front and making sure the property is up kept. If there are events going on in the barn, she’s there helping set-up, meeting with vendors, giving tours of the property for rentals, etc.
Monday thru Wednesday while she may not be on-site she’s answering emails, prepping for what is on the weeks schedule and popping into the farm when needed to fulfill orders and tend to property up-keep.
There are a lot of moving parts and being able to adjust and pivot is part of the daily grind.
Your favorite part of WNY?
Western New York is the best of both worlds, it’s small but mighty. It’s a city that offers Broadway shows, we have access to fresh water and lakes and two professional sports teams. Some may think there isn’t as much excitement but that’s not true.
It’s also a good time to open a business in Buffalo. Buffalo is doing well, as a business owner you want to go somewhere where the economics prosper, and I feel like Western New York has that.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
To create more time, I feel like there is never enough time.
Favorite summer playlist or Song to get you through the day?
When on the farm it’s Leon Bridges and the Allman Brothers. In the car it’s the Hamilton soundtrack.
Which of the 5 senses is your strongest?
It’s not really a sense, but I’d say I’m a doer. If I have an idea, I’m very decisive – I do it, and move forward, I don’t sit, and think should or shouldn’t I.
Your spirit animal?
I like to stay busy, I’m always doing something, so I’d say I’m like a Woodchuck or Beaver, I keep going.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I went to school for journalism and wanted to be a journalist when I grew up. When asked if she had any interest in being in that field now, she said no and laughed.
Biggest fear or challenge that you’ve faced while owning your own business?
The same year we opened, Cambria wanted to change the Agri-Tourism rules so if you operated as a farm no people would be able to be on property for special events, but Kin Loch worked with other farms and neighbors in the area to make it work so that farms could host people on their property and still be respectful of each other.
Upcoming Events?
For more information on Kin Loch’s upcoming events click here.
Kin Loch on social media:
{fun times with the gals}
