Hi from Mariquita Farm

Our 2025 season’s first lavender harvest; Ellagance Purple Lavender. Other varieties of lavender will come into bloom as the season progresses.

Hi Friends: We at Mariquita Farm didn’t go anywhere, but we’re back, and we’ve been busy in our “off-season.” The potato crop is in the ground and the first vines are breaking the soil surface to find the sun. Our Otto File polenta corn stalks are already 6 inches tall, the tomatoes and peppers are being transplanted into their beds as I write, and more herbal, floral and vegetable crops are being sown in the greenhouse and fields. The roses are blooming, lavender is budding, bees are buzzing, and the citrus trees are heavy with fruit. We are growing the crops and creating the gardens for you. Here is a brief sketch of the events that we are planning for the year:

World Labyrinth Day:

Join us for a guided walk in our eleven circuit Labyrinthine path through hedges of English, Spanish and French lavender. We’re celebrating World Labyrinth Day, where people around the globe will be participating in a walking meditation for World Peace that rolls through the time zones- “Walk as One at 1”. Sunny or cloudy, the day will be beautiful and the flower power of the thousands of lavender plants will be strong!

Our Day includes a walk with farm owners Starr Linden & Andy Griffin through the flower gardens that embrace the Lavender Labyrinth where we will stop to smell the roses. They’ve planted 200 Rose Bushes over the last three years, and some of them will be in full bloom. Learn about the different kinds of roses that exist, from the ancient China roses to the highly scented European heirlooms like the Gallica, Bourbon, and Damascus roses. We have modern Hybrid Tea roses planted out, and hardy Rugosa roses, Wild roses, climbers, miniatures, and even the sprawling heirlooms that are climbing tall pines.

I just finished getting our crop of Otto File polenta corn into the ground when I took this picture. Otto File is an heirloom Italian corn variety appreciated for the high quality cornmeal it can produce. We also grow Oaxacan Green corn and a lovely red dent corn.

Summer Solstice Self Care  Day:

Join us at Mariquita Farm where you can relax and enjoy the countryside.  You can explore the gardens filled with flowers, while looking out at hillsides  covered in citrus and roses. Indulge yourself in  a variety of self-care offerings while celebrating the Summer solstice with us! We will be joined by several event guides and practitioners that will provide you with a taste of their art and profession.

Offerings include:

• Facial Massage Session
• Acupuncture Points for Stress
• 15 Minute Channeling Session
• Labyrinth Walk
• Sound Bowl Meditation

Can you find the cat in this photo? It was a warm day and she found respite from the sun by snoozing in the shade of the fava beans.

We grow over 200 roses for fun, for the petals which we sell fresh or dried, and for the bees. This is “Mr. Lincoln,” about to bloom.

Lavender U-Picks/ Herb U-Picks TBA: Follow the website and this newsletter for updates. We’ve got many varieties of basil and other herbs in the ground and we will be offering U-Pick opportunities for cooks & crafters.

Pop – Up Sales with our tomatoes, flowers, fruits, herbs, and other vegetables. TBA as the harvests allow.

Besides our public events we do open the farm and host events for groups and individuals; painting clubs, blessing ways, staff parties, and fund-raising dinners and picnics have all been on the calendar. Let us know if you have an event in mind that would benefit from a beautiful, peaceful rural surroundings with an out-door kitchen, a handy labyrinth and a lot of flowers! Starr does flowers for events and weddings too. Let us know.

Starr coming down the drive with a cart full of flowers for our friends at GatherFloraLA the LA Flower Market. We ship to LA weekly and serve local folks too.

A recent drone shot of the labyrinth.

I took a walk in the forest with the cat, Samson.

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