Annual Lavender Harvest Festival returns to family-owned farm in Milan on Saturday
MILAN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The sixth annual Lavender Harvest Festival returns to Lavender Lane Farm in Milan on Saturday.
Joe and Courtney Pusta began growing the fragrant flowers in 2016 and started with 500 plants. Now, visitors can find 10,000 lavender plants across seven acres in fragrant fields of purple, pink and white varieties.
"My wife and I got into lavender because we're just inspired by it," said Joe Pusta. "The relaxation, the aromatherapy, the therapeutic value's incredible. And the applications are endless in terms of making lotions with it and skincare. And it's so beautiful."
Festivalgoers will find dozens of vendors selling handmade crafts, food trucks, homemade lavender lemonade, and more.
"We also have U-Pick going on," said Pusta. "That's the most popular out of all the activities. You just look for the banner, and you can cut a bundle of lavender for $10, and you can fit about 150 stems in there. You don't have to bring your scissors; we have all that. We have the bands. That's a wonderful experience if you've never done it before."
When he's not tending to the fields, Pusta is also a cosmetic formulator and makes 75 products on the farm using their plants, including lotions, candles, insect repellant, soaps and more. He said lavender is best known for reducing stress.
"Lavender, first and foremost, is known for its relaxing attributes," he said. "It's known to relieve stress and anxiety, people can just take the lavender sachet, which is lavender buds, in a little bag, and they squeeze it, and it just takes you away. You can put your face in one of these plants and squeeze the flowers – it's almost intoxicating."
Potted lavender propagated from their fields will be for sale at the event. The hardy plants do well in Michigan and throughout the Midwest, said Pusta.
The event is family-friendly and will feature a petting farm, pony rides and face painting for kids.
"The first year we had the event, we just fell in love because to see children running through the fields was something we didn't expect – to see so many families gathering and just enjoying lavender," said Pusta.
The festival will be open on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at 12040 Plank Rd. in Milan.
For more information, visit the event's website.
