Just Breathe
29 Rows Lavender Farm…
The scent of fresh lavender fills the air as bees buzz from the purple blooms. It mixes and diffuses in the air with a sweet, subtle tone, then bursts with a musky intensity. The calming scent clings to the breeze. Immediately you feel waves of relaxation as you take a deep breath and fill your lungs with the tranquility. This is an adventure
filled with the essence of spring.
You’ll experience this with a visit to 29 Rows Lavender Farm in Anderson. Gary and Rocio Parkinson began this endeavor in 2018. The passion of growing plants and seeking overall wellness led to the creation of 29 Rows. The organic farm offers the Parkinsons the opportunity to work toward two of their passions: community and wellness. Serving the community with healthy options while encouraging one another is the farm’s focus. “We love the outdoors and all the benefits we receive from being out in nature,” Gary says. “We believe there are physical and mental health benefits that come from nature that we can all benefit from, whether it is taking a walk or using what can grow right in your backyard.”
Throughout the year, dried lavender bundles, sacks, hydrosols, bath bombs, bath salts, roller balls, body balms and lavender/loofah goat milk soap scrubs are available. Each product is lavender based, but many incorporate other natural compounds such as cedarwood or citrus. Mamá Chio’s succulents and cacti are also on hand. Visitors to the farm can choose a succulent, sip on lavender lemonade and pot their new plant.
Each year, 5 percent of profits from the harvest are donated to a community cause. Due to the difficulty of 2020 for young children, 29 Rows chose the MindUP program at a local school. “We wanted to give back to our community in a way that supported what we love – nature and wellness,” Gary says. “The lavender was the perfect avenue to foster both. The desire to create this space has only amplified as we have seen how we can support other small businesses, educate our communities on proper farming techniques and collectively learn about sustainable environmental practices.”
MindUP, a program of the nonprofit Goldie Hawn Foundation, was created to reduce childhood aggression, anxiety, depression and suicide. MindUP is based in neuroscience and provides the knowledge and tools children need to manage stress, regulate emotions and face challenges with optimism, resilience and compassion. The program teaches students to form positive relationships and act with kindness. Since 2003, MindUP has helped children develop skills necessary to thrive in school and throughout their lives. It infuses mindful awareness practice, social emotional learning and positive psychology to promote children’s wellbeing. As a result, the MindUP program sees outcomes like improved academics, attention, concern for others, meaningful friendships and better-regulated stress. These enhanced tools and strategies allow for self-regulation, which increases optimism, happiness and resilience.
Along with providing support for MindUP, the farm provided additional community support for Think Pink and hosted women owned small businesses. “There are many exciting updates to come on the specifics of where we’ll be giving back this year,” Gary says. “In 2020, we saw the need to get back to nature when life shifted. We want everything we offer to continue to empower our community to do so. Getting back to nature will be how we evolve the farm moving forward. Each new addition to the farm will be driven by the purpose we set at the onset: give back and do good.
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29 Rows Lavender Farm
Products available online and at all Holiday markets
www.mindup.org • (530) 510-8903
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