Why We Joined the United States Lavender Growers Association

Great Lakes Lavender Farm announced its grower membership in the United States Lavender Growers Association in March 2023, one day after our launch article. We were young enough as a business to still know where every box of labels was stored. That did not last, but the reason for joining did.

Lavender is a specialty crop with an unusually broad afterlife: live plants, bundles, buds, oil, hydrosol, culinary products, personal care, home fragrance, gifts, education and agritourism. No single farm masters every discipline alone. A national grower network gives farmers a place to compare production, markets and standards beyond their own fence line.

What USLGA does

The United States Lavender Growers Association connects lavender growers and related businesses across the country. Its farm directory helps consumers find member farms and filter for features such as online sales, tours and varieties. The organization also supports education and industry connection.

National perspective matters because lavender production differs dramatically by region. A method that succeeds in dry western summers may need adaptation for Great Lakes humidity and winter thaw. A national network reveals both the common principles and the regional exceptions.

What membership meant to a new farm

For Great Lakes Lavender Farm, joining represented four commitments.

Learn before claiming expertise

Growers earn trust by updating advice when better evidence appears. Our rewritten guides now correct several old recommendations, distinguish cultivar facts from species history and remove unsupported health claims. Professionalism is not never being wrong. It is refusing to preserve an error because it already has a URL.

Use accurate plant names

Customers should know whether they are buying compact Lavandula angustifolia, vigorous L. x intermedia, tender L. stoechas or another species. Cultivar names, mature habit, hardiness and intended use affect every decision that follows.

The new Compare tool and expanded cultivar records make those differences visible. Wishlist and My Lavender Garden keep selections connected to the customer's zone and plan.

Strengthen U.S. lavender production

Buying plants, products and education from domestic growers supports a more resilient specialty-crop community. It also shortens the feedback loop between a cultivar's performance and the person selling it.

Great Lakes now serves home gardeners, new farms and established growers through retail plants, wholesale trays, deep-cell plugs, bare root, companion plants, growing supplies, finished lavender goods and private-label options.

Share what the field teaches

The Grower Community, Care Academy, Field Planner and Lavender Farm Simulator extend the spirit of grower education onto the website. They are designed to help someone test a decision, save a plan, compare plants and ask a better question before committing acreage.

What this means for customers

Association membership is not a substitute for the details on a product page. Trust comes from clear formats, accurate availability, honest shipping rules, responsible product claims and support after purchase.

Great Lakes live-plant shipping runs in defined spring and fall windows, with bare root in spring and a summer shipping pause. Zone, destination and weather affect eligibility. Customers can use local pickup, Wishlist, My Lavender Garden, Compare and availability tools where offered instead of being pushed toward an unsuitable plant or unsafe shipping date.

The farm remains private and is not open for unscheduled visits. Public connection happens through listed Events, arranged pickup, the online shop and grower spaces.

National and regional communities work together

USLGA provides a national network. Great Lakes Lavender Growers supports commercial growers in the five-state Great Lakes region. Great Lakes Lavender Farm's Grower Community is our own digital home for hobby gardeners and farm operators. They are separate organizations and tools, but they share a useful premise: lavender improves when growers compare more than photographs.

Visit the official USLGA directory to explore farms across the country. Use the Great Lakes Grower Community and Care Academy for our website's learning experience. There is room for both the national map and the muddy notes from one Michigan row.

Frequently asked questions

Is USLGA part of Great Lakes Lavender Farm?

No. USLGA is an independent national association. Great Lakes Lavender Farm announced joining as a grower member in 2023.

Is USLGA the same as Great Lakes Lavender Growers?

No. USLGA is national; GLLG is a separate regional organization serving commercial growers in five Great Lakes states.

Where can I verify current membership and find farms?

Use the official USLGA farm directory for current association information.

How can I learn from Great Lakes Lavender Farm online?

Start with Care Academy, Grower Community, Lavender Farm Simulator, Field Planner, Compare Cultivars and the growing guides in this blog.

Keep exploring

• Grower Community
• Care Academy
• Lavender Farm Simulator
• Field Planner
• Compare Cultivars
• Wholesale Hub
• Our Story
• Our Mission

Sources

• United States Lavender Growers Association
• USLGA: Find a Lavender Farm directory
• Great Lakes Lavender Growers: About