About Cherry Hill Lavender Farm
Cherry Hill Lavender Farm sits on the five acres outside Frankfort where Troy and Mara McKinley built their home in 1997. The land was a cherry orchard, and when the trees declined the couple replanted it with lavender. Today about 3,000 plants grow there, a mix of more than 20 English and French cultivars, raised without pesticides. Their family has farmed fruit around Frankfort for generations, and relatives and longtime volunteers still help with pruning, picking and packing.
The farm runs its own copper still, imported from Portugal, to make culinary essential oils and hydrosol. Visitors can sit on benches among the rows, walk the gardens, bring their own paints to work outdoors, or volunteer, all at no charge. Photo sessions and a one-hour distillation class can be booked through their website. For fall 2026 the farm is open Wednesdays from noon to 4 PM, October 7 through December 16, with other days by appointment.
The Blossom Cottage is the farm shop. Look for lavender maple syrup, which is their best seller, along with lavender honey, soap, lotion bars, body butter, bath salts, hydrosol, herbal lip balm and culinary lavender picks for drinks. Lola, a Lagotto Romagnolo, keeps watch over the rows, and a younger dog named Enzo often greets guests. Special event days are announced on their social pages, and hours can shift around them.
In July, North Star Organics on Forrester Road offers U-pick sweet and tart cherries about 10 minutes away, which makes a fitting pairing with a farm that began as a cherry orchard.
Lavender here
- Visiting
- Fall 2026: Wednesdays 12–4 PM, October 7–December 16, other days by appointment. Free garden visits; photo sessions and distillation classes booked ahead; special event days announced on their social pages.
- Varieties grown
- English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), French lavender (lavandin)
From the farm shop
- Lavender maple syrup
- Lavender-infused honey
- Lavender soap
- Lotion bars
- Body butter
- Bath salts
- Hydrosol
- Culinary essential oils
- Herbal lip balm
- Culinary lavender beverage picks
What to do
- Sit on the benches among the lavender rows at no charge
- Browse lavender maple syrup, honey and soap in the Blossom Cottage
- Book a photo session in the lavender fields
- Take a one-hour distillation class on their copper still
- Bring your own paint supplies and paint in the gardens
- Visit on a fall Wednesday afternoon, October through mid-December
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Fall 2026: Wednesdays 12–4 PM, October 7 to December 16; other days by appointment
- Hours
- Fall 2026: Wednesdays 12–4 PM, October 7–December 16; other days by appointment; hours may change for special events
- Admission
- free to walk the gardens and sit among the fields
Good to know
- Reservations
- Recommended outside Wednesday hours (other days by appointment); photo sessions and classes are booked ahead
Tips for your visit
- Check their social pages before you go, since hours change around special event days.
- Booked events and sessions are non-refundable, but tickets can be given to a friend.
- Call ahead if you want to come on a day other than Wednesday.
Pair it with a nearby stop
North Star Organics · about 10 minutes away
Pick your own organic cherries at North Star Organics in July, then come back to Cherry Hill to see lavender growing where cherry trees once stood.
Getting there
Questions
When is Cherry Hill Lavender Farm open?
In fall 2026 it is open Wednesdays from noon to 4 PM, October 7 through December 16. Other days are by appointment.
Does it cost anything to visit?
Sitting among the fields, visiting the Blossom Cottage and painting in the gardens are free.
Do they make their own essential oil?
Yes. They distill culinary essential oils and hydrosol on the farm in a copper still from Portugal.
🗺️ Part of the guide Things to Do Near the Lavender Farm of Frankfort & Benzie County, Michigan
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
