A Community Together
One of the most rewarding parts of being a small business owner in a small community is the support from everyone. The chance to participate in local events and see so many familiar faces makes it worthwhile. Since we don’t have a storefront yet, we rely greatly on others, online platforms and various venues to offer our products. Since we offer free local delivery, it’s great seeing some old familiar faces.
While dropping off an order recently to an old high school teacher of ours, it was heartwarming to sit on her couch for just a couple of minutes to catch up. She was so excited to hear about how we started and what our plans were for the future. But it was more rewarding to see how vibrant and energetic she is in retirement doing something she loves…writing a book.
Then, we have the Polar Bear family. Being that 3 out of 4 of us are Fairmont Senior Alumni and the 4th was a football coach there for many years (and still teaches there) …we have a slight attachment to the school. So, when Fairmont Senior made it to the State Championship football game recently, we all celebrated. The Momma Bear Relaxation Baskets were a nice little treasure for some folks. Even though orders have been steadily coming in…that Friday evening was a time to pause and watch our team. They may not have won the game, but it was a great feeling to be a part of a strong community support. Signs through town, parents cheering, faces painted and everyone decked out in blue and white all over the place. You may ask what this has to do with our Lavender Farm…. EVERYTHING!! This is a symbol of how supportive a community is for their own when you work hard and give them something to cheer about.
Just like in every Christmas movie, there is always a symbolic Christmas event where folks come together to spread holiday cheer (and drink some beer or wine). In Fairmont, that happened this past Saturday. Main Street Fairmont hosted an outdoor holiday event called the Feast of the Seven Fishes. They shut down a block and load the streets with vendors, music and artisans. On this day, the streets of Fairmont become a festive holiday tradition capped off by a wonderful parade and Santa Claus. We had the opportunity to participate in this delightful event this past weekend, and it was well worth every minute. Again, we got the chance to share our treasures with community. Some had come just to see us again, some new faces came because they heard about our farm, and a wonderful introduction to others that didn’t know we existed.
In closure and considering recent tragic events in the community, we take a pause to thank everyone for their support. Seeing folks hug each other in cheers or tears always makes the heart smile. We hope to one day bring the tradition of a Lavender Festival or U-Pick event to our farm where folks will share these sentiments. The growth of our farm is greatly dependent upon community support and coming together. We recognize and embrace this philosophy and dream of being able give back to the community as well, while we grow.
Tonight’s pictures are of the beautiful church, the Gatherings, where we had our Pop-up Shop at the Feast. If you have not seen it before, it’s worth the visit. It was beautiful.
Happy Holidays-
The Stone House Lavender Crew
