Pelindaba Lavender Farm Rebuilds after Devastating Fire
****  Winter Update - 1 January 2010  ****

We are on course for rebuilding our Production, Inventory and Administrative facilities on the farm before next summer.  The rubble remaining after the 31 May 2009 fire has all been removed.  Planning and design for the new building are complete.  The Permit Application has been approved and we begun the laying down of the concrete foundation for what will be a significant upgrading of the buildings we lost.  We will provide more information on the new building as we near completion.

With the extraordinary commitment of the whole Pelindaba group working under very constrained conditions in temporary facilities since the fire, we have nevertheless fully achieved our internal goal of sustaining our venture in such a way as to make the disastrous physical effects of the fire largely invisible to our large following.

We had a bumper harvest, and our new much larger lavender still returned significant dividends, allowing us to complete our essential oil distillation in just a few weeks rather than the traditional several months - even as we constructed a new distillery building around the equipment!  

Finally, the stores are fully stocked, we are well advanced on our website redesign project, and the licensing program has been expanded to include a network of individual sales representatives to help bring our unique handcrafted products to an even wider audience.

In short, what has been in more ways than one a very challenging year has set us up for the next phase of operations.  But in the meantime, after the holidays, like our plants, we are enjoying a period of rest and recuperation in all other aspects of our lavender operations, emerging again next spring in new facilities, with new fields coming on-stream, and, as always, the addition of several new unique lavender products that have been waiting in the wings.

We are grateful to the many many people who have sent us not just their condolences and good wishes, but also their many other expressions of continuing support for the self-sustaining open space preservation project that remains, as ever, the heart of what Pelindaba Lavender is all about.

••••••••••••••••••••••

425 MAGAZINE,  March/April 2010.  Pelindaba featured as a "must-see" while visiting the San Juan Islands.

OUTSTANDING VISUAL PRESENTATION 2010 - Pelindaba Lavender Wins for display at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle, WA, February 2010. 

WESTERN JOURNEY, September/October 2009. The Magazine for AAA Members.  “Island Respite”.

WOMAN'S WORLD,  August 2009.  “Have Sumer Fun in the San Juan Islands”.  Special feature of Pelindaba's Lavender Lemonade.

EVENING MAGAZINE - KING-TV,  July 2009.  Pelindaba featured as "Best of the Northwest" winner on this Seattle NBC Affiliate television program.

BEST PUBLIC GARDEN 2009 - Pelindaba Lavender Wins in local NBC affiliate King 5/Evening Magazine's "Best of the Northwest Escapes 2009" contest, May 2009. Click here to view award.

RACHAEL’S VACATION on The Food Network,  March 2009.  “San Juan Islands” segment.

OUTSTANDING VISUAL PRESENTATION 2009 - Pelindaba Lavender Wins for display at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show in Seattle, WA, February 2009. 
Click here to view photos.

EVERY DAY with RACHAEL RAY,  Dec 2008.  “Everyday Faves Gift Guide”.  Pelindaba products are featured as “Rach’s Holiday Picks”

THE SEATTLE TIMES, December 2008.  “Blooms That Soothe, Nourish The Senses - Kathryn Schlechter was walking toward Macy's at Bellevue Square one day this week when a small, purple colored store caught her eye. "Ooh, we've got to go in here," she told her friend, Laurie Gerlach, entering the newest store by Pelindaba Lavender, a San Juan Island producer of all things lavender." Click here to read the full article.
Photo: John Lok/The Seattle Times

THE BELLEVUE REPORTER,  Oct 2008.  “Pelindaba Lavender Arrives at Bellevue Square - Odile Jasen keeps the shelves neat and organized at the Pelindaba Lavender, new to the Bellevue Square Mall. The store has a wide vareity of products made from lavender, including lavender aftershave and chocolates." Click here to read the full article.
Photo: Fumiko Yarita/Bellevue Reporter

WESTERN JOURNEY, March/April 2008. The Magazine for AAA Members.  “A Many-Splendored Thing – Pelindaba creates great gatherings with lavender”

PUGET SOUND BUSINESS JOURNAL, July 2007.  “Success Smell - Pelindaba Lavender expands San Juan Island operation with Seattle retail outlet"

THE WEATHER CHANNEL, Summer 2007.  “The San Juan Islands, Life in the Rainshadow"

WOMAN’S WORLD,  July 2006.  “The Seven San Juan Islands Must-Sees”.  Pelindaba is listed once again as one of the seven most beautiful attractions in the San Juan Islands.

SEATTLE TIMES, Northwest Weekend, June 8, 2006.  “The Flip Side of San Juan Island:  Take a “One Tank Vacation”.

AMERICAN AIRLINES INFLIGHT MAGAZINE,  May 2006.  Pelindaba Lavender Harvest Festival.

FAMILY CIRCLE,  August 2005.  “In Love with Lavender” featuring Pelindaba’s Pomander Balls and Pelindaba Lavender Sable cookies.

BON APPETIT,  July 2005.  “New @ the Market” featuring Pelindaba Lavender’s Syrup.

NEW YORK TIMES,  June 2005.  “36 Hours in the San Juan Islands”. Travel section feature.

WASHINGTON CEO, March 2005.  Regional Report “A Portrait of San Juan County – Living on Island Time.”

DISCOVERY & TRAVEL CHANNEL NETWORKS,  February 2005. “Honeymoon Hot Spots.”  Pelindaba on San Juan Island is featured alongside Maui, Las Vegas, New York City, and Vail.

WOMAN’S WORLD,  August 2004.  “The Seven San Juan Islands Must-Sees”.  Pelindaba is listed as the second of the seven most beautiful attractions in the San Juan Islands.

NORTHWEST TRAVEL,  July-August 2004.  “Marking the Season:  Pelindaba Lavender Harvest Festival.”

HEALING LIFESTYLES & SPAS,  July 2004.  “Great Attractions of the San Juans.”

CONDE NAST TRAVELLER,  June 2004.  “Must-Sees in the San Juans”.

NORTHWEST HOME + GARDEN,  Summer 2004.  ”Friday Harbor’s Lavender Fest.”

SUNSET Magazine,  May 2004,  “Secrets of Lavender Growers”

WALL STREET JOURNAL,  April 2004.  Photograph accompanying article “Mid Life Crises”.

FINE LIVING NETWORK,  November 2003.   “My Private Island television segment.

NORTHWEST BACKROADS,  July 2003.  Featured story on this Seattle CBS Affiliate Television program.

EVENING MAGAZINE,  July 2003.  Pelindaba featured on this Seattle NBC Affiliate television program.

WASHINGTON JOURNEY,  July 2003.  AAA Washington State Magazine.

AT HOME Magazine,  June 2003.   Pelindaba featured as Cover Story, “Scents and Sensibility”.

BETTER HOMES & GARDENS,  June 2003.  “Waiting to Inhale”.  Cover story of the founding of a unique certified organic lavender farm in the Pacific Northwest that produces its own handcrafted products right on the farm.

IN STYLE Magazine,  July 2002.  “America the Beautiful:  National Treasures”.  Pelindaba Lavender selected as one of “In-Style’s” annual listing of a dozen totally unique US locations.

THE TODAY SHOW on NBC Television,  December 2001.  “Healthy Food Gifts” segment with Matt Lauer examining the range of Pelindaba culinary products and pronouncing them both “beautiful” and “delicious.”