From Holiday Lights to Farm Life: We’re Back!

After a little Christmas getaway to Dollywood and Gatlinburg, we’re back home on the farm and jumping right into 2026.

There’s cleanup to do, plans to make, and plenty of fresh air to enjoy—though if these winds keep up, we may spend most of our days collecting sticks and branches instead of checking things off the list.

The weather so far has been anything but boring. We’ve had a few sneaky T-shirt days that made us think spring was just around the corner… followed by some downright brutal below-freezing days and nights. (Nope, Dorothy—we’re definitely not in Maine!)

Even Florida is feeling the cold this year, putting citrus crops at risk. Luckily for us, lavender is tougher than it looks. The plants are happily dormant and unfazed by the cold. A fellow lavender farmer in northern Virginia even shared that deer “helped” prune her plants last winter—and she swears they may have done a better job than she ever has!

We’re incredibly thankful for everyone who visited the farm and supported us at the Staunton Farmers Market in 2025. Your support means more than you know.

As we head into 2026, we’re adding new items to the gift shop and making improvements around the farm. We’re keeping a few surprises under wraps, but one fun addition we can share is a lavender slushy machine—coming soon to keep you cool alongside our ever-popular lavender ice cream.

While the fields rest, the greenhouse is anything but quiet. Penny stays busy tending fall cuttings as they move into larger pots, getting them ready for selling and planting in April.

On colder days, she’s indoors cutting fabric for sachets and eye pillows and filling mail orders.

Brian, meanwhile, is tackling website updates and keeping the wood split and stacked for the woodstove—because winter farm life runs on equal parts planning and firewood.

We’re excited about what’s ahead and can’t wait to share another year of lavender, laughter, and a few new surprises with you.

Here’s to a fresh season and a great year ahead at Tantivy.