Lavender and herb farm
Arkansas
This is a lavender/herb farm with a barn venue/teaching facility. We utilize organic practices. There is a small greenhouse and this season we added a 30 x 96 foot high tunnel. The farm is home to four cats. We just lost our magnificent Great Pyrenees to old age. I'm sure I'll be getting another at some point. The farm is open to the public during blooming season and we do a variety of classes in the barn. The classes include essential oil distillation, herbal salves, balms and lotions, crafts, and a variety of other subjects. We host classes, reunions, meetings and weddings in the barn.
WWOOFers will be exposed to a variety of farm activities, from weeding to tractor maintenance, making and selling lavender/herbal products both on the farm and at local markets, welcoming and assisting farm visitors, enjoying the most amazing sunrises and sunsets.
Days will be variable. It is best not to work lavender until the dew is off (to prevent diseases). So harvesting doesn't start til mid morning and finishes around noon due to oil dissipation in the afternoon sun. The other herbs are not so finicky. We cut and dry many herbs for teas, salve making etc. On days we have classes, the barn has to be set up, swept, bathrooms cleaned, kitchen checked, etc. Product making is done as needed to keep inventory stable. The lavender is dried for most products. In season we rotate bundles on and off the drying racks. We host upick days in season and sell at Farmers Markets. The addition of the high tunnel has enabled extended season in vegetable production. So planting, weeding, watering, monitoring for infestations are all part of the day. All of these activities and more are available. Also, I'm a pretty good cook and hopefully the garden will be producing delicious home grown vegetables. In addition, as of November, I have just added a 30 x 96 foot high tunnel and will be planting with winter vegetables. So there will be a fresh addition to the food fare. Work in the warm green house on cool days is pleasant.
Accommodations include lodging in my home. The upstairs contains two beds and a bathroom. The kitchen is on the main level and though I love to cook, I don't mind if you want to cook. I keep a well stocked pantry.
I mentioned the cooking in the last topic. I play guitar and sing. The farm hosts a music gathering on the First Friday of every month which is nothing short of phenomenal. I keep a library and enjoy reading. I'm happy to loan my books.
We live very close to the Buffalo National River Park. It has world class canoeing. There are many local hiking trails endowed with incredible beauty. I have lifelong memories of the local "swimming holes". Fishing (trout, crappie, bass, perch, catfish, etc) is available in our many rivers. The farm is an hour away from historic Eureka Springs, two hours away from The Ozark Folk Center. There are many interesting towns and villages.
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Flower farming
Aromatic or medicinal plants, teas
Seed saving or production
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Natural cosmetics fabrication
Traditional crafts
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Production farm
15.4
Hectares
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38
Acres
Karen
Member since 2023
Languages spoken:
English
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Response rate: 100%
Response time: typically within 3 days
Arkansas
XNA airport is 1and 1/2 hours away near Fayetteville, AR. The train is 3 hours away in Little Rock. Bus station is also in Fayetteville.
Reviews
Allie
United States
•
December 2025
I cannot say enough good things about Karen and this farm. I absolutely loved my time there! Karen is an incredibly gracious host, very knowledgeable and generous with sharing her experiences and wisdom, and I can say that I left with new knowledge and insight that I will draw from years to come. I arrived just after lavender season had ended, so there weren't too many opportunities to harvest and work with the plants, but I was able to assist Karen with selling lavender products at the farmers market, and assisting with bottling lavender-infused oil. Other tasks included helping out with food preservation and weeding the greenhouse. The accommodations are comfortable and I enjoyed having my own space as well as sharing meals with Karen, who's an excellent cook. Karen's company is an absolute delight, and she was kind enough to introduce my to her friends and family and made me feel so welcome. On my days off I explored the Buffalo National River, which is a beautiful area right in the heart of the Ozarks.
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Kelli
United States
•
September 2025
Karen is an absolute gem! Her farm is a beautiful example of what one person is capable of when their heart is in it for all the right reasons. I found her to be quite the inspiration, as a single mom with grown children, looking to find my way in the world. I learned about every process involved in being a successful lavendar farmer from the detailed growing medium, care and maintenance through the seasons, and harvesting for processing. She has a tremendous amount of knowledge to share and at the same time, was equally eager to continue learning more from her wwoofers. I thoroughly enjoyed my lavendar farming experience and I hope to return one day in the future!
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Chris
United States
•
March 2025
My stay here was wonderful. I really got to see the dichotomy of Arkansas weather with one week of a blizzard and the next sunny and warm. I learned a lot about lavender and harvested it for the upcoming season. I also worked in the high tunnel on the warmer days where the cats kept Karen and me company. Karen pointed out many fun local spots and I got to hike a few beautiful trails nearby. She is also a great cook and was willing to accommodate my food needs. Thank you for an amazing experience!
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Marian
United States
•
November 2024
I learned how to grow, harvest, and distill lavender and more when I stayed with Karen in the Fall. Work was flexible to the weather conditions. Karen is super nice and a great cook! The farm is also beautiful and I enjoyed going on many hikes on the nearby trails.
Jenny
United States
•
August 2024
Karen was an amazing host! She is a great teacher. I got to learn so much about growing, harvesting, and processing lavender. She even took the time to make essential oil with me, and was very generous throughout my stay. She made sure to ask questions, and see if there was anything I needed. The room she provided for me to stay in was clean and functional, and she was sensitive to my food needs. It was very hot, and Karen was quick to make sure I was hydrated and that we took breaks and did not work too long.
I really respect the way Karen has built life long friendships, and she supports the people in her community. I even got to meet some of her family and hear stories all about "her people". I learned a lot and am grateful for this experience.
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Lydia
United States
•
March 2024
Spending two weeks with Karen was a wonderful time and opportunity to learn about homesteading, food growing, lavender processing, and so much more. I stayed with Karen with my friend Makenzie and Karen not only showed us her farm and processes but also her community. She is a wealth of knowledge, a great conversationalist, and teacher. Not only was Karen great, but Northwest Arkansas has some beautiful trails and cute little towns near by that are fun to explore, but I would recommend electing to stay during busier times of the year if you are more flexible. THANK YOU KAREN!!!
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