In addition to providing native pollinator and wildlife habitat, prairie is valuable in promoting water holding capacity and infiltration of stormwater.  Click the link below to read a very good article about this topic written by Scott Dierks of Cardno JFNew.   

http://sfc.smallfarmcentral.com/dynamic_content/uploadfiles/434/ScottDierks-Prairie%20Infiltration-Stormwater.pdf

Links to organizations, communities and markets with whom we are familiar:

National Register of locally grown Foods and Products Vendors:

www.localharvest.org

Niles French Market and Niles Activities Calendar:

www.ci.niles.mi.us/Community/Calendar.htm

Other Lake Michigan Shore Markets:

http://skipsrestaurantandcatering.info/html/european_farmers_market.html

http://www.chestertonseuropeanmarket.com

http://www.swmichiganfun.com/SHFM/home.html

http://www.sjtoday.org/events.html

SW Michigan Accomodations:

http://www.worthenbury.com/

Destinations:

http://bitofswiss.com

http://www.miwinetrail.com/

http://www.fernwoodbotanical.org/

http://www.swmichigan.org/

http://www.wmich.edu/fortstjoseph/open-house.html

http://www.redpurlknits.com/

http://www.yourkitchenconnection.com/

Local Artists:

http://www.bluebirdmeadows.com/

http://www.mosaicsbymartha.com/

http://www.sparrowfarm.com/

Local (Northern Indiana) Nature Farm:

http://www.prairiewindsnaturefarm.com

Fraternite Notre Dame Info & Pastries:

http://www.fraternitenotredame.com/

To get directly to the Patisserie: 

http://www.strogerabbey.org/

From Chicago: Take the Indiana Tollroad (I-80/90) east to exit 72 (US 31 North).  Go north to exit 5 in Michigan. Follow directions below (From US 31).

Alternate Route from Chicago: Take I-94 to U.S. 12 east in Michigan.  Drive east on U.S. 12 approx. 30 miles and get on U.S. 31 north.  Get off on the next exit north of U.S. 12 (exit 5, Niles-Buchanan Rd.).  Follow directions below (From U.S. 31).

FROM US 31: From US 31 take exit 5 in Michigan (Niles-Buchanan Road) go east about 1/4 mile and take the first left (Morris Drive). Going north on Morris, the farm is on the right (east) side of the road 3/4 mile north of Niles-Buchanan Road.  Our Farm is located between Platt Street and Harrah Road.  Turn in at 1219 Morris. To find our shop, stay left and drive around the back of the house.  Entrance is at the glass doors at the rear of the house.

From South Bend:  From South Bend, come north on Indiana 933 to US 12. Take US 12 west to US 31 north. Follow directions "from US 31" below.  Alternatively, take Indiana 933 into Niles.  Turn left onto Main Street and proceed west to 2nd Street. Turn left on 2nd street. Turn right at Broadway Street and follow directions "From Downtown Niles" below.

FROM DOWNTOWN NILES:  Cross the St. Joseph River at Broadway Street (2 blocks south of Main Street).  Continue West on Broadway approximately 2.2 miles. The street name will change to Grant Street west of the river and then to Niles-Buchanan Road outside the city limits.  When you see Laughing Place Stables on the left, turn right on Morris Drive. Morris Drive is the last road on the right before you come to the US 31 interchange.  Proceed north on Morris Drive 3/4 miles. Turn in at 1219 Morris. To find our shop, stay left and drive around the back of the house. Entrance is at glass doors at rear of house.

Note about Location:   Our address (1219), is shown incorrectly on many computer mapping programs including mapquest and some gps units.  Google maps has us at the right location though and even lists the farm name at that location!

Note about Shop/Farm Hours: Please be sure we are open or that you have made an appointment (call 269-684-4305, 269-684-0123) before coming.  We have limited hours in the non-lavender season. Please check the "Events Calendar" on this web site for open hours and events. Assume the shop is not open if no hours are posted on a particular day.

Martha O. Wilczynski, Owner Lavender Hill Farm, Niles, Michigan 

Hi, I'm Martha Otto Wilczynski.  With my husband Bill, I own and operate Lavender Hill Farm.  After years of living in different places, Bill and I bought my family's farm in 1998 and began the journey we are now on. In 2001 we planted our first 2000 lavender plants.  In subsequent years, we started distilling our lavender flowers to make our own fragrant lavender water and small quantities of essential oil.  We also joined with a beekeeper friend  to keep bees at our farm and produce our own deliciously fragrant lavender honey. And I started producing the soaps, balms, sachets and lotions that I now offer for sale in our shop and at the farmers markets I attend. 

I have incorporated our experience growing lavender into a powerpoint presentation titled "Growing Lavender in Michigan" that I have given to several Garden Clubs. As we learn and develop new techniques the presentation is continually updated.  Our farm is also a great place to have your garden club summer outing. 

During the lavender bloom time, from late-June to mid-July we are open 6 days a week for U-pick lavender and to allow people to come out and wander through the field. Our farm shop is open at least one day a week from April through mid-December.

We hope you can come out to the the farm, visit our shop and experience the beautiful setting we enjoy every day.  Please check our event calendar on this website under the "Farm Shop & Markets" pulldown menu to see our open hours.