A workshop on lavender, an herb for Valencia

Move over, Herbs de Provence, there’s a new Herb in New Mexico — Lavender!

This fragrant herb that the Romans spread from the Mediterranean to lands as far as England, North Africa and Persia, is now firmly rooted in our state from Abiquiu and Albuquerque to Peralta.

The name lavender refers to plants in the genus Lavandula, and traces to the Latin lavare, to wash, as it was used as a fragrant and powerful antiseptic. Through the 5th century C.E., lavender was so valuable that it sold for 100 denaris/pound, the Roman currency’s equivalent of a haircut and shave every week of the year.

During World Wars I and II, the antibacterial properties of lavender made it an important part of wound care in battle.

Lavender is drought resistant and has robust root systems that bind soil and prevent erosion, which makes it particularly relevant to healthy soil champions, including soil and water conservation districts. Lavender also promotes biodiversity and value-added agriculture.

Within the Valencia SWCD, small farms of 0.5 to 3 acres are moving into fruit and vegetable production, because people have seen opportunities in the growing trend of eating fresh and eating local. Lavender could become a go-to plant for our district’s small farmers and backyard gardeners. Accordingly, the district is pleased to offer a free, hands-on Lavender Workshop from 1-3 p.m., Saturday, May 18, at the district’s headquarters located at the Whitfield Wildlife Conservation Area, 2424 N.M. 47, north of Rio Communities.

The workshop is made possible through a grant from Lavender in the village in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Experts from Los Poblanos Lavender Farm, district staff and local lavender growers will be instructors.

The first session will introduce lavender, an herbaceous perennial plant that grows like an evergreen shrub, its more than 40 species, 500 varieties, three prominent shades and the importance of lavender in wildlife conservation. Expect to learn how lavender contributes to a healthy and balanced ecosystem, with its sweet-smelling flowers attracting pollinators such as bees, birds and butterflies; its strong fragrance repelling mosquitos and mice; and its dense foliage offering habitat to beneficial insects, including Nature’s very own pesticidal ladybugs who dine on aphids and mites.

Subsequent sessions will feature the soil and sun requirements of lavender, step-by-step instructions on planting this herb, best times for planting lavender in New Mexico, and special considerations for different climates and regions. There will be opportunities to garner special tips to avoid mistakes and cultivate lavender successfully.

Participants will also learn about popular lavender varieties, including English, Spanish and French lavender, and how to select lavender based on one’s intended use and climate.

English lavender, for example, is actually Mediterranean, but is so named because it thrives in England’s damp, cool climate. English lavender is the variety commonly used in cooking and baking because of its mellow and sweet flavor.

Recipes will be shared, with a special secret to avoid having food taste like lavender soap! Participants will learn about medicinal uses of lavender tea to treat headaches and improve sleep. They will discover that the lavender flower provides the highest concentration of linalyl acetate and other esters that contribute to the soothing property of lavender oil.

The workshop will then move into hands-on learning. This session will be an opportunity to put learning into practice, guided by experts, who will demonstrate proper planting. Participants will be outdoors, planting lavender on the high ground of Whitfield.

The second hands-on session will be craft making with lavender for adults and children, where they will learn to make a lavender sachet that they can take home. Those staying to the end of the workshop to attend this session will also enjoy homemade cookies made with New Mexican lavender.

Historically, lavender was given to newly married couples for good luck. With this workshop being offered on the eve of the summer wedding season, the workshop should provide bountiful ideas on bringing good-luck lavender into the lives of the people of this district.

Finally, in the years ahead, if this workshop is successful, lavender just might become the new Yerba de Valencia (Fr. Herb de Valencia, Valencia Herb).

For more information about the Lavender Workshop on Saturday, May 18, at Whitfield, contact the Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District at 505-864-8914, email DistrictDirector@valenciaswcd.org or visit us on Facebook.

(Teresa de Cherif is the vice chairwoman of the Valencia Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors.)