Unearth The Voyage
Along a quiet country road in Chester County, thousands of lavender plants transform an ordinary Pennsylvania farm into a destination that feels remarkably European. Visitors come to wander fragrant purple fields, sip lavender lemonade, pick their own bouquets, and browse handcrafted products made from lavender grown right on the property. During peak bloom, the colorful rows and peaceful setting make it one of the state’s most photogenic summer escapes.
The experience goes well beyond the fields. Guests can join outdoor yoga classes surrounded by lavender, learn how essential oil is distilled using a traditional Portuguese copper still, create wreaths and lavender keepsakes, or browse a charming barn shop filled with small-batch soaps, candles, teas, and culinary treats. Whether you’re planning a relaxing day trip or simply looking for one of Pennsylvania’s most unique seasonal attractions, this farm offers an experience that’s difficult to forget.
Here’s why Mt. Airy Lavender has become one of Pennsylvania’s most beloved lavender farms and a destination visitors happily return to every summer.
Where the Farm Meets the Map: Location and Getting There
Not every special place announces itself with a billboard or a busy parking lot. Mt. Airy Lavender sits quietly at 123 Mt Airy Rd, Coatesville, PA 19320, tucked within the scenic countryside of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
The farm is roughly fifty minutes west of Philadelphia and about the same distance east of Lancaster, making it a genuinely convenient day trip from either direction. Malvern is only about twenty-five minutes away, and the celebrated Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square is just thirty minutes north.
The approach itself sets the tone for the whole visit. You exit near Route 82 off the Route 30 bypass, wind down a quiet road, and find the driveway appearing on the left, nestled between addresses 137 and 141. Ample parking sits to the right of the barn, so arrival is easy and stress-free. The GPS gets you close, but the scent of lavender floating through the car window tells you that you have truly arrived.
The Remarkable History Behind the Fields
Some farms have histories that read more like courtroom dramas than pastoral love stories, and this one is no exception. Dick and Nancy Saha purchased the Mt. Airy Farm in 1971, originally envisioning a small horse farm, and spent years transforming what was a somewhat rundown property into a beautiful rural estate.
Then, in 1991, the city of Coatesville attempted to acquire the land through eminent domain, planning to develop it. What followed was a six-year legal battle that reportedly cost the family hundreds of thousands of dollars drawn from their retirement savings. They ultimately won, though they did lose six acres in the process.
That hard-won victory is the reason the lavender fields exist at all today. Every fragrant row, every handcrafted product, every Sunday yoga class carries the weight of that resilience. The farm’s current owners, Amy Saha and Joanne Voelcker, are the daughters of Dick and Nancy, and they have honored that legacy by building something genuinely beautiful from the ground their parents refused to surrender.
From Brussels to Bloom: How a European Dream Took Root in Pennsylvania
The idea for a lavender farm did not spring up overnight. Joanne Voelcker, one of the two sisters who now run Mt. Airy Lavender, spent five years living in Brussels, Belgium, after a long career in financial services. While there, she traveled to the Provence region of southern France and completely fell in love with lavender.
That experience changed everything. When Joanne returned to the family farm in Coatesville in 2011, she planted a small lavender field in her own backyard as a personal tribute to what she had seen abroad. By 2012, she had acquired 500 plants, followed by another 500 the following year.
Her sister Amy, a certified floral designer, joined the venture and brought her own creative expertise to the growing enterprise. Joanne later connected with the US Lavender Growers Association, deepening her knowledge and commitment to the craft. In 2015, she purchased a copper still imported from Portugal to begin distilling the farm’s own essential oil, officially transforming a heartfelt hobby into a thriving family business rooted in passion.
Purple as Far as the Eye Can See: The Atmosphere of the Fields
The first thing you notice is the color. Row after row of vibrant purple blooms stretch across the landscape in a way that feels almost theatrical, like someone turned up the saturation on the world around you. Then the scent reaches you, and everything else quiets down.
The farm cultivates over 2,000 lavender plants across both English and French lavender varieties. English varieties like Super Blue, Hidcote, and Royal Velvet are prized for their rich color and culinary versatility, while French varieties like Phenomenal and Grosso produce the robust fragrance ideal for essential oil distillation.
Horses graze in nearby pastures, adding a layer of pastoral calm that makes the whole scene feel almost unreal. Pretty purple bench swings are scattered around the property, inviting visitors to sit, breathe, and simply absorb the view. Cell phone photography is warmly encouraged during open house events, so bring your camera and expect to fill your memory card before you even make it to the barn shop.
Bees, Butterflies, and the Living Hum of the Fields
During peak bloom, the lavender rows at Mt. Airy Lavender are anything but quiet. A steady, gentle hum fills the air as bees move methodically from flower to flower, and butterflies drift through the purple rows in slow, graceful arcs. It is one of those sights that makes you stop mid-step just to watch.
This natural activity is not just charming; it reflects the farm’s commitment to organic growing practices. No harsh chemicals disrupt the ecosystem here, which is precisely why pollinators show up in such abundance. The farm openly acknowledges that the fields are abuzz with bees and butterflies, and visitors who are sensitive to bee stings are wisely encouraged to come prepared.
The horses in the adjacent pastures occasionally wander close to the fence line, adding yet another layer of rustic warmth to the experience. Cats have also been spotted wandering the property, giving the whole place an endearingly lived-in, family farm quality. Nature here is not a backdrop; it is an active, breathing participant in everything the farm offers.
Yoga Among the Lavender: A Sunday Morning Ritual Worth Waking Up For
There are not many yoga classes in the world where the studio is an open lavender field, the ceiling is a blue summer sky, and the soundtrack is a soft chorus of bees. At Mt. Airy Lavender, that is exactly what Sunday mornings look like from June through September.
Classes begin at 10 AM and are led by Amanda, a trauma-informed, 500-hour certified yoga teacher whose sessions focus on mindfulness and gentle movement. The classes are designed to welcome everyone, from beginners who have never unrolled a mat to experienced practitioners looking for a more meditative outdoor experience.
If the weather turns uncooperative, the class moves into the barn, where dried lavender still perfumes the air and the calm carries on uninterrupted. The combination of intentional breathwork and the naturally calming aroma of lavender creates a kind of double dose of relaxation that is genuinely hard to replicate anywhere else. Once the mat is rolled up, the barn shop awaits, and that transition from inner peace to retail therapy is surprisingly seamless.
U-Pick and Wreath-Making: Getting Your Hands Beautifully Purple
Few activities connect you to a place quite like cutting your own lavender directly from the field. During peak bloom season, Mt. Airy Lavender offers U-Pick experiences where, for a modest fee, you can wander the rows with scissors in hand and select the freshest, most fragrant stalks to bundle and take home.
The best U-Pick window typically runs from April through June, though some varieties continue producing well into the summer months. Once you have gathered your bundle, the natural next question is what to do with it, and the farm has plenty of answers.
Lavender wand classes teach visitors to weave fresh stalks into aromatic keepsakes that release their scent for months. Wreath-making workshops, offered both as guided sessions and through take-home kits available in the barn shop, let you craft something genuinely beautiful using quality dried lavender. The kits are well-stocked and produce results that look far more impressive than anything you might expect from a first attempt, which makes them particularly satisfying to bring home as gifts.
Lavender in the Kitchen: Flavors That Surprise and Delight
Most people think of lavender as a scent, not a flavor, but one sip of the farm’s lavender lemonade is enough to permanently expand that perspective. Mt. Airy Lavender takes its culinary offerings seriously, producing a range of food products that showcase just how versatile this plant truly is.
The farm grows English lavender varieties specifically chosen for their suitability in cooking, including Super Blue, Hidcote, Buena Vista, Royal Velvet, and Big Time Blue. These varieties retain their color beautifully after drying, making them ideal for culinary use. Products like lavender honey, lavender sugar, lavender syrup, and lavender tea are available in the barn shop and online, each carrying a distinctly floral depth that elevates even simple recipes.
Lavender popcorn might raise an eyebrow at first, but the combination of sweet, herbal, and slightly salty is genuinely addictive. The farm even provides free guides and easy recipes to help visitors experiment at home. Adding lavender syrup to hot chocolate, for instance, turns an ordinary mug into something that feels like a small, fragrant celebration.
The Barn Shop: A Treasury of Handcrafted Lavender Goods
The barn shop at Mt. Airy Lavender is the kind of place where you walk in planning to buy one thing and leave carrying a basket. Every product on the shelves is made in small batches by the sisters themselves, using organically grown lavender from their own fields, which gives the whole collection a sense of authenticity that is genuinely rare.
The self-care range includes pure lavender essential oil, calming linen sprays, lavender bar soap, face cream, face toner, body butter, and bath salts. There are lavender eye pillows and neck wraps for anyone who needs a little targeted relaxation. Even pets are catered to, with lavender calming and grooming sprays that also help repel insects.
For the home, lavender candles in vintage Ball jars and DIY wreath kits add a charming, artisanal touch. The shop also carries beautifully packaged gift sets that solve the eternal problem of finding a present that feels both thoughtful and unique. The owners and staff create an atmosphere where you genuinely feel like a welcomed guest rather than a customer, and that warmth makes every purchase feel personal.
Workshops, Private Events, and Community Gatherings
Beyond its open house weekends, Mt. Airy Lavender functions as a genuine community gathering place, hosting a creative and diverse calendar of events throughout the year. Floral arrangement workshops, lavender wine glass painting sessions, and seasonal craft classes appear regularly, each one offering a hands-on way to engage with the farm’s signature plant.
Private events are a meaningful part of the farm’s identity as well. Baby showers, weddings, garden club visits, and corporate wellness retreats have all taken place here, each benefiting from the farm’s naturally serene and photogenic setting. Garden club groups can arrange private visits that include a guided tour and an in-depth discussion covering the farm’s history, lavender cultivation techniques, and the distillation process.
Joanne Voelcker also offers business and mindset coaching, supporting small business owners, particularly those in the lavender industry, through the US Lavender Growers Association, where she serves as a board member. This spirit of mentorship and community extends into every corner of the farm, making it feel less like a commercial operation and more like a place where people genuinely look out for one another.
Planning Your Visit: Practical Tips for the Perfect Lavender Day
A little planning goes a long way when it comes to getting the most from a visit to Mt. Airy Lavender. The farm is open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM to 3 PM, but it operates on a seasonal and event-based schedule, so checking the Events and Visit section of their website at mtairylavender.com before heading out is strongly recommended.
Peak bloom for most lavender varieties falls in June and July, which is the ideal window for those who want the most vibrant fields and the richest fragrance. U-Pick opportunities are best between April and June. Special Lavender Days in June typically feature extended programming and a particularly festive atmosphere.
General admission during open house events is free, though workshops and special experiences carry their own fees and often require advance tickets. The farm can be reached at 610-620-5621 for specific inquiries. Wear a sun hat, bring your camera, and leave the rushed mindset at home, because the whole point of this place is to slow down long enough to remember what it feels like to simply enjoy being somewhere beautiful.
