It's no secret to my friends and family that I am a tenacious person. It's this natural tenacity that brought myself and my significant other across the Long Island Sound to Lavender by the Bay in early July.
I first learned of this lavender farm in an usual place - the Union Square Farmer's Market. I was living in NYC at the time, and saw their massive purple banners on display at the market.
I purchased a small pouch of edible dried lavender, and asked about the farm's location. At the time, the east end of Long Island felt as far away as Asia to me, but after relocating to Connecticut, one of the first inquiries I had for my boyfriend was "Where is Orient Point?".
Turns out, living in CT brought me closer to the farm, but not close. However, I simply couldn't be convinced not to make the trek from Norwalk to LI, so on one very hot early July day (the only time lavender is in season), Walter and I drove up to New London to take the ferry across the Sound.
Before boarding, we spent some time exploring the nearby town of Mystic. We visited the aquarium, walked around downtown, and yes, had a slice at the surprisingly good Mystic Pizza.
I really enjoyed spending time on the opposite side of our shared water and loved being a few steps away from the beach.
The next day, we went for a hike around the park and then stopped at Palmer Vineyards for a taste of ice wine on the way to the farm.
The pièce de résistance, of course, was arriving at Lavender by the Bay. I was blown away by the sea of purple and infectious lavender scent. Aside from the bees buzzing in the bushes, it was calm and quiet, and, honestly, worth the effort and the trek.
After picking fresh buds from the field, and taking many, many photos, I purchased a few more lavender products in the farm shop, and we began our return to the CT side of the Sound.
Lavender by the Bay is located in East Marion, NY and open from May - October, with lavender in bloom for about 3 weeks in July. Visit their website for more information.