A Sensory Escape

A visit to Brittingham Farms in Millsboro is a delight for the senses. After turning onto the farm’s gravel drive, early summer visitors are greeted by a stunning canvas of purple — 3,200 lavender plants in full bloom, basking in the Sussex County sun. It would be easy to mistake the picturesque field for Provence, France — a region famous for cultivating the aromatic herb.

When guests walk past the rocking chairs on the porch of the farm store and open the bright green doors, they are promptly enveloped by the calming fragrance of lavender soaps, bath salts, essential oils and other merchandise crafted from the five acres of lavender grown by Laura Brittingham and her family. 

As visitors wander through the store, they can treat their taste buds to lavender-infused ice cream and sorbet. Every turn reveals a new product to try or an area of the sprawling farm to explore.

The farm’s transition from a traditional grain operation to a lavender oasis began during the COVID-19 pandemic, as Brittingham searched for ways to diversify and reinvigorate the farm that has been in her husband’s family since the 1930s. “No one wanted to be around crowds during COVID, so we thought we’d create a beautiful, unforgettable outdoor space people could come and enjoy no matter what,” Brittingham says.

The idea to plant lavender began as a joke — to repel deer from the family’s corn and soybean fields. But after learning more about the herb’s uses and consumer appeal, the Brittinghams got to work transforming the idea into one of the largest lavender farms in the mid-Atlantic.

Since opening to the public in 2022, Brittingham Farms has cultivated more than just healthy plants and happy customers. The farm has announced a series of partnerships, including an agreement with Oliver Pluff & Company to produce a lavender black tea blend using the farm’s lavender. Kentucky-based Beaufort Bonnet Company recently launched an apparel line featuring scenes from Brittingham Farms. Locally, Forgotten 50 Distilling makes a botanical vodka; Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery has released a lavender Riesling; and Revelation Craft Brewing Company offers a lavender-infused beer — all made with Brittingham Farms’ lavender.

Each summer, all of the lavender is harvested by hand. It takes 15 workers eight days to cut and bundle the fresh stems. The herb is then distilled into lavender oil and hydrosol — a byproduct with culinary and cosmetic uses — using two large copper stills. The family spends fall and winter distilling to ensure an ample supply of lavender products for their store and partners.

Tucked behind the lavender fields is one of the farm’s most charming attractions: a herd of amiable Leicester Longwool sheep. Wool from this heritage breed is available for purchase, and the arrival of lambs each spring draws visitors eager to meet the newest members of the flock. George Washington first brought Leicester Longwools to America, and herds can still be found at Mount Vernon and in Williamsburg, Va. Each June, Brittingham Farms hosts its Lavender & Lambs Festival, bringing together the two most beloved features of the farm for the public to enjoy.

Brittingham and her family are thrilled with the success of their venture and have plans to expand. A remodeled barn, now used for wedding receptions, is fully booked through the fall. The family also hopes to eventually offer fresh meals and lavender-inspired spirits and cocktails, and to relocate the distillery to a more accessible location.

While building a successful business is rewarding, Brittingham says the most fulfilling part is what it means for her children’s future.

“The best part for me is seeing the pride in my children when they hear about the farm out in public or hear an advertisement on the radio,” she says. “We love knowing that people see value in what we are doing and bringing to the community. I think about the way we’ve changed the trajectory of the farm for when our kids inherit it. Our goal is to preserve the farm in a way that is viable for them, so they aren’t tempted to sell it.”