Our Story 

Big Bear Lavender was established in 2013 by Kevin & Natasha Humphrey.  Its story goes as follows:

Early one morning before the sun was up while visiting Big Bear, Natasha decided to push her husband Kevin out of bed.  This was a regular thing for Natasha.  Natasha loved to see the sunrise amongst the backdrop of the peaks of Big Bear valley.  They grabbed their coffee and began their early mountain hike heading east towards Erwin Lake.

Erwin Lake is a seasonal lake located in a small valley east of the town of Big Bear.  Its history is that serrano Indians and then cattle ranchers tending their herds in the lush valley during spring and summer.  The valley is surrounded by ponderosa and pinyon pines.  

Kevin & Natasha eventually arrived at the lake’s edge and sat on an old fallen log.  They witnessed a sunrise that they both still remember clearly today.  In the distance beyond the lake was a small cabin sitting on 10 acres.  The curious two decided to continue their walk to see what the small cabin in the distance was all about.

What they found was a rundown cabin that was in the middle of nowhere that had not been occupied in a very long time.  They also found a for sale sign lying on the ground.  They looked at each other and laughed.  They each were thinking the same thing.  This cabin was a site for sore eyes but the land, the location, and the beauty where unmatched.  They both felt the land calling and that was that.    A few month later it was theirs.

That is when the work began and work it was.   Along the way they realized that other than themselves and maybe a few others, to include Indians and the cattle ranchers of old, no one had seen or known of this slice of heaven.  It had barely been touched by man.  The land was made up of virgin soil.  The water came from underground artesian springs.  The land was perfect for something but what.

That is where a summer trip to the mid-west to visit family and the passing of Natasha’s grandmother Mima collided and gave them the what.  While on that summer trip they visited a lavender farm that impressed both of them.  The lavender was destressing, calming, and so beautiful.  It reminder Natasha of her grandmother Mima.  Mima’s house and clothes and just about everything were in shades purple.  

The idea of growing lavender did not hit until Mima’s passing.  It was a thought shared after her passing by a family member when visiting the farm, “Mima would sure like you to grow something that is purple.” Bam…that was it.  

Thereafter everything fell into place.  They found that Lavender would flourish in the high altitude.  They planted in 2013 and never looked back.  The farm now grows over a dozen varieties of lavender on 10 acres.  It currently grows over 15,000 plants.  The farm propagates plants, distills essential oils and hydrosols, and makes lavender products.  

Kevin & Natasha believe that all things happen for a reason and you never know what is going to come your way next.  But when it does, “you know-when you know!”