July 12-13, 2025
In the Field
I planned this trip six months earlier when I went on a weekend trip in January. I had rented a cabin with a hot tub and a view of the sound. It was so lovely that I wanted to recreate the stay when the lavender fields would be in bloom. As the weekend approached, I was building up the confidence to paint in the fields while other people would be milling about. I still find it a bit awkward when people approach wanting to look at the painting and it's still in a rough phase. Admittedly, it is amusing when they're like "huh, cool" at a few messy-looking blobs.
Saturday's
I hopped around a few farms before settling at Olympic Buffs, and I'm so glad I did. Their fields, with the mountains on one side and the sound on the other, made this a lovely spot to hang out for a few hours. They had a cute shop, and I had their impressive (and generous) cider tasting before setting up to paint. I highly recommend it! I learned a lot and have a new appreciation for cider, which I never really cared for.
The painting was a nice practice; it was sunny and windy, which was distracting and made it more difficult to work in. I didn't get as far as I would have liked with it, but I think it's a decent foundation that I'll likely continue working on or make a new painting based on it.
Saturday's painting at Olympic Bluffs Lavender Farm and Cidery.
The underpainting of Sunday's piece at B&B Lavender Farm.
Sunday's
Apparently, I have a thing for mountains and barns, which isn't a surprise. And it's even better when it's with lavender! It didn't take me long to settle into a nice, sunny spot after doing the farm's tour and walking along the fields with a cup of lavender ice cream.
This was my sixth plein air painting, and I can already feel myself getting more comfortable and confident with setting up and thinking about what I would paint. I spent more time working on the composition and values with the underpainting, then mixing a few color piles before adding color.
I like how this one came out a lot (see final result at top of the page) and I'm pretty excited to continue working on it back in the studio.
Sequim Lavender Farm Recommendations
B&B Lavender Farm - during the tour, inside of the barn
B&B Lavender Farm - views of the olympic mountains from the lavender fields
B&B Lavender Farm - Lavender ice creams while walking around the fields
Olympic Bluffs Lavender Farm & Cidery - view of the store with lavender fields and the Olympic Mountains.
Olympic Bluffs Lavender Farm & Cidery - Cider Tasting
Purple Haze Lavender Farm - Bloomed fields with store and willow tree
Sequim Saturday Morning Market
You really can't go wrong; they're all worth checking out. Each farm I visited had its own u-pick section and a store with signature lavender-infused items. My top three recommendations all had a little something extra that will have me coming back to them in future seasons.
For the Farm Tour & Views: B&B Lavender Farm
I've been obsessed with lavender for over a decade, and I learned so much on their free 15-minute tour. The best part was going into the barn and seeing how they process the lavender they pick from their fields. There's a large variety of lavender to check out, and the store on-site has the best offering of lavender-based items.
For the Cider Tasting & Views: Olympic Bluffs Cidery
This newer farm secured an incredible, stunning location that alone makes it worth visiting. There are 360 views of mountains, the sound, lavender fields, apple orchards, bee hives, and a fitting-looking modern barn-looking store with Adirondack chairs to soak it all in. The cider tasting also turned me on to craft cider.
For U-pick & Lemonade: Purple Haze
This was my favorite farm when I visited Sequim for the first time in 2018. It has a cozier feel, with lovely landscaping and gardens surrounding the lavender fields. They have a little lemonade and ice cream stand that sells fresh lemonade accented with a little sprig of lavender—it's super cute. It's the perfect spot to grab a treat and hang out in one of the many cozy benches scattered around the farm.
Honorable Mention: Sequim Saturday Market
Sequim has some really talented crafters and incredible farmers, and the best place to access their goods all in one spot is the Saturday morning market in the middle of town. Parking was super easy, and there wasn't much of a crowd when I went at 10 a.m.
Back in the Studio
I spent three hours at each of the farms on the paintings, stopping to finish up the final details back in the studio. I haven't touched either of them since I returned home. When I do, I'll update this post with the completed works!
Fin.
