AKL Lavender Farm on Maui is now offering pick your own lavender on most weekends throughout the summer.  First available weekend is May 28th and 29th, 2011.  Two tours will be offered at 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM, each lasting approximately 40 minutes.  (Children must be at least 8 years old and accompanied by an adult.)

Included in this $25 tour are the history of lavender and its benefits, picking of lavender, clippers, your choice of a hot or cold lavender beverage with lavender shortbread cookies.  They do recommend long-sleeve shirts, long pants, enclosed shoes (not flip-flops) and a hat.

Advance reservations are required.  You can call them at (808) 878-3004 or emailing them at aklreservations@aklmaui.com.

For many, this will be the first they’ve heard that lavender is commercially grown on Maui.  Actually, they’ve been growing lavender there for quite some time.   There are a number of cottage industries in Hawaii that people are not aware of.  All people tend to associate with Hawaii are pineapples, sugar, macadamia nuts and coffee.

Problem with that is pineapple production is down to under 4,000 acres state-wide and sugar production is limited to a handful of growers.  Cost of production makes competing against other countries impractical.  The good news is macadamia nuts thrive in Hawaii and will continue to be a significant crop there.  Coffee production continues to expand as more and more acreage is put into coffee production on all the islands, expanding the once singularly known Kona coffee.

AKL Lavender Farm is located at 1100 Waipoli Road, Kula, HI 96790.  You can visit them daily between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, but the pick-your-own lavender tours are very limited.