Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_01 (00:00):
Um welcome to
Kentucky Hidden Wonders.
(00:24):
Our guest today is JasonWoodleaf of Little Mount
Lavender, and welcome.
Thank you.
SPEAKER_03 (00:30):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_01 (00:31):
We are so glad that
you are here.
So, first off, for those fewpeople who have no idea what
Little Mount Lavender is, um,tell us a little bit about it.
SPEAKER_03 (00:41):
There are a few
people out there still, and
we're trying to reach them.
This is why I'm here today.
So Little Mount Lavender was acreation, oh goodness, probably
seven years ago now.
Uh, we were doing some Googlesearches on alternative crops.
We wanted to do somethingdifferent, but we wanted to do
something fun and unique.
And lavender kept coming up onthe short list.
(01:01):
So I I got a job and I we movedto California temporarily, went
to a lavender farm there, wentto a lavender store there, moved
to Kentucky, decided we could dobigger and better than that.
And California's home oflavender, right?
So I didn't know that.
Like originally no, not thephrase home.
So they have a lot of lavenderfarms out there because the
(01:23):
because of the lack of rain,they can control the irrigation,
and it's really easy to growlavender there.
And they have two seasons oflavender because their summers
are so long.
SPEAKER_01 (01:31):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (01:32):
So we came to
Kentucky, bought 5,000 lavender
plants, planted them, and andsigned a lease here in
Shelbyville to open a storewithout any products.
SPEAKER_00 (01:41):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (01:43):
And then what?
SPEAKER_00 (01:44):
And then seven years
later.
SPEAKER_03 (01:46):
Well, then the
pressure was on, right?
SPEAKER_01 (01:47):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (01:48):
So the pressure was
on.
We had the pressure.
That cart was before the horseand it was rolling.
So then we started doing alittle more research on what we
could do with the lavender andhow we can make products with
it.
And we started small, which Ithink was smart.
Because then we listened to ourcustomers over the years,
through a little amountlavender, you know, what they
told us they wanted, what theyliked, what they didn't like.
And we just grew and grew.
(02:09):
And then COVID came and we keptgrowing and we kept growing
still.
We just moved it all to thefront.
And here we are getting ready togo to our third location, you
know, or in our second locationnow, and we're moving to a
larger one uh this comingsummer.
SPEAKER_01 (02:27):
Oh like totally
moving.
An additional.
An additional.
Okay.
You just had me worrying.
Yeah.
Sorry.
Okay.
Sorry.
Can you can you tease where?
SPEAKER_03 (02:37):
Yeah.
Um, it could be in the middletown area.
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (02:42):
Maybe.
Maybe or maybe not.
SPEAKER_03 (02:44):
Okay.
SPEAKER_01 (02:45):
So bigger, bigger
store, would you say?
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (02:49):
It's uh we're
looking, we're looking for the
traffic one.
So we're looking to see how wecan.
This store will be our first onewhere we uh are fully branded um
from colors and a new logo.
And we're gonna launch a here'swhat Little Mount Labyrinth will
look like, and then here's whatthe next one will look like as
well.
So we're kind of trying to starta brand where um four walls,
(03:14):
here's what we're gonna make,and it'll be a different
environment too, a little bit.
SPEAKER_01 (03:19):
Okay.
Oh, very intriguing.
Well, the location that is inSimpsonville is the one, the the
hidden wonder, the the gym.
Uh and it is in a historicbuilding.
Talk a little bit about thebuilding also.
SPEAKER_03 (03:32):
Yeah, so it was
built in the uh 1810-ish time
frame being completed.
Um, it was a home for a verybrief time.
It's been an inn, it's been astagecoach stop.
Um, it's a beautiful building,and it worked perfect for the
store uh with the stone wallsand things, except for Wi-Fi.
Um, but it worked perfect.
(03:53):
We we brought our store therefrom our smaller store uh on
Main Street, and where we landedevery category in the building,
it's been there since, and itwas the perfect amount of space.
Everything just worked outbeautifully and was a
combination we were looking for.
We have a cafe in the back, andit's fantastic.
SPEAKER_02 (04:09):
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (04:10):
We were able to add
all kinds of layers that we
couldn't before, and we haveparking, and it's been a great
spot.
We've done a lot of events therelately trying to kind of
rejuvenate uh a reason to comeon out and to promote uh
Simpsonville, Shelby County,etc.
And kind of a destination placefor one activity is to have fun
(04:31):
and then to learn about lavenderand then indulge in the
products, of course, and thefood and such.
SPEAKER_01 (04:36):
Well, it's a
charming, charming building.
Yep.
And Mason, did I hear you saysomething that you think it's
the largest lavender farm?
SPEAKER_00 (04:44):
Oh well, I mean,
I've read that in the world.
Largest lavender farm inKentucky, definitely, right?
SPEAKER_03 (04:51):
I think I boast the
largest lavender field in the
universe.
Because it's kind of like maybenot, but still.
I would say largest in theuniverse, but definitely largest
in Kentucky.
There are a lot of smallerlavender farms out there, and a
lot of them are uh seasonal.
Okay.
So they'll open for the summer,they'll have it on their
property and they'll do theirlavender products, which is
(05:11):
great.
SPEAKER_02 (05:11):
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (05:12):
Uh people learn
about lavender and it's
available throughout.
I had no idea there wereactually numerous lavender farms
in Kentucky.
They are a little smaller.
You have the castle that doeslavender as well.
They do their thing.
Um, we're 363 days out of theyear, though.
We're we never close uh forseason.
Um we're open year round, um,closing two days.
(05:34):
Yeah.
Um, but yeah, so we just decidedwe were gonna do a little bit
differently.
A lot of folks, like I said, doit very seasonal and they hit it
and then they they're out.
Um, we harvest and then we makeproducts all year long.
SPEAKER_00 (05:45):
Yeah.
So talk about some of thoseproducts.
What are those?
SPEAKER_03 (05:47):
Oh my goodness.
Everything you can possiblyimagine.
We talked about food.
So all of our food is infusedwith lavender um in some way.
It's not like oversalting foodwith lavender or anything like
that.
So it just enhances flavors.
Lavender is great with citrus.
So anything we do with that oruh sauces and things, Jason
incorporates lavender uh throughhis uh herbs triverbance style
(06:10):
seasonings.
Um, then we have teas and allthe kinds of other things in the
cupboard area.
We have candles, wax melts, allof that category.
Um, then we sell oils, ofcourse, that you can diffuse.
And then we combine a bunch ofother oils with lavender as well
for diffusing.
And then we have candles and umI think I've seen pet products
(06:30):
as well.
We have a whole pet section, thesuper popular with the pet
washes and the soaps and stuff,and then we do the soaps for
ourselves.
Soaps, bath salts, you name it,we carry it.
I almost challenge somebody tochallenge me to something.
I don't have this lavender.
I even have cast iron pots andpans that are lavender.
SPEAKER_01 (06:47):
That's amazing.
And you dress in lavender too,for those that never seen you
not in purple.
SPEAKER_00 (06:52):
Exactly.
It's rare.
SPEAKER_01 (06:53):
Exactly.
SPEAKER_00 (06:54):
It's rare.
SPEAKER_01 (06:55):
So lavender is very
relaxing to people as well, the
scent, correct?
SPEAKER_03 (07:00):
Can you talk about
some of the health so we talk
about we talk about oils uh intwo different categories?
Some uh oils that we do are forfragrance, people just enjoy
them.
And then there's a medicinalside to oils.
Lavender is very well known forand has been for thousands of
years, actually, um, to being acalmer.
It's also antibacterial andantifungal.
(07:23):
So it's been used in medkits foruh use for um those purposes um
as an antibacterial.
Um and it's been known for sincethe Egyptian times, they used it
for those very purposes as well,uh, for cleanliness and for
scent.
Smells good.
Um, it casts a different scenton a female than it does a male
(07:44):
based on your biology.
SPEAKER_01 (07:46):
Oh, really?
SPEAKER_03 (07:46):
Yeah, absolutely.
Just like perfumes smelldifferent on different people.
SPEAKER_01 (07:50):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (07:50):
Lavender will cast
more of a floral tone with the
estrogen from a woman, andlavender will cast more of a
clean camphorous smell on a manbecause of the testosterone and
the body chemistry makeup forthe colour.
SPEAKER_01 (08:02):
Interesting.
Who knew?
Who knew?
Well, now we do.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (08:05):
That's how we get
products for both, right?
So they don't all smell flowery.
Right.
You cast a different uh scent.
So it smells.
SPEAKER_01 (08:12):
Oh, that's
fantastic.
And then um, back to the foods.
You are very, very careful aboutwhat goes into everything that
you make as far as clean living.
And can you talk a little bitabout the ingredients?
SPEAKER_03 (08:28):
Yeah, we literally
drive ourselves crazy finding
the best, um, the best products.
We for as small a cafe as weare, we only have you know nine
tables and a bar down there,except in the summer when we do
the patio.
Um, we have five differentsuppliers that we get products
from, um, at minimum, becausesome do better produce, some do
better meat products.
Then we'd use Boar's Headlocally right behind us for uh
(08:51):
any kind of charcuterie meatsand cheeses that we use.
Um, the other Jason, becausewe're Jason and Jason, right, is
very particular about no addeduh things, additives,
preservatives, things like that.
Organic everything we can, it'spossible, um, from searching out
organic chicken.
One because it tastes better.
Um, the lamb that we use, justanything we can get locally as
(09:14):
well, which isn't always aseasy, um, you know, seasonally
and et cetera.
But yes, we're very, verymindful of what we want to feed
people.
Yeah.
We could order it frozen, heatit up, and serve it all day
long, and probably make moremoney at the end of the day.
But he's very hands-on.
Every sauce he makes himself,every um product he makes from
(09:37):
absolutely from scratch.
So you're never gonna getanything from there that has
come off the back of a truckfrozen.
He has a his yes, his integrityand food is amazing, and you can
taste the difference.
SPEAKER_01 (09:51):
Well, the food is
always amazing.
And doesn't he have training,like some specific training
pastry?
SPEAKER_03 (09:57):
Yeah, when he was he
when he was in the military in
the air force um over in Europe,he had the opportunity uh during
uh leave times um over thecourse of the years that he was
there to go to Cordon Blue andget uh a significant amount of
training there.
And he brought he brings all ofthat with him.
He loves the French inspiration,which is why we do French
lavender.
(10:17):
Um, and he loves the Frenchinspiration and all of his
sauces and how he brings foodstogether and the taste um are
always going to be complex.
You're gonna taste everythingand not be overwhelmed by one
thing in his foods.
I think that's why it's sopopular.
SPEAKER_00 (10:30):
Yeah, I mean, uh
it's always always crowded, uh,
which is a good thing.
So, and I have to say it is thecleanest uh restaurant kitchen
uh I've ever seen.
I've never seen the kitchen.
You've been behind the scenes,I've been behind the scenes, and
it's a very clean kitchen.
SPEAKER_03 (10:44):
So yeah, well,
that's another thing.
You can't where it starts, thefood starts, uh, has a lot to do
with uh how you put it out theretoo.
He in a clean environment, andthen you put out a product that
looks picture worthy everysingle time.
I don't know how many times I'veheard where to garnish.
The bread's not the right way.
You're doing it backwards.
(11:04):
So I have to back off a littlebit.
Pay attention and listen, Jason.
SPEAKER_01 (11:10):
Okay, that's all
right.
So where do you grow all yourlavender?
I mean, where is I mean, to beso big, I mean, where is all
this okay?
SPEAKER_03 (11:18):
So I can't tell you
exactly where that's where I
live.
Well, it's where I live.
Okay, that's where my house is.
All right.
And people are all the timesaying, Oh, we came out looking
for your farm.
I'm like, why?
Um, but I get it.
I get it.
Yeah.
Um, fortunately, we live off thebeaten path a little bit, um,
just over the border inTaylorsville.
I'll tell you that.
(11:38):
It's like the Bat Cave.
Okay.
Uh, you come through some woodsand then you pop out, and we
have the fields up on ourproperty where we live.
Oh thank goodness we chosesomething that wasn't easily
seen from the road when we movedhere and we did not plan it that
way.
SPEAKER_00 (11:52):
Oh, people would be
everywhere flocking.
Flocks.
Yes.
SPEAKER_03 (11:55):
And they feel like
because they can see it, they
must take pictures in it, eventhough it's my yard.
Right.
So um actually, very few peoplehave been to our house for that
very reason.
SPEAKER_01 (12:07):
Um but it's in a
secret location and many acres
of glorious lavender.
SPEAKER_03 (12:13):
We it takes about
well, we have uh we have uh just
under a thousand at the store,probably seven or eight hundred
at the store.
So people can do U picks andthings like that.
Right.
Um, it's just not conducive onour property to have people
there really to be the truthfulpart is it's uphill gravel, and
then we plant it on a prettysteep hill in on the property
for drainage because they don'tlike a lot of water.
Oh, okay.
(12:33):
Um, so we do that for thatpurpose, but it's not really
walkable.
So it wouldn't be safe to havepeople there to begin with.
Um but we grow about 7,000plants there, I think, right
now.
That's amazing.
Um, plus what we greenhouseevery year and what we sell to
folks every year, another coupleof thousand for that purpose is
and replacing our plants thatmight, you know, struggle to
(12:55):
survive.
SPEAKER_01 (12:55):
Right.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_03 (12:56):
Um, because it
happens, you know, they just
give up.
SPEAKER_01 (12:59):
So do you have are
you working on anything new that
you can divulge?
Anything, whether it's an eventor something you'd love to do or
a product that you've been dyingto dying to put together?
SPEAKER_03 (13:11):
So we're working on
what we mentioned doing some
more things locally.
So we've partnered with a coupleof different people and we're
doing um more classes in thesein the store.
So we have bath salt classesnow.
We've had candle classes for awhile.
We do bath salts.
Um, and it's kind of a classslash event for you to go and
do.
So you learn about what you'regonna do.
We do it and you have fun.
(13:32):
We have a little food, a littledrink.
Um, we're doing painting classeswith a local uh artist.
Um we have one coming up thisweekend.
We also have a murder, oursecond murder mystery, which was
a sellout.
SPEAKER_01 (13:43):
Very interested in
the murder mystery.
So hopefully you'll keep doingthat in the future.
SPEAKER_03 (13:48):
I am thinking of
something for for January,
thinking some kind of tea partymystery or something.
Yeah, give a little bitdifferent flair to it in the
wintertime when people needsomething to do.
Yeah.
We've had two murder mysteriesand they both sold out.
Last one sold out two weeksbefore it actually took place,
so pretty excited about that.
That was a good place to be.
That one's this Friday.
Um, it's a little more of afancy one.
(14:09):
Last time was a little morerelaxed atmosphere, so we're
excited to do that.
Um, having those kind of thingsgoing on is fun.
So a little more activity in thestore is kind of something we're
working on.
SPEAKER_02 (14:18):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (14:18):
And um a couple of
categories.
We're uh pushing our our um homecleaning, um, laundry strips,
things like that.
We're doing some differentprojects with dryer balls and
scenting, and we're gonna dosome new laundry strips coming
out.
So I'm working on that now.
We're testing them at home.
We test everything to make sureit's it's good, that it smells
(14:39):
good and it works good.
Right.
Um, so we're working on somemore of the laundry side there
because people love that, and alittle more of the household,
maybe cleaner section.
SPEAKER_01 (14:47):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (14:47):
Start doing some
more stuff like that because
people keep asking, do you haveit?
Um, and the struggle with thatis we want to find alternatives
to using too many chemicals.
SPEAKER_01 (14:57):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (14:57):
Um, when possible.
And I found somebody I think Ican work with that has a full
line, and like I said, we'retesting the strips now, and they
sent me some other things totest.
So that's always been a goodone.
SPEAKER_00 (15:09):
So uh changing gears
a little bit, did either of you
uh have any sort of retailexperience before you decided to
open a store?
Like what made you say, youknow, this is what we're gonna
do now?
SPEAKER_03 (15:22):
So that's all I've
really done is retail my whole
life.
Okay.
Um, retail management, uhtraining, uh food safety, all
that kind of stuff.
Um, and then Jason, uh military,uh, opened his own businesses,
things like that.
So he did that side of it, alittle more brave than I was
because I'd always worked forsomebody.
SPEAKER_02 (15:41):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (15:42):
Um so when we came
together, I think we both
complimented each other in thatreally, really well.
Because he naturally went to thecreative part and I naturally
went to the I'm going toorganize product development,
take care of the bills part.
Yeah.
And that's where we are.
So I work on the not soglamorous stuff, right?
(16:02):
Like the packaging and thingslike that, and finding new
products.
And he works on the uh talkingto people out there, and he's
like the face of Little MountLavender from you know the
initial videos and things, andthat's why he wears overalls and
he comes in.
SPEAKER_01 (16:17):
That is his
signature.
Yes.
The overalls, definitely.
SPEAKER_03 (16:20):
It's the signature
overalls, indeed.
Um, but yeah, so we I think itworked out really, really well
that we both like doing the partthat we do.
Well, it works together.
SPEAKER_01 (16:31):
I can see how you
both compliment each other.
SPEAKER_03 (16:33):
Yeah, I push the
cart, not gonna lie.
I'm behind the cart pushing alittle bit.
Right.
He's like trying not to getremembered by the cart sometimes
because he he liked doing whathe's doing, but I I guess I've
never really owned my ownbusiness, so I'm more of the
anxious to grow.
And he's like, when are we gonnabe at a point where you know we
can relax a little bit?
(16:53):
Um but hopefully soon he takessome time.
SPEAKER_01 (16:57):
I hope, I hope so.
That has to be that has to be alot to have and a business that
and and I say hidden wonder.
It doesn't feel like it's hiddenwonder.
It feels like a lot of peopleknow about Little Mount Lavender
and love it.
Absolutely love it.
SPEAKER_03 (17:13):
Yeah, it's nice to
talk to people and say, Oh,
yeah, I've been there.
We were in a certain store lastnight buying Christmas
decorations because we'restarting to decorate now.
Yes.
Um and somebody said, Are youfrom Little Mount Lavender?
We're like, Yeah.
Oh, I love that place.
So it's you're always kind ofafraid what they're gonna say,
but 99.99% of the time, it'slike, oh, I love that place.
SPEAKER_01 (17:34):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (17:34):
Um, just because it
is fun.
There's not a whole lot you cancomplain about when you go to
shop in the lavender store.
Exactly.
SPEAKER_01 (17:39):
It's relaxing.
Everything in there is relaxing,even from the the uh, I want to
say rocks.
They're not rocks, they're likegeodes or the crystals.
SPEAKER_03 (17:48):
It's it's a rock,
crystals, minerals, minerals.
SPEAKER_01 (17:52):
And then through
just the smell as you see, the
artwork, everything you look at,and you're smelling that
wonderful lavender, and thentasting all your yummy.
SPEAKER_00 (18:01):
And you do have some
local artisans that are in
there.
SPEAKER_03 (18:04):
Very good segue.
I was sticking the same thing.
So, yes, we have 20.
Um that's what I was writing thechecks for when I came in.
Uh, when I was over here, wehave uh 20, 21 people who sell
within the store too.
Okay, it's kind of hard to tellbecause they seamlessly kind of
blend.
They do with us.
We have several people who dojewelry, the crystals, minerals,
um, rocks, and now we have somefossils in there, which are
(18:25):
super cool.
Ooh.
Um, that's a vendor.
Uh we have uh towel vendors, wehave jewelry, we have pottery,
we have somebody, I think Iremember, made wooden bow ties.
SPEAKER_01 (18:37):
Do you still have
those?
Those are just creative anddifferent.
SPEAKER_03 (18:41):
Those folks actually
took a different direction um
last year.
Uh, but we've had people come inright behind them.
And we have another two wordworkers in there.
One does charcuterie styleboards, one does other custom
stuff.
Um, we have a ton of people, andthen people are always asking,
can they be in there?
Glassmakers.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (18:59):
We uh it's funny,
this is twice in two weeks that
fossils have come up on this uhpodcast.
We had Reggie Van Stockham onlast week, and he was talking
about all the things he talksabout.
Uh, and fossils were a largepart of that conversation.
And so it's just funny that it'snot come up at all in the past
year.
It's come up twice in two weeks.
SPEAKER_03 (19:18):
So well, if
anybody's gonna bring it up,
it's gonna be Reggie.
SPEAKER_00 (19:21):
Yeah, that is true.
So and you've had uh I know he'sbeen out there to perform music
and things like that.
So you've had different musicacts uh perform on audio.
SPEAKER_03 (19:30):
We sell his books in
the store, right?
Oh, that's been different.
That's why Reggie's in.
So I if it's gonna be fossils,Reggie's gonna go out there and
find them.
Yes.
In his adventures in Kentucky.
SPEAKER_01 (19:39):
In his adventures,
absolutely.
Well, um, what else should befor people that had nothing,
they hit knew nothing aboutLittle Mount Lavender, um tell
them something that they mightwant to know that we haven't
covered.
What's the one takeaway?
SPEAKER_03 (19:56):
Yeah, what's the one
takeaway?
I would say that lavender uh Isnot a florally flowery
fragrance.
If you smell it lavender and youfelt that way, it's because it
wasn't the real stuff.
Lavender is probably the mostdiverse herb out there.
(20:16):
It's in the same family asrosemary.
That's why their leaves look thesame.
Um, it can do pretty muchanything from food to making
people smell good to helping yourelax.
It is definitely a oil and anherb to embrace um because of
the so many benefits.
(20:37):
And I promise you that if youbecause I had no idea about
lavender when I did it, none.
Never used it, never eventhought about it.
But now that we're in it, it'sall we use for everything,
literally.
Um, we love the soap, we loveeverything about it, we cook
with it, we do everything aswell.
Uh, so it's not just a frontthat we put out there to sell
(20:57):
it, we actually are involved init to uh a large degree as well.
Um embrace things like thatbecause they'll they'll they can
change how you see uh so manythings from food to to bathing
and just look at the ingredientson your products and question
them.
SPEAKER_01 (21:16):
Right.
SPEAKER_03 (21:17):
And then come see
us.
SPEAKER_00 (21:18):
There you go.
And speaking of, where do theydo that?
What's the address, hours, stufflike that?
SPEAKER_03 (21:22):
So we are in
Simpsonville at 6905 Shelbyville
Road.
Uh, we're alsolittlemountlabender.com.
Of course, you can previeweverything, look at the events,
check out what you what mightintrigue you to come into the
store.
Uh, and our hours are Mondaythrough Saturday, 10 to 6.
The cafe is over from 10 to 3.
We do a lunch, uh, and then theywrap that up, and then we close
(21:45):
at six o'clock in the evening.
SPEAKER_01 (21:46):
Perfect.
Wonderful.
Well, thank you so much forbeing here.
We love your store.
And you would have to make thestore, wherever that new one is,
um, something so fabulous for meto love it more than the one in
Simpson Belt.
That one is just charming.
SPEAKER_03 (22:02):
Well, like I said,
it's gonna be a little
different.
We're gonna go a littleapothecary style where you can
come in and get things maybe alittle more customized.
SPEAKER_00 (22:09):
Okay.
SPEAKER_03 (22:10):
Um, sit down and
make bath salts to your what you
would like to have them as.
Maybe we can, you know, dodifferent things.
It's just a different ability tohave a little bit different
environment.
Yeah, you know, a little bitdifferent approach to it where
we can't really can do that inthe building we're in.
Uh, so we're gonna change it upa little bit.
SPEAKER_01 (22:28):
Oh, well, that
sounds wonderful.
Wonderful.
Thanks so much.
Thank you for being here.
Yeah, thanks so much for beingwith us.
Thank you very much.