LAKESIDE — Lavender is a unique plant with qualities that help it survive in Montana’s harsh climate and one farm in Lakeside has been successful in farming it for two decades.

“When I started this I wanted to be a little lady walking in my in my lavender garden. And I’m here this little lady walking in my lavender garden. So how lucky am I?” said Purple Mountain Lavender owner Deb Davis.

Davis of Purple Mountain Lavender is celebrating 20 years of her lavender farm in Lakeside.

“I think the most important part is to get in there and get your hands dirty and be with the soil and smell and different scents of the different varieties of lavender. It’s really an amazing plant and you can do so much with it,” said Davis.

Purple Mountain Lavender is a working farm with over 1,500 lavender plants with 35 different varieties. Davis and her husband offer tours of the lavender farm, classes and a retail store.

“I think what inspires me is that the people when they do come up, they’re friendly, they’re positive, they love lavender. So socially, it’s great to see them meet other people that are taking the tour as well or doing a class A chance for them to relax,” said Davis.

The tours offer a chance for people to see the beautiful lavender as well as to learn from a pro how to successfully grow lavender.

“So, you’ll get a chance to smell those you get to see all the different colors. Lavenders have different colors, different lengths of the stems, different smells, and which one is the best depends on which one you like,” said Davis.

While farming the lavender only takes place during the summer, Davis uses the winter months to make products that she sells at the farm, online and to local vendors in Montana.

“And it’s just been. It’s just been a journey for us and it keeps going and it’s great because when we open up during this short period of time I just meet marvelous people like you all and it’s all good,” said Davis.

Purple Mountain Lavender is an environmentally friendly farm that does not irrigate because lavender is a drought-resistant plant, that uses no fertilizer and they use eco-friendly packaging for their products.

“Once you get it started. It’s a very hardy plant. And it can take a lot of our winters and our heat, but it’s just [that] agriculture is tough. I have so much respect for anybody who does farming,” said Davis.

Davis’s love for lavender is immense and her dedication to teaching others makes for a fun, educational Montana experience. And like any other Montanan, she encourages people to get outside.

“Get your hands dirty. Go out there and plant a flower you know do something, be outdoors and enjoy being here,” said Davis.

Visit https://purplemountainlavendermontana.com/ to learn more about Purple Mountain Lavender.

Allie Mae Redmond of Vaughn, Montana left this earth on July 1, 2024, at the very young age of 18 years old.

She was born in Sidney Montana, on December 12, 2005, to Christine Persoma and Kevin Redmond Jr. Allie was such a joy as a baby and loved her big sister Avery, fiercely as they grew into the best of friends, even at a very young age. Allie was a protector to all her brothers and sisters as well, Avery, Clayton, Bella, Aspen Letti and Wesley. She was so kind, always sharing and caring to all; Allie really believed Everyone was good and unconditionally accepted all, no matter what.

At the age of 12, Allie was diagnosed with a rare disorder, Andersen-Tawil syndrome which primarily affected the function of her heart. You’d never know she was so fragile, as she was on many medications, had limited mobility and even after being placed on a strict lifestyle, she continued to love life to the fullest including her lake Michigan cold plunges in November.

While living in Michigan, Allie impacted lives and loved many friends. At 16, She decided to make the move back to Montana, where she blossomed at Simms high school. Everyone there naturally navigated to Allie, as she was so gifted and intuitive. She volunteered her time within the school and found her passion with using her voice, which led her to speech and debate with many achievements and the ultimate reward was to be seen and heard.  Allie Bear will be forever remembered for her radiant spirit, big heart and her ability to make anyone smile and feel safe and loved.

Allie is survived by her mother Christine Persoma; father Kevin and Jamie Redmond; siblings Avery, Clayton, Bella, Aspen, Letti and Wesley; aunts and uncles Jennifer and Paul Goyne, Joshua Johnson, Heidi and Tyler Linde, and Kelly and Brian Hanson; along with her many cousins; grandparents Sherry and Les Hallgrimson, Frandella Martin, Kelly and Jackie Johnson, Neva and Kevin Redmond Sr., and Rich and Cristy Snider; great grandparents Orinne Herland, D.O Martin and Arlene Askmon. Allie‘s legacy will live on in the hearts of all that she touched, the light that shined inside of her glows through those that knew her best.

“In the end it’s not the years in life that count, it’s the life of your years. You were a beautiful melody in the rhythm of our lives. The music of your life will on”

To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Allie Mae Redmond, please visit our floral store.

By 2024montanacreek on July 6, 2024

The fire remains at 67% containment

TALKEETNA, Alaska- The Montana Creek Fire is located 16 miles south of Talkeetna and remains 67% contained. Wetting rains are expected to continue throughout the day today with the heaviest rainfall in the morning. Crews will continue to patrol, looking to mitigate hazards while being ever mindful that the precipitation can cause slippery, unstable conditions. The objective is 100% mop up. Remaining crews will maintain operational readiness to provide Initial Attack and support for new incidents.

Advertisement

The fire is located in a critical Protection Area in the wildland urban interface, prompting multi-agency resource response. One hundred six personnel are assigned to the incident including resources from BIA, BLM, State and USFS.

As of 8:00 AM on Friday July 05, the Mat-Su Valley joined the rest of Alaska by lifting its burn suspension. This decision came as a result of cooler and wetter weather. 

The Parks Highway remains open. The public traveling on the Parks Highway will continue to be impacted by a contingency of ground resources assisting in fire suppression efforts between mile markers 94-100. The public is encouraged to stay attentive and slow down near the fire area as crews continue suppression efforts throughout the day.

‹ The Riley Fire gains containment

Wet weather continues today as Idaho Team 1 IMT 3 prepares to take command of McDonald Fire ›

Categories: AK Fire Info, Alaska DNR – Division of Forestry (DOF), BLM Alaska Fire Service