A calming oasis can be hard to find in the gridlock of Northern Virginia, but those who know where to look can take a turn off the beaten path to reach a hidden sanctuary in nearby Culpeper. The Little House at Seek Lavender is a place of comfort and connection that is inspiring people throughout the region to live nature-inspired lives. 

Owner Mary Seek braved that brutal commute during a successful career in cybersecurity but started to question her path about 10 years ago as she brainstormed with her husband Neil about potential uses for their property. She threw out a lot of ideas during this period, but none really stuck.

“We had this land here where we're sitting and it was just grass,” said Seek. “Neil was mowing, mowing, mowing, and I said, ‘You know, we really need to do something with this one day.’ I was born in Manhattan and didn't have a lot of rural life living to pull from, but he had been raised on a farm.”

Neil wasn’t much interested in raising livestock but left the door open for planting some type of crop. The pair always had a vegetable garden at home and Mary was experimenting with lavender and herbs.

“One day, it was really like my little lavender plant said, ‘I’m what you're going to do,’” said Seek. “I know that sounds nuts but, from that moment on, that was it.

“I said we're going to grow lavender and I'm doing it whether you want to or not because he had already said no so many times. Of course, he didn't say no, and I just ran with it with a passion and a fire I didn't even know that I had.”

From those humble beginnings, a new business took root as Neil pitched in to help make the new venture a success. The Seeks used the time it took for the plants to mature for study and networking, joining several groups and associations to learn from seasoned growers and product makers.

“He has worked with me every step of the way to make this a reality,” said Seek. “I can't even express what it is to make someone else's dream come true. This is hard, dirty, sweaty work and a real leap of faith.”

The pair originally had no intention of growing any other plants when they first started in 2015, but an unexpected delivery in the spring of 2020 showed them that the universe had other plans. The shipment of more than 100 culinary and medicinal herbs was mistakenly sent from Canada and could not be returned due to agricultural shipping regulations. They read the arrival as a sign and the rest, as they say, is history!

While sweat equity got them up and running, it could only take them so far. Additional resources would be required to take the next step in their journey. Seek worked with the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability (VA FAIRS) to secure a $124,567 Value-Added Producer Grant from USDA Rural Development in 2022 to help finance production and marketing of a wide range of culinary, skin care and spa products.

“We read about it in the Rappahannock Electric Co-op magazine, and I thought that’s exactly what we do!’” said Seek. “We are a true full-blown value-added producer. We don't sell anything we don't make. Everything in our little house here has our plants in it in one form or another … oils, hydrosol, and dried mixes.

“I had a good background in writing from my professional career, but the process is complicated. Thank God for Virginia FAIRS. They were fabulous in helping us secure a grant that’s opened the door to the next stage of everything for us.”

The business that began with lavender has now expanded to 35 different plants, which can be consumed or turned into experiences. The little house shelves are filled with everything from herbal tinctures to herbes de provence and soaps to seasoning blends.

Neil has experienced his own transformation along the way too. The formerly reluctant farmer now serves as the Chief Operations Officer for the business and personally oversees the lavender distilling process. His honorary title of “Chief Awesome Officer” highlights the strength of the partnership.

“We are so thankful for the support we received through Rural Development’s Value-Added Producer Grant program to help us bring nature inspired products to our region,” said Seek. “It’s enabled us to offer a fully connected experience where you’re talking to the farmer and seeing where the products are grown.”

While the rural community the Seeks call home includes a fair number of farmers, a lot of residents don’t have that connection to the land. The little lavender plants that “spoke” to Seek have not only given her a vision and a purpose but also a commitment to keep going as long as enough people are drawn to becoming their own healers.

“We've never been retail oriented,” said Seek. “We're not just here making and selling stuff. We just want to help people. You know, our society really needs to reconnect to itself.”

View our video spotlight on YouTube to hear the story in her own words.