The allure of all things lavender has proven to be a potent pull for Joe and Christina Blincoe, owners of Sweet Streams Lavender Co. in Bucyrus, Kansas. It began with a sweet moment when they were married in Maui, where the couple was first introduced to lavender. The scented memory stayed with them, and they later cultivated their love of lavender by planting it into the heart of the Midwest.
“We dreamed of recreating the serenity of lavender fields and the feeling of peacefulness we first experienced with lavender and sharing that with others,” Christina says. “It hasn’t been easy growing in the Midwest. We’ve lost many plants due to harsh winters and the extreme heat of summers, but we’ve stayed patient and have trusted over time that this dedication would benefit others.”
It's been a faith walk since that first day in 2015 when they bought their home and acreage to grow and sell sustainable, organic lavender. “We want to leave the land better than we found it,” Christina says. They soon branched out and started growing herbs and other flowers and added luxury lavender home and spa items, committing to clean, chemical-free products handcrafted and manufactured at the farm.
“The joy and love that Joe and I have for building this business from nothing is so rewarding, and we take our customers along on that journey,” Christina says. Sweet Streams now offers cut lavender, subscription boxes, spa products, jewelry, and culinary lavender, including teas and syrups. (Try lemon lavender cookies or add lavender to savory fall dishes.) A big seller is their soy candles that come in 10 original scents they created, including their latest, Seaside Lavender. All Sweet Streams Lavender Co. products are registered and trademarked.
Along with its online boutique, Sweet Streams partners with local chefs, artisans, fitness studios, and boutiques and avoids big chains to ensure products are made small batch, for a consistent, clean product. Known for its medicinal and health properties, lavender is used as a natural remedy to treat anxiety/depression, insomnia, skin blemishes, minor burns, bug bites, pain and inflammation.
The Blincoes recently purchased a 1953 Ford antique flower truck available to rent for wedding photos, showers or appreciation events. They also offer the “Truck with Flowers.”
“We will bring the truck full of flower stems,” Christina says. “Each guest can build and take home a beautiful bouquet for wonderful memories. Or book a pop-up event, and we’ll bring the truck filled with lavender products for a mobile shopping experience.”
Private farm tours are also available by appointment only and can be scheduled online, with lavender’s peak blooming season occurring during June-July.
To make their products more accessible locally, the Blincoes joined the Overland Park Farmers Market full-time this year so customers can purchase products and save on shipping. Customers can visit them every Wednesday and Saturday from 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. from April–December. “The local community has been supportive of our business since we first opened. We believe in the power of business collaborations and supporting each other for success.”
Christina adds that successful business is not just about selling products but about people. “We try to just be good humans. When you do this, regardless of the money you make, you will find success in life. As business owners and farmers, we’ve learned so much over the past seven years about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. We tell folks all the time, if you have a dream, follow it! It will take hard work, but it’s worth it.”
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