In many ways, Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm is Martine and Edgar Anderson’s delicately-scented love letter to Washington Island.
After the Andersons retired to the rocky Door County enclave, they found themselves involved in efforts to address the island’s economic development struggles. So 11 years ago, drawing on Martine’s childhood in the south of France, they opened Fragrant Isle — the Midwest’s largest lavender farm — as a way to create jobs and boost business on Washington Island.
To say Fragrant Isle has given the island a boost is an understatement. Open to the public six months per year, the farm, shop, le café and distillery have been known to attract as many as 1,000 visitors per day, Martine says. The ferry line, which must be used to access Washington Island from mainland Wisconsin, recently added a new boat to help meet the surging demand.
“It’s just a blessing to be around so much beauty,” says Martine, acknowledging that “retired” is no longer how she would describe her lifestyle. “To be able to help all the businesses here, that’s really what we’re all about.”
And while Fragrant Isle’s events and agritourism keep visitors flocking to the island, it’s more than just a pretty face. The business boasts a signature line of more than 300 items made from its 20,000 plants, using the highest-possible-grade therapeutic essential oil produced in handmade copper stills.
“We do it the old-fashioned way — 100% pure and [no] additives,” Martine says.
Calming soaps, candles and bath products may be the first items that come to mind when one thinks of lavender products, but Martine says Fragrant Isle’s culinary products are very popular, especially in the summer months. These include syrups for flavoring lemonades and ice creams, as well as lavender-infused balsamic vinegars and chocolates. A member of the mint family, lavender adds a sweet, herby essence in the kitchen — but also requires a gentle touch.
Fragrant Isle’s culinary, home and bath products can be purchased on site, but they are also sold online year-round. Martine declines to choose a favorite, instead focusing on the olfactory tie that binds them.
“Lavender is a happy plant,” she says. “It’s a joyful plant, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. The aroma puts you in a very happy place.”
