Our Story
Every farm has an origin story. Ours begins with the briars.
The Beginning
When Steve Eck first walked this land in Oregon's Willamette Valley, it was overgrown — choked with invasive blackberry and scotch broom that had crowded out the native plants and grasses that once thrived here. Most people saw a problem. He saw a project.
What started as a commitment to restore the land through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) has grown into something much larger. Acre by acre, the briars were cleared. Native trees, shrubs, and grasses were planted along Dieckman Creek, which runs through the heart of the property and feeds into the North Santiam River watershed. Over 70,000 native plants now grow where invasive species once stood — and with them, the wildlife has returned.
From Briars to Beauty
The name Briarwood tells the whole story: this is a place that was once defined by briars and is now defined by beauty. But the work isn't finished — restoration is an ongoing practice, not a one-time project.
As the land healed, lavender was planted. The Willamette Valley's climate turned out to be ideal for growing it, and what began as a few experimental rows has become a central part of the farm's identity. Today, six cultivars thrive here — four English lavender varieties (Lavandula angustifolia) and two lavandin varieties (Lavandula x intermedia) — each chosen for the unique qualities they bring to our essential oils and products.
The lavender is harvested each summer and distilled on-site using a traditional copper alembic still, handcrafted in Portugal — the same method that has been used to produce essential oils for centuries. From the still, we craft the small-batch products we sell in our shop.
What Briarwood Is Today
Today, Briarwood Lavender & Restoration Farm is a working farm, a restoration site, and a place for people to slow down and connect with the land. We offer farm tours, creekside camping, and day experiences for visitors who want to see what a farm built on restoration looks like up close.
We’re also looking ahead — with plans for an expanded product line spanning skincare, aromatherapy, home goods, and culinary lavender, along with wellness spaces, expanded lavender plantings, and new ways to share this land with our community.
Briarwood is a testament to what happens when you care for the land: it gives back.
Our Mission
At Briarwood Lavender & Restoration Farm, our mission is to cultivate beauty, balance, and renewal — both for the land and for those who walk upon it. Nestled in Oregon’s Willamette Valley along the creek that gives our farm its life and song, Briarwood was founded with a dual purpose: to restore native habitat and to create a peaceful refuge where people can reconnect with nature’s rhythm.
We believe that restoration is more than an act of planting — it is a practice of healing. From the 70,000 native plants that now thrive where invasive species once grew, to the rows of lavender that perfume the summer air, every part of this land tells a story of transformation — from briars to beauty.
Through our lavender fields, handcrafted products, and plans for future wellness spaces like our soaking bath house, we seek to offer more than what is harvested from the soil. We offer a moment of calm, a breath of fresh air, and a reminder that nature, when cared for, gives back endlessly.
Briarwood Lavender & Restoration Farm stands as a testament to stewardship, sustainability, and the enduring elegance of simplicity — where every bloom represents renewal for the earth and restoration for the soul.