Lavender Farm Day was Filled with Fun!

We had close to 3,000 guests at the Lavender Farm on Friday for Convention, and it was absolutely fabulous! We loved having you here, and we want to thank you for your enthusiasm and kindness. We hope you'll visit us often!

Farm Day began early (the buses arrived an hour and a half earlier than expected, which caught us a bit off guard!), but the cool morning breeze was a lovely way to introduce guests to our exclusive farm oil blend Garden Breeze. This floral blend was created to remind visitors of the fragrances enjoyed while walking through our herb gardens.

We also offered wagon tours, distillery tours, presentations by Gary Young at our new exhibit of early distillation in France, Animal Oils Training (Raindrop) presentation by Gary Young, Bath Salt and Lavender Foot Scrub booth, delicious shaved ice and sorbets with Young Living products, fabulous food and entertainment, activities for the kids such as the Lavender Fairy Tea Party and Knights Tale Party, rock climbing, pony rides, paddleboat rides, and so much more!

My favorite moments were spent watching ladies sitting back and relaxing as they received a soothing foot scrub with our new lavender products, seeing Mary Young's mother perform on the stage playing and singing her heart out, listening to Gary Young as he shared fascinating facts about the early distillation methods in France and the development of his lavender farms, hearing the sounds of children laughing and playing at the parties, reconnecting with so many friends, and hearing comments from our guests such as, "We've had such a wonderful time here. This farm is absolutely beautiful. Gary must be so proud!"

I hope you'll share your thoughts and favorite moments from Farm Day with us. You may even win a bottle of Lavender Peppermint essential oil if you post your comment before June 21st! I'll be posting photos soon, so be sure to check back often on our blog. And for those of you who had the chance to enjoy the cool NingXia Red shaved ice and essential oil sorbets, I will also be posting those recipes soon!

Generosity Matters

I'm hoping some of our readers are BIG fans of American Idol because I just had to say how exciting this week's show was! My top four favorites are still in the running for this year's winner. I'm cheering for the guy from Utah--what an amazing voice and adorable personality!

I was impressed by more than just great performances on American Idol though. It was touching to see the impact people can have on others' lives when they contribute, donate, and offer humanitarian aid to those less fortunate. Generosity matters! American Idol's efforts to help the poorest people of the world are inspiring (Idol Gives Back), and we applaud all who are working to make the world a better place.

Freedom of Health Foundation
I am so fortunate to work for a company whose founder and president leads the way in giving back to the community, locally and globally. Young Living is very involved in humanitarian efforts through the Freedom of Health Foundation. Through this foundation, Young Living, its employees, and distributors can donate funds, supplies, and time to aid their local communities and also the global community. One of the projects Young Living has initiated is the building of a new school for the children of Chongon, a village in Ecuador near the Young Living Farm. Gary Young's compassion for these children is apparent in all that he does to bring a better quality of life for them. He has initiated the building project, as well as many other service projects, because of his deep desire to give back to others.

On my recent trip to Ecuador, I was able to visit the existing school in Chongon and see the site of the new school. Gary Young has been providing aid to the people in Ecuador for the past couple of years since he's lived there, and he would often come back and share with us his love for these people and his desire to improve their living conditions and educational opportunities.

Below is a photo of the existing school's block building, which has very few desks, tattered books, a separate outhouse without running water, and is lacking a cafeteria where the students can eat lunch. It's in stark contrast to the schools we have in the United States, where our children are provided with clean, air conditioned buildings, desks, lockers, new textbooks, computers, etc.

Young Living has purchased the land and donated thousands of dollars for the building of a new school, with new supplies and equipment as well. We encourage you to join us in donating to this worthy cause, and help us make a positive difference in the lives of these children.

(To donate to the Freedom of Health Foundation, please send checks payable to the foundation to the Young Living corporate office.)

Young Living Ecuador Farm Video

Here is a video of the Amazon Adventure that took place last week. It shows how beautiful it is down there and helps me see Gary Young's vision for all the Young Living Farms. Don't forget to comment on Suzette's post below to be entered to win a bottle of RutaVaLa essential oil!




P.S. The lavender plants in the greenhouses down in Mona are really growing. Spring is just about here!

Raindrop Therapy Tops List of Spa Treatments for 2008

Just before catching my flight home from a recent trip, I stopped at a newsstand and purchased a copy of Spa Worldwide Guide 2008 and was thrilled to read that Gary Young's Raindrop Technique and Young Living's essential oils made the list of favorite spa treatments for 2008! This list was compiled by the magazine's contributing writers, who travelled the world visiting spas and selecting their top 25 favorite treatments.

The Raindrop Therapy is featured prominently in the section titled "On the Menu" and is offered at the Spa at Las Ventanas al Paraiso in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico.

Did You Know?
The Young Living Lavender Farm will be offering a training on the Raindrop Technique and other classes in 2008. If you're a spa owner, massage therapist, or essential-oil enthusiast, this is a great opportunity to receive training in essential oils and the Raindrop Technique. Gary Young's beautiful Young Living Lavender Farm, where plants are grown and distilled for the production of premium essential oils, is the ideal place to begin or further your essential oil education! Click here for class schedules.

Convention Farm Day 2008
Young Living Distributors attending Convention 2008 will get to spend the day touring the Young Living Lavender Farm and participating in various activities on Thursday, June 12th. Be sure to mark your calendars and make plans to visit us during Convention!

Fitness Tips:
A huge thank you to all our readers who have shared your great tips on using Young Living's essential oils and products as part of your fitness plan. I'm excited to try your suggestions! It's great to be part of such a supportive and sharing community. Your positive comments are helpful and inspiring. We will announce the winner of our "Fabulous Fitness for the New Year" promotion tomorrow.

Gary Young's Travels Lead to a Lavender Farm in Maui, Hawaii

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."
St. Augustine
Travelling the world in search of new plants and healing modalities, Gary Young has spent a lifetime going from one end of the globe to the other to gain new knowledge, and along the way, he shares his passion for plants and essential oils with others he meets. On one such visit to Maui, Hawaii, two years ago, he met Ali'i Chang, founder and proprietor of Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm.

Gary Young and his family enjoyed visiting Ali'i's lovely farm in upcountry Maui, and Gary was eager to share some of his knowledge about lavender plants with Ali'i.

Since Gary Young's visit, Ali'i has planted more varieties of lavender, and his picturesque farm is now flourishing with plants and products. I visited the farm this past weekend and enjoyed a delightful Lavender Garden Tea Tour, sampled and purchased many of their lavender products, and spent valuable time exchanging ideas and learning from my new friends in Hawaii.

The Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm sits in a setting that has been described as having a "dreamlike beauty" and is truly an enchanting place. "My passion has always been in the earth," says Ali'i. By sharing the same passion, Gary Young and Ali'i Chang are able to educate visitors to their farms about the benefits of reconnecting to the earth and of living the "lavender lifestyle".

My hosts were extremely hospitable and kind, and I hope that when you are in Maui, you will take time to "stop and smell the lavender" at the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm for a soothing, nurturing experience!

Reservations are not needed to visit, however all tours require 24 hour advance reservations. Mele Kalikimaka to all!

Sweetest Massage at the Spa Bellagio

When in Las Vegas, you absolutely must visit the Spa Bellagio at the world-class Bellagio Hotel for one of the most relaxing and therapeutic massages you will ever receive on planet earth--the Raindrop Therapy. This massage is one of the spa's World Therapies and was inspired by Gary Young's Raindrop Technique. True to their claim of using the purest essential oils in their spa treatments, Spa Bellagio uses Young Living's essential oils.
The Raindrop Technique consists of nine Young Living essential oils applied to the body (Valor, oregano, thyme, wintergreen, peppermint, basil, cypress, marjoram, and Aroma Siez). Several of the oils are dispensed like little drops of rain along the back and very lightly massaged along the vertebrae and back muscles. The oils work synergistically, and accompanied with massage from a trained therapist, will help your mind and body enjoy amazing therapeutic benefits.
Seventy minutes of pure bliss await you at the Spa Bellagio. This unique experience is a must when in Las Vegas!

For more information about the Raindrop Technique, how to get certified, or Young Living's essential oils, please contact Young Living's Distributor Network Services at 1-800-371-2928.

What's Not To Love?

Welcome to my new office—the Young Living Lavender Farm! Isn’t it gorgeous? I get to spend part of my work week at the Mona farm, where I’ll be planning events (Lavender Days 2008 is only 289 days away, can you believe it?) and working with Gary and Mary Young and our marketing team on developing new products that will be available from the farm. So be sure to check often for new product offerings, product tips, recipes, and information about events on the Young Living Lavender Farm Web site.

As most of you know, our products are developed with therapeutic-grade essential oils and without harmful chemicals. When you visit the Young Living Lavender Farm, you really start to get a sense of what our mission is all about, as we honor our stewardship to champion nature’s living energy, essential oils.

I recently had the opportunity to take a little bit of “the farm” to our distributors who attended Young Living’s Annual Grand Convention in Washington DC. We had a display featuring the four farms that Young Living owns and operates, as well as a few products from our Lavender Farm in Mona that were available for sale. We sold out of our lavender products within minutes! I wasn’t at all surprised, because I know that people have come to trust the Young Living Lavender Farm as a source for the purest, highest quality products made with therapeutic-grade essential oils.


There is definitely plenty to love about the Young Living Lavender Farm—from the tranquil, breathtaking setting that visitors can enjoy year round, to the fabulous lavender products. I hope you’ll take a break and stop by to visit during the month of September—it’s absolutely delightful out here!