Press & Media
An account of the work, kept in order.
Central Coast Lavender has been written about since 2010, in the regional press and the national. The record is set out below with its dates and its bylines, so that anyone writing about the estate may work from the source rather than from summary.
The lavender is honored in how it is grown, cut, and distilled—from the heritage mother stock to the copper alembic still, carried over with patience and with time. Hands-on time with the plant through all of its life stages; one farm, one season, one lifestyle.
Chronology
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2006
Central Coast Lavender founded in Paso Robles, California.
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2007
The first fields planted.
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2008
The Central Coast Lavender Growers Association established.
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2009
The first Central Coast Lavender Festival held in Paso Robles Downtown City Park.
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2011–12
Selected for the small steering committee that created and vested USLGA and served as one of the directors who filed the nonprofit; after the public membership launch, elected founding vice president.
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2013
Living the Country Life publishes “Purple Power,” a national feature about the Fuson family, the farm, distillation, products, and association leadership.
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2014
National bylaws record Lila Avery-Fuson serving as a USLGA director.
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2015–16
The Los Angeles Times includes the Central Coast Lavender Festival in statewide lavender and travel coverage.
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2017
The Pajaronian documents the ninth festival, Lila’s founder roles, Don Avery’s distillation demonstration, and the family enterprise.
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2018
The national NCAT/ATTRA lavender guide cites a distillation video featuring Lila as a California lavender farmer.
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2019
City of Paso Robles records continue to connect the growers association with the Lavender Festival.
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2020
The festival pauses during the pandemic, preserving a clear record of the interruption in local news and City documents.
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2021
The Central Coast Lavender Festival returns alongside the Paso Robles Olive Festival as a combined downtown event.
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2023–24
Official programs preserve the continuing Olive & Lavender Festival legacy; national farm directories continue to list Central Coast Lavender.
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2025
Lila publishes the festival’s origin story and the history of “The Alchemist,” preserving the people and equipment behind the farm’s distillation legacy.
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2026
New profiles in the Santa Maria Sun and Paso Robles Press mark two decades of growing, distilling, formulating, teaching, and industry leadership.
From the print archive
Featured coverage
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2026 · Paso Robles Press
Olive and Lavender Festival draws large crowds to Downtown Paso Robles
The account credits the founding of the Lavender Festival to Lila Avery-Fuson and traces the partnership with Norma Moye, the Main Street Association, and the City of Paso Robles.By Hayley Mattson, 21 May 2026. Read the story -
2026 · Santa Maria Sun
Early Central Coast lavender proprietor continues sharing the flower’s many uses
A current profile of the farm, the products, the festival, the family history, and the educational work.By Madison White, 12 February 2026. Read the feature -
2017 · The Pajaronian
Paso Robles Lavender Festival returns for ninth year
The article reports Lila’s founder roles and describes the distillation process demonstrated at the festival by Don Avery.By Allyson Woolley, 25 July 2017. Read the story -
2016 · Los Angeles Times
Stop and smell the lavender
The festival is featured for its botanical goods, plant care, culinary offerings, and live distillation demonstration.Read the story -
2015 · Los Angeles Times
Lavender harvest and healing
A statewide guide includes the Central Coast Lavender Festival among California’s seasonal lavender experiences.Read the story -
2013 · Living the Country Life
Purple Power
A national magazine feature documenting the early fields, copper alembic still, handcrafted range, family life, and association leadership.By Mitch Kezar, Summer 2013, pages 24–25. View the spread -
2012 · Female Entrepreneur Association
Lila’s Organic Lavender Farm
A long-form founder interview on the growers association, festival, products, organic agriculture, and the newly formed national association.January 2012. Read the interview -
2010 · SFGate
Lavender in Paso Robles
Contemporaneous coverage of the second festival and the growing lavender industry of San Luis Obispo County.Read the story -
2010 · 805 Living
A seven-acre family lavender farm
The archived issue records the seven acres, more than 20,000 plants, farm distillation, culinary uses, and the family team.Open the issue -
2010 · CBS Los Angeles
Weekend Getaway: Paso Robles
Central Coast Lavender Farm appears among the region’s destinations in this travel feature.Read the story
Institutional record
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United States Lavender Growers Association
Founding and charter members
Lila was selected for the small pre-filing steering committee and served actively for almost a year while the nonprofit was created and vested. She was one of the directors who filed the nonprofit. She co-wrote the membership guidelines, co-chaired the membership committee, and—after the public call for members—was elected founding vice president. She continued serving for years, including co-chair roles in Membership, Education & Research, and Advocacy.View the founding record -
California Certified Organic Farmers · 2008
An early California organic-farm record
The CCOF directory lists Central Coast Lavender LLC and records the farm’s lavender, essential oil, hydrosol, and lavender water.Open the directory -
NCAT · ATTRA
Lavender production authority
The national sustainable-agriculture guide cites a distillation video featuring Lila as a California lavender farmer.Open the guide
Matters of record
- Founded in Paso Robles in 2006; first fields planted in 2007.
- Traditional copper alembic distillation.
- Strong historical evidence of certified-organic production.
- The estate is not generally open to the public.
Story angles
- Women in agriculture and founder resilience.
- Field to bottle: traditional lavender distillation.
- The building of an American lavender industry.
- Agritourism, festivals, and regional identity.
- Lavender varieties, uses, and formulation.
- Mentoring the next generation of growers.
From the archive
Magazine and editorial
T Magazine / New York Times · 2012North County Life · 2013Zomppa · 2011The Provision Room · 2012
Festival and tourism
Official 2024 festival programTravel Paso · historicalGrowers association and first festivalAgritourism WorldMindtrip
Recipes, images, and legacy web
Lila’s lavender shortbread · USLGAPhotograph archiveLila Fuson TumblrHistorical Pinterest pinLilaFuson.com
Current business record
Central Coast Lavender Academy trademark listingSanta Maria Sun archiveVisit SLO CAL
Some entries point to retired publications or legacy pages and may no longer load. They are kept so the citation trail is preserved.
The founder
Lila Avery-Fuson founded Central Coast Lavender in Paso Robles in 2006 and planted the first fields in 2007. She went on to establish the Central Coast Lavender Growers Association and the Central Coast Lavender Festival. She was then selected for the steering committee that built the United States Lavender Growers Association, served as one of the directors who filed the nonprofit, co-wrote its membership guidelines, co-chaired membership, and was elected founding vice president after the association opened to members. She remained active for years, including co-chair roles in Membership, Education & Research, and Advocacy. Her work spans lavender cultivation, traditional copper-still distillation, botanical formulation, small-business development, consulting, and education.
For press
Interviews, expert commentary, speaking inquiries, historical images, product information, and permission requests are welcomed through the contact page.
Some traditions are chosen. Others quietly choose you.
Central Coast Lavender · Paso Robles, California · Archive updated August 2026