Central Coast Lavender · Paso Robles
Press & Media
An account of the work, kept in order.
Central Coast Lavender has been written about since 2007, 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
Central Coast Lavender founded in Paso Robles, California.
The first fields planted.
Lila incorporated and created the Central Coast Lavender Growers Association on her own, and presented the idea of the Central Coast Lavender Festival to the Paso Robles City Council, where it was approved unanimously.
Lila co-chaired and sponsored the first Central Coast Lavender Festival, held in Paso Robles Downtown City Park and continued each year since.
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. The national bylaws written that year record Lila Avery-Fuson serving as a USLGA director.
Keynote speaker at the Ojai Valley Lavender Festival.
Living the Country Life publishes “Purple Power,” a national feature about the Fuson family, the farm, distillation, products, and association leadership.
National bylaws record Lila Avery-Fuson serving as a USLGA director.
The Los Angeles Times includes the Central Coast Lavender Festival in statewide lavender and travel coverage.
The Pajaronian documents the ninth festival, Lila’s founder roles, Don Avery’s distillation demonstration, and the family enterprise.
The national NCAT/ATTRA lavender guide cites a distillation video featuring Lila as a California lavender farmer.
City of Paso Robles records continue to connect the growers association with the Lavender Festival.
The festival pauses during the pandemic, preserving a clear record of the interruption in local news and City documents.
The Central Coast Lavender Festival returns alongside the Paso Robles Olive Festival as a combined downtown event.
Official programs preserve the continuing Olive & Lavender Festival legacy; national farm directories continue to list Central Coast Lavender.
Lila publishes the festival’s origin story and the history of “The Alchemist,” preserving the people and equipment behind the farm’s distillation legacy.
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
“Purple Power,” Living the Country Life, Summer 2013, by Mitch Kezar. View the original spread.
“Lavender is the color of sweet serenity.”
Featured coverage
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.
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.
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.
Stop and smell the lavender
The festival is featured for its botanical goods, plant care, culinary offerings, and live distillation demonstration.
Lavender harvest and healing
A statewide guide includes the Central Coast Lavender Festival among California’s seasonal lavender experiences.
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.
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.
Lavender in Paso Robles
Contemporaneous coverage of the second festival and the growing lavender industry of San Luis Obispo County.
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.
Weekend Getaway: Paso Robles
Central Coast Lavender Farm appears among the region’s destinations in this travel feature.
Institutional record
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 has remained an active member from the founding to the present.
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.
Lavender production authority
The national sustainable-agriculture guide cites a distillation video featuring Lila as a California lavender farmer.
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
Festival and tourism
Recipes, images, and legacy web
Current business record
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 has remained an active member of USLGA from the founding to the present. 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