Our Story
In the summer of 2004 Dave and Marsha Stanley left their home on the Lower Mainland for a driving holiday near Seattle Washington. They knew the time was nearing when they would need to make some changes - their children were grown and moving on, their careers no longer fulfilled them. Little did they know their trip would inspire a beautiful vision and a wondrous adventure!
As they made their way through quaint towns and rural villages, they noticed an abundance of lavender farms. They visited one after another and were captivated by the romance and the rural lifestyle. Dave and Marsha who had grown up on nearby Vancouver Island, experienced an awakening – why not start their own lavender farm?
They recalled their childhood years growing up in the natural expanse of the Cowichan Valley and thought of Marsha’s best friend Alison Philp who still lived there.
Inspired and rejuvenated, their idea grew to include a partnership and a 3-year plan. ‘We’ll look around for a while, see if any suitable land comes available, look at transitioning out of our jobs, and in a few years, make it happen”. Or so they thought.............
Damali Farm took on a life of its own in the fall of 2004 as almost immediately the partners stumbled upon 13 acres of tired worn pasture land cradled in the heart of the Cowichan Valley. Long labouring as a sheep farm, the land was for sale, the owner set to depart for Mexico. Marsha and Alison had often times ridden past that very farm on horseback many years before. The land itself was an ideal location: minutes from Duncan, a leisurely drive from Victoria or Nanaimo with Arbutus Ridge Golf Course across the road and many vineyards just around the corner. With so many reasons for people to visit the area already, lavender would surely be a welcome addition.
The partners made an offer on the acreage, but it was turned down. In a leap of faith, Alison decided to rent the now vacant farm house and put her own home up for sale. Just as she and her sons were settliing in.....
....Dave was offered an early retirement package....there was no looking back now! The Partners made another offer for the estate, and this time, it was accepted. All the pieces were coming together as if by some divine intervention – even the name. Dave, Marsha and Alison had tossed around many possibilities and liked the sound of ‘Damali’. DA for Dave, MA for Marsha and sharing the A plus LI for Alison, ‘Damali’ had a nice ring to it, sounded Mediterranean. Looking it up on the internet, they discovered that it was in fact an Arabic name meaning ‘beautiful vision’. Awestruck, they had to wonder if they themselves had chosen this new path, or if it had chosen them? What had been a 3-year plan had manifested itself in a matter of months.
In their first season, the spring of 2005, the Partners of Damali experimented with 600 lavendar plants. The success of that crop led to the addition of 6000 more plants the following year followed by another 6000 in 2007. Selected for their suitability to the climate and terrain, as well as for their properties, Damali now grows over 20 varieties of lavender.
Alison and the boys live in the fully renovated original farmhouse and the B&B built in 2007 houses Marsha & Dave and guests from all over the world. The French-inspired farmhouse designed by Pamela Charlesworth, a well known Victoria architect, offers the conveniences of modern life with all the comfort and charm of yesteryear. Pamela was inspired by the owners vision of a French country farmhouse to suit the Cowichan Valley's emerging image as the Provence of Canada.
A working farm registered with Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), Damali has been host to over 100 ‘wwoofers’ from abroad who have shared their expertise while planting lavender and vines and contributing to the farm's development.
Kiri Dave Marsha Tomoko Alison
In 2007 a building with a lavender boutique shop and woodworking shop was designed to include a Woofer loft, facilitating a refreshing immersion into farm lifestyle for these travellers and further establishes the French-Provincial feel of the estate. Preserving their character and charm, Damali has also repurposed organic outbuildings to serve as drying sheds and a winery/vinegary.
With considerable hard work and tender loving care, the ‘beautiful vision’ that is Damali has literally blossomed. The once tired sheep farm has been transformed into a wholesome hive of activity nurturing fields of lavender, fruitful orchards, a vineyard and a gift shop.
Damali now attracts many visitors and the hosts welcome you to come to their little piece of heaven and 'Indulge your Senses ~ Savour the Lifestyle'
Photos courtesy of Enise Olding
