A local New York farm stands out in a national spotlight

A single plant in a small town just hit the big time. Monica Cody turned a backyard experiment into a business that now ranks among America’s fastest-growing women-run companies. Her farm, Farmstead 1868, grows more than lavender—it grows opportunity. By converting a family dairy plot into a lavender field and wellness brand, she tapped into a rising demand for natural scents, handmade goods, and farm life experiences. Visitors these days learn to distill oil, create homemade lotions, and walk pathways lined with purple blooms during the annual summer festival. What caught the attention of Inc. magazine is the scale of her impact. Last year the Female Founders 500 list highlighted women who together pulled in about $12. 3 billion in sales and secured $12. 2 billion in investment. Each name on that roster survived a tough selection process examining not just sales figures but creativity, social good, and audience growth. Previous honorees include household names like Billie Jean King and Serena Williams, showing that gender barriers can fall even in fields once dominated by men.

Cody didn’t start with a grand plan. Fresh curiosity led her to plant lavender on land her family had worked for five generations. Early sales happened at local farmers markets, where curious neighbors snapped up sachets and seedlings. She later added an online shop and partnerships with specialty stores as word spread. Today you can order lavender sugar online or grab a jar of essential oil at a boutique a hundred miles away. Behind the scenes, sustainability guides almost every decision. The farm follows guidelines that protect bees, reward humane animal care, and cut plastic waste. Packaging is reusable or recyclable, switching from single-use plastics to compostable materials where possible. These small changes add up when the goal is to stay gentle on the land while meeting shopper expectations. Industry experts who review the Female Founders list stress that success isn’t measured only in dollars. Women-led ventures create jobs at home, lift rural economies, and often pioneer cleaner production methods. Cody’s rise shows how a single crop can fuel wider change—in agriculture, wellness, and how we think about small business.

Actions