ABC57's Sidney Moore stopped by the Schoolhouse for a Community Watch feature on Bloomfield's story, from a Texas transplant's hobby to a full lavender farm, downtown apothecary, and the ongoing restoration of a 1904 schoolhouse now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bloomfield Featured on ABC57 News
Jul 9, 2026
Yesterday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Sidney Moore and the ABC57 News team to the Schoolhouse for their Community Watch segment. Sitting down to talk about Bloomfield with someone eager to share our story was a real gift.
If you haven't seen the piece yet, it's a lovely look at how we got here.
The Story They Told
What started as a quiet COVID-era project has turned into something we could never have imagined when we first moved from Texas to LaGrange County. Back in Texas, one of our favorite places to visit was a lavender farm. We planted a few rows here just to see if it might grow.
It did. And then it grew into something much bigger than a hobby.
After selling out at farmers markets across the area and watching the lavender fields fill in, we opened a small storefront downtown. That became the Apothecary. And when the 1904 Schoolhouse came up for us to purchase, we knew it was meant to be part of the story. A place to gather. A place to host the community. A place worth restoring.
Like Pandora's Box
The Schoolhouse has been humbling in the best way. As I told ABC57, restoring it has felt a little like opening Pandora's Box. Every wall we've opened has held a surprise. Some good, some challenging, all part of the process.
But the building is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and that recognition means it will be around for many years to come. That matters to us, and we hope it matters to LaGrange County, too.
Thank You for Being Part of This
None of this happens without the community that has walked alongside us. Every visit to the Apothecary, every stop at our farmers market booth, every kind word about the work we're doing on the Schoolhouse. It all adds up. It's what keeps us going through the harder days of a restoration project.
We're grateful to Sidney and the ABC57 team for taking the time to visit us, and to everyone who has shared in this journey so far. The best chapters are still ahead.
Read the full ABC57 feature here →
With warmth,
Marion
Bloomfield Schoolhouse Lavender
