TUMALO (AP) - Farmer Gordon Knight is turning from bales of hay to bunches of lavender.

Last summer he planted 1,000 of the small, aromatic shrubs on a test plot at his 10-acre farm outside Tumalo in Central Oregon.

This summer, he plans to put in 5,000 more lavender plants with the hope of providing the popular herb to the fragrance, specialty-food and alternative-medicine industries.

Rising demand and high prices make lavender an attractive crop for Central Oregon farmers, especially because the region's high elevation compares with the popular lavender-growing region of Provence in southeastern France.

Central Oregon farmers are looking for alternatives to stalwarts such as garlic, potatoes and peppermint oil, as disease and foreign competition make them less attractive. The region's dry climate and sandy soil also provide optimal conditions for the arid crop, which requires a heavy amount of capital and labor.

Mylen Bohle, an extension agent for Oregon State University, said six farms in Central Oregon will produce lavender next year.

“It's an ideal crop for this region because the higher elevation creates higher quality oil,” he said.

Knight spent three years researching the lavender market on the Internet, in books and by visiting places such as Sequim, Wash., known as “the lavender capital of North America.” He discovered potential for the crop.

“I wouldn't be doing this if I couldn't make a profit,” he said.

Evidence of lavender's romantic appeal to the masses can be seen in mid-July when Sequim draws thousands of visitors to view the purple haze of lavender fields during its annual “Celebrate Lavender Festival,” which coincides with the plant's harvest.

When it's in full operation, visitors to Tumalo Lavender will be able to pick from the 10 varieties grown on Knight's farm, including English Lavender, also known for its sweet fragrance. Lavender also is used to make crafts such as wreaths, and for cooking and medicine.

Because each plant demands an exact amount of water, Knight began testing a prototype for a micro-irrigation system developed by a California company. The system offsets Central Oregon's shallow, sandy soil with a more efficient, targeted spray than the typical spray wheel.