Although lavender farming was started by his grandfather, Farm Tomita was established only in 1958, the year Tomita-san married his wife. In the 80's, when the weather was bad and competition crept in from artificial lavender flavouring, Tomota-san wanted to kill the plants and grow other crops like potatoes, which neighbouring farms did. As he was about to do so, the wheels of a tractor he drove seemed stuck as though the plants were clinging to them and telling him not kill them. He saw his wife crying and felt that his action would be akin to killing his own daughters. Tomita-san stuck on, explored alternatives of marketing his products and was also given a boost when a professional photographer took pix of his farm and had them posted on Japan Railway coaches. These drew many local as well as foreign visitors to the farm. His is a success story of someone not giving up in the face of adversity. He was given a special recognition by a province in France for his work and also graced with a visit by the current Japanese Emperor.