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Distillation and Manufacturing The wonderful fragrance of lavender is contained in its oil, which the plant produces and stores in tiny cells at the base of each floret. The amount and quality of the oil depends on the particular type of lavender cultivar and also on the amount of sunshine, especially just before harvest. In order to make perfumery products, the lavender essential oil must be separated from the plant flowers. This is done by steam distillation. Our distillation process begins with the harvest of the lavender flowers in mid-July. Actual dates of harvest and distillation varies each year due to weather conditions. The distillation kettles at our farm are packed full and steam is passed through the plants for about 45 – 50 minutes. The mixture of steam and oil vapor is piped to a condenser, where the pure essential oil collects in the separator. Various lavender cultivars produce differing amounts of oil. The spent lavender is allowed to cool and then carried away and used as mulch. The distillation unit operates almost daily and is available for guests to observe from late July until the end of August till mid September. The hybrid lavenders produce about 5 times more oil than the English Lavenders, consequently the higher cost. Also, the hybrid or Intermedia lavenders contain more camphor than the English Lavenders (angustifolia).
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After the lavender oil is aged, we use the pure oil to make our products. Normally about 1 – 3% oil is used, except in colognes where a higher concentration is required. Our farm follows GMP standards in preparing the many products that we make. We test our farm distilled lavender oil to make sure that it meets international standards. We have a laboratory at the farm to test our products as well as for the formulation of new and advanced products. Our bottling room is dust free and we can bottle approximately 400 bottles per hour depending on the product. We bottle frequently and you may observe this operation at our farm through a glass viewing window. We take great efforts to bring quality products to you that are safe to use as well as meeting all standards and expectations that you desire. We endeavor to produce products that are eco-friendly and will not harm the environment. Natural ingredients are used to the maximum extent possible in all cosmetic bases. |
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Copyright
2005, Lavender Valley, Hood River, OR |