Tom & Jesse of Baroque Botanicals opened their farm to visitors for their Open House in mid-July. Their lavender fields were gorgeous and wonderfully aromatic. But I was reminded of how much effort, time and expertise goes into growing, harvesting and then distilling plants for their essential oils and hydrosols. Their Lavandin crops had a rough winter and spring – so much so, they lost most of this subspecies and had to re-plant these fields. For me, this is a reminder to use essential oils as they are intended – for a specific purpose and in the lowest concentration required. Sustainability is an issue for all of us, whether it is Sandalwood, Frankincense or Lavender.
These wondrous plants and their caretakers require and deserve our respect if we are to continue having access – both in terms of affordability but also in terms of endangering species to the point of their extinction — as is the case with Indian Sandalwood!
I will be speaking in greater detail about sustainability and aromatherapy at the Zero Waste Festival organized by the Guelph Tool Library. This is a pay-what-you-can event. To check out all the workshops and speakers, go to eventbrite.ca and search for ‘Zero Waste Festival’.
I carry Baroque Botanicals lavender essential oil and lavender hydrosol, along with a selection of other Canadian essential oils, including Black Spruce, Balsam Fir and Chocolate Peppermint. Visit me at the Guelph Farmers’ Market Saturdays.
