Last week we finished cutting and distilling our Grosso lavender so we have fresh hydrosol and are getting ready to bottle our first batch of essential lavender oil. The distilling process begins with cutting a wheelbarrow full of lavender early in the morning.  Next we fill the pot with 10 gallons of water and stuff the column full of lavender- leaves, stems and buds.  The burner is lit and the waiting game begins.  It takes about an hour for the water and plant material to heat up before the oil and hydrosol begin to drip out of the cold water bath.  The smell in the barn is amazing at this point!  For the next two hours we collect the liquid in flasks then wait for the oil and hydrosol to separate.  Finally it is time to drain the hydrosol in one container and the essential oil into another. 

Our lavender plants are continuing to bloom well into the summer.  We planted 700 small Hidcote Lavender plants in March with the help of family and friends and they are blooming now.  The first year they will be short stemmed but they have a beautiful deep purple color and will look amazing as a garnish for cocktails or in a small vase.  Come on out to the farm to check out our current bloom.  

Campers from all over the world continue to stop by the farm for the night with Hipcamp and Harvest Host.  Last week on the same night we had campers from Argentina (they were impressed with my knowledge of South American politics and economics!) and the lead singer of the Australian Indie rock band Mansionair.  Check out their great music- https://mansionair.com/ .  If you are looking for a relaxing and quiet place to spend the night as you travel through the Central Coast of California then Hambly Farms is the place.