Organic Herb Farming

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Organic Herb Farming

 

The key to producing oils that are of genuine therapeutic

quality starts with the proper cultivation of the herbs in

the field.

 

Plants should be grown on virgin land uncontaminated by

chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides.

They should also be grown away from nuclear plants,

factories, interstates, highways, and heavily-populated

cities, if possible.

 

Because robust, healthy plants produce higher quality

essential oils, the soil should be nourished with

enzymes, minerals, and organic biosolids. The mineral

content of the soil is crucial to the proper development of

the plant, and soils that lack minerals result in plants that

produce inferior oils.

 

Land and crops should be watered with reservoir or

watershed water. Mountain stream water is best because

of its purity and high mineral content. Municipally-treated

water or secondary run-off water from residential and

commercial areas can introduce undesirable chemicals

and residues into the plant and the essential oil.

 

Different varieties of plants produce different qualities of

oils. Only those cultivars that produce the highest quality

essential oil should be selected.

 

The timing of the harvest is one of the most important

factors in the production of therapeutic-grade oils. If the

plant is harvested at the wrong time of the season or

even at the incorrect time of day, a substandard essential

oil can be produced. In some instances, changing

harvest time, by even a few hours, can make a huge

difference. For example, German chamomile harvested

in the morning will produce an oil with far more azulene

(a powerful anti-inflammatory compound) than

chamomile harvested in the late afternoon.

 

Other factors that should be taken into consideration

during the harvest include the amount of dew on the

leaves, the percentage of plant in bloom, and weather

conditions during the two weeks prior to harvest.

 

To prevent herbs from drying out prior to being distilled,

distillers should be located as close to the field as

possible. Transporting herbs to distillers hundreds or

thousands of miles away heightens the risk of exposure

to pollutants, dust, mold, and petrochemical residues.