Regular market season has come to a close, and now we have begun distilling evergreens for new products for winter markets.
This week we are distilling 2 Fir species: Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) and Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri). The plant material is from local trees, provided to us by the Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm.
Firs are strongly aromatic, with a complex chemical profile in the stems and needles. Essential oils of several fir species have been extensively researched for their medicinal properties. Some representative studies can be found here and here. Needless to say, distilling the plant material fills the house with the most sublime, uplifting aromatherapy one could ask for.
This round of distillations yielded record amounts of essential oils:
Some of the essential oils we get from the ongoing distillations will be used in a new batch of our Winter Woods Salve. The hydrosols and the remainder of the essential oils are the main ingredients of a brand new room spray that I am currently formulating. Both products will be sold at Cedar Hill Christmas Tree Farm this season, and as always we will be selling Winter Woods Salve along with many other unique products at the upcoming Winter markets.
