Journal


Fir Distillations

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.

Fresh cut Balsam and Fraser Fir (Abies balsamea & Abies fraseri)
Filling the 5-liter distillation bubble

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:

Fir essential oil accumulating in the separator

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.

Fir Room Spray, blended and bottled!

Winter Markets

Our third growing season here in Canada has ended, but as always we are keeping busy distilling evergreens and preparing for the upcoming Winter market season.

This year we will be attending the following markets:

Almonte Harvest Market: November 9, 2019

Aruma Christmas Market: Sunday, Nov 17, 2019

Almonte Christmas Market: December 7, 2019

Once again this year we will be offering special products for the holidays:

Special Holiday Gifts: Lotion Bars, Holiday Gift Boxes, and Diffuser Blend Sets

Balsam Poplar

Balsam Poplar buds

Sticky and aromatic Balsam Poplar buds

Young Balsam Poplars

I have been looking for this tree, Populus balsamifera. I wanted to get to know it and make an oil with some of its buds, a traditional medicine. Today I found a small stand and have permission to harvest.  The trees are a bit invasive where they are and so need to be managed and smaller ones removed so we can work together, a best case scenario! So grateful.


Scar oil

Rosehip seed oil, Argan oil, cistus and helichrysum essential oils. All organic. Blended to help reduce scarring and promote healing of damaged skin.
In dram (3.75ml) tap dropper amber glass.
I like the way the lines of Light knit together, just the way we want the skin to heal.
So thankful to be of service to those in need.

Scar oil lines of light

The lines of light