Aroma 203—module2--option 4: Researching Local EO Production

Do some research in your area and see if there is any essential oil production or essential oil

crops grown in your area. If you can, arrange a field trip to visit one of the farms you discover. Report on your findings… take photographs and use them to create a presentation of your field

trip.

Native Scents It was fun visiting Native Scents in Taos New Mexico many years ago. I returned there to do this project. It is a small, sole proprietorship, where Desert sage (Artemesia tridentate), pinon (Pinus edulis) juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) & jemez pinon (Pinus Ssp) are steam distilled. I use to purchase the sage oil for aromatic candles. Alfred, the distiller & owner, wildcrafts the plant material—hence, “Wildcrafted” would be the quality grade indicator for these essential oils.

Desert Sage (Artemesia tridentate) …or Big Sage is like grass in northern New Mexico—abundant & everywhere! It has taken over the indigenous grasses after

overgrazing and mismanagement of the land.(Big Sage & Juniper—Sangre De Christo Mountains)

Old-timers say there wasn’t nearly as muchsage growing when they were young. The

volatile oil in sage prevents anything else fromgerminating around it save rabbit brush,juniper, pinon and lichen. It is a shrubby,

drought tolerant “rough & rugged” plant withan amazingly beautiful smell. On a rainy day the

air is saturated with the glorious aroma. TheNative Americans traditionally collect it into

bundles called smudge sticks, burned as incense topurify.

Big Sage--Artemisia trientata

[full sun, low water, zone 4]

A silver-grey evergreen shrub 3-4 ft. tall in New Mexico, up to 6 ft. tall in its northern range. Very rugged. The picture of the Old West. Strongly

aromatic foliage. A handsome specimen or

foliar accent in your unwatered or watered garden. Inconspicuous flowers. Sow in fall or

spring.

(Plants of the Southwest nursery,

Santa Fe NM)

White or California sage (Salvia apiana), Culinary sage (Salvia officionalis) and

Spanish sage (Sage lavanduli folia) are not related to Desert Sage. It is actually in the same family as wormwood. Like wormwood, it has high ketone content. In 2000, Albert was in negotiations to

produce sage essential oil for Aveda, so he had a copy of the gas chromatogram for the sage. It indicates 45% ketones.

This gives it a medium therapeutic margin for toxicity; beneficial to liver &

skin in proper dosage

The Distillation Process I was unable to connect with Alfred this time around. I was hoping he could send me a picture of his still. It is a large (approx 6ft tall x 5ft wide) still in which he stuffs the material. The oil is bottled by hand with a computerized label which indicates the batch # and the Latin name of the of the plant.

The cargo car Alfred has made into his distillery—behind the store front

Alfred has experimented distilling other plants like Osha root & white sage seen here in a decorative bottle. He was

unsuccessful in distilling sweetgrass-a sweet smelling grass native to the Great Plains.

California Sage, juniper & Big Sage smudge sticks

“Native Scents distills essential oils of southwest flavor: Desert Sage, White

Sage, Pinon and Juniper”www.nativescents.net

I found Desert Blends new location by accident while looking for Alfred’s place—not easy to find after all these years. Desert Blends is another local cottage-industry that makes use of local herbs. Toni, the owner, makes her own custom line of body & bath amenities which she sells locally. Her business is expanding rapidly in blending for hotel and spa private labeling.

Toni doesn’t distill essential oils. However, she uses Alfred’s sage oil in some of her products. For instance, I made Toni aromatic candles, with her signature EO blend, for her 2002 Christmas season gift baskets. Herbal Sage is the key ingredient in her signature line of cosmetics. She says our Big Sage has very nutritive and regenerative properties for the skin.

Toni wildcrafts local herbs to make tinctures, oil infusions, teas and decoctions which she uses in her cosmetics. I’ve never visited Tony at her studio before, so I was impressed to see the extent of what she does and how she does it. She consults with a cosmetic chemist to formulate parts of the blends—specifically the proportions & base

ingredients—all else is her energy & philosophy. I learned that her life philosophy, training, blending techniques and product purpose is Ayurvedic & holistic. The entire process is infused with blessing & gratitude from beginning (wildcrafting plants) to end (packaging).

Drying wildcrafted evening primrose seeds--high in EFA for skin nourishment

Main Production Area

Tony graciously let me snoop into her shelves. She is brewing many herbs.

There are bottles of essential oils and high-grade cold-pressed vegetableoils. Eventhough she focuses on using plants from our New Mexican

desert,she will wild craft other plants that grow in other deserts—like chaparralwhich grows closer to California & Mexico.

This field trip revealed to

me just how pure, fresh &

high quality the products

& process are; from theRaw materials to the

finalproducts.

Toni is on the cover of the

October issue of NewMexico Magazine, with afeature article inside.

Shehas a retail space in theJohn Dunn Plaza, TaosNM, and a website.www.desertblends.com

• “ Desert Blends of Taos … provide innovative formulas and products that are unique to the land of enchantment, using indigenous and organic ingredients…mindful awareness of our environment and hold a reverence for traditional ways and practices of the native people, Mother Earth and her healing plants.

• We buy Organic from small farms and wildcraft (harvest) out in nature. Green lush Sage from arroyos in Taos; Watercress from clean fresh mountain water acequias; Chapparal wildcrafted in the southern region of New Mexico; Blue Corn from Velarde farms, lavender flower from Chimayo, red clay from the mesa in southern Colorado, sea salt and volcanic ash from the salt beds of Utah and continually researching and blending!

• We believe in sustainable business practice by buying local, recycling and supporting our greater community. What is good for us is good for the whole.

• In an on going partnership with the community, Desert Blends has pledged a portion of it's proceeds to Terra Nova Children's Foundation. www.terranovataos.com “