Getting Intimate with Lavender

Part I – Essentials with Michael Lemmers MD

Ahh!! — the essence of lavender in a bottle — those wonderful essential oils of Lavandula that we love and use in so many ways. But do we really know what it is? How it’s manufactured in the plant? Why we’re able to extract it? Do we know how it gets into our systems? What real benefits it has? What potential harms are linked to it?

As growers of lavender, producers of essential oil, and end-users of lavender products, we occupy an “ought to know” position when it comes to answering these seemingly basic questions. This session will help you get comfortable with the nitty-gritty of lavender essential oils, and the important ways it interacts with our own anatomy and physiology.

Part II – Essences with Mesha Munyan

Getting up close and personal with your cultivars

What factors determine scent variations of Lavender Essential Oils?
-The type of cultivar?
-The scent of the compounds found in GC/MS tests?
-The flowering stage at harvest? Distilling fresh or dried?
-The type of distillation equipment used? Methods and techniques?
-Aging and storage?

Can you train your nose to sniff out the differences? Explore the scent of compounds, tools and techniques to evaluate your oils.
Put your nose to the test! Samples will be exhibited