Organic Hydrosol
Rosemary from Naracoorte Rosemary Farm
Rosemary has been used for centuries in medicines, perfumes and household luxuries. Rosemary has been used for centuries to scent water in the bathhouses and laundries of people in various countries and also to heal wounds and treat infections.
Rosemary has featured as one of the most important herbs throughout history and this continues today as its leaves, oil and flowers are used to enhance flavours in cooking, promote health and beauty, and even repel insects.
Pure and natural Organic Rosemary Hydrosol – using steam distillation
Rosemary plant material harvested on the farm is placed in a large drum which itself is placed in our steam distillation extraction equipment with pure filtered rainwater and heated by our gas powered boiler. The steam produced gently extracts the rosemary oil at a very specific temperature and pressure from the leaves as a vapour. This water and rosemary oil mixture is then cooled until it becomes a rosemary hydrosol and then exits our separation vessel and collected. We have created a specific process to maximise the potency of the rosemary hydrosol that safe for humans and animals.
Our plants have been bred so that they can be harvested at most times of the year except when they go dormant in the middle of winter.
We use a very ancient, tried and true method that produces clean rosemary hydrosol without any additives.
It takes about 80 kilograms of rosemary leaves to produce 30 litres of rosemary hydrosol. More recently, the farm has continued to develop products that showcase its unique aroma and healing properties.
Sustainability at Naracoorte Rosemary Farm
Naracoorte Rosemary Farm is continually working to improve its farming practices and increase the farm’s efficiency and sustainability.
Naracoorte Rosemary Farm has nearly zero requirements for ground water as are plants are extremely drought resistant and do not tolerate having wet roots – the farm is now completely self-sufficient. Water used in the distillation process uses rainwater that is cooled and recycled.
Rainfall is captured from rooftops and sheds on the farm and all aspects of our farm are tailored towards sustainability:
- Native plants and forests surround our farm and these provide and help control pests naturally along with our own beehives.
- Weeds are removed by hand with zero pesticides and fungicides used on the farm.
- All left over plant material used in the local community is shredder where people use the composted and used to put nutrients back into the soil of their gardens.
- At the end of their productive life, lavender production areas are rested for a season with rotational cropping to improve soil quality, prior to being replanted.
