The Lavender Farm at Mona, Utah
(2017 Young Living Convention) by Cheryl L. McClure
June, 2017 was slated for our Young Living Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Part of the agenda was to visit the lavender farm in Mona but it was much more than a lavender farm! My friend, Debby, went with me and we had a fun time! I have combined some groups of pictures from the farm, here for you to enjoy.
Arriving at the Farm
Debby and I rode to the farm from Salt Lake City on shuttles that Young Living provided. It took about an hour to get to the farm and once we started touring it, we could see it was a very special place! We were welcomed by a banjo musician at an old store front offering Lavender Lemonade and NingXia Red slushies. As we stood in line to go in the Visitor’s Center, we were offered Peppermint ice-cream that was great for cooling off. At lunch time we were served a couple of healthy salads, turkey, watermelon, berry relish, multi-grain crackers with hummus, and whole wheat cake for dessert! It was delicious AND healthy. The grounds were set for entertainment, food and fun as you will see!
Debby and I rode to the farm from Salt Lake City on shuttles that Young Living provided. It took about an hour to get to the farm and once we started touring it, we could see it was a very special place! We were welcomed by a banjo musician at an old store front offering Lavender Lemonade and NingXia Red slushies. As we stood in line to go in the Visitor’s Center, we were offered Peppermint ice-cream that was great for cooling off. At lunch time we were served a couple of healthy salads, turkey, watermelon, berry relish, multi-grain crackers with hummus, and whole wheat cake for dessert! It was delicious AND healthy. The grounds were set for entertainment, food and fun as you will see!
The Paparazzi
This was my paparazzi moment at the lavender farm! I happened to see the helicopter coming over the trees and like the good photographer that I am, I chased it!!! LOL! You see, I am a bit of a Gary and Mary groupie and wanted to get a picture of them when they got out of their ride. I may have gotten closer than I was supposed to but there were a couple of people who got closer so I think it was ok. I waved at them and Gary waved back at me - well, unless there were other people behind me waving. In one of the pictures it looks like he’s saying, there’s those crazy convention people taking our picture again! And Mary is just as pretty as ever! I don’t know who their driver is but it looks like she has the best job in town.
This was my paparazzi moment at the lavender farm! I happened to see the helicopter coming over the trees and like the good photographer that I am, I chased it!!! LOL! You see, I am a bit of a Gary and Mary groupie and wanted to get a picture of them when they got out of their ride. I may have gotten closer than I was supposed to but there were a couple of people who got closer so I think it was ok. I waved at them and Gary waved back at me - well, unless there were other people behind me waving. In one of the pictures it looks like he’s saying, there’s those crazy convention people taking our picture again! And Mary is just as pretty as ever! I don’t know who their driver is but it looks like she has the best job in town.
The Greenhouse and the Crops
Lots of working goes on in the greenhouses and in the rows upon rows of plants in the field. Did you know that Young Living does not use chemicals to control weeds? What they do, is pull weeds. Yes. By hand. By people. Real people.
We stopped by the tent to see how they progressively grow these plants. I personally, planted one by taking it out of the seedling flat and making an impression in a larger flat, placing it in the dirt and securing by pressing it in. While we were there, lavender was not in full bloom but I took a picture of a poster that showed it in full bloom!! July is the best month to see the blooms.
Lots of working goes on in the greenhouses and in the rows upon rows of plants in the field. Did you know that Young Living does not use chemicals to control weeds? What they do, is pull weeds. Yes. By hand. By people. Real people.
We stopped by the tent to see how they progressively grow these plants. I personally, planted one by taking it out of the seedling flat and making an impression in a larger flat, placing it in the dirt and securing by pressing it in. While we were there, lavender was not in full bloom but I took a picture of a poster that showed it in full bloom!! July is the best month to see the blooms.
The Distillery
This was the most fascinating part of the whole tour to me because this is where our oils get produced!! It was interesting to see the mound of material that is piled up to use and all of the detailed steps that need to be followed to ensure that we get the top quality oil we are so well known for!
SEED TO SEAL
Distilling Essential Oils
Each large cooker can contain up to 10,000 liters of plant material, which will yield 4-5 gallons of essential oil. It takes approximately 3/4 acre of crop to fill one cooker.
This was the most fascinating part of the whole tour to me because this is where our oils get produced!! It was interesting to see the mound of material that is piled up to use and all of the detailed steps that need to be followed to ensure that we get the top quality oil we are so well known for!
SEED TO SEAL
Distilling Essential Oils
- Before harvesting, Young Living experts test a plant’s pH levels to ensure each crop is gathered at the exact right time.
- Once harvested and dried, plants are placed and compressed in the cookers.
- Purified steam then rises through the plants, releasing the essential oils into the vapor.
- Long tubes extending from the top of the cookers allow the vapor to condense back into oil-infused water.
- This water, containing the essential oils, collects into glass separating chambers where the essential oil floats upward.
- Once separated from the water, the oil sits undisturbed to allow any solids to settle.
- The oil is then filtered, poured into large, glass-lined containers, and shipped to Young Living’s facilities in Spanish Fork.
Each large cooker can contain up to 10,000 liters of plant material, which will yield 4-5 gallons of essential oil. It takes approximately 3/4 acre of crop to fill one cooker.
The Jousting Arena
I guess if you are going to have a large farm and intend to entertain folks every now and then, you might want a jousting arena! Especially with two sons, Jacob and Josef, this will keep them active, riding horses and competing with other riders. It was a delight, to tour the grounds and sit in the shade of a tent listening to music during lunch and then enjoy the sport at the jousting arena. There was no shortage of entertainment, that’s for sure! Just check out the performers, the horses and the young men and women who battled it out!
I guess if you are going to have a large farm and intend to entertain folks every now and then, you might want a jousting arena! Especially with two sons, Jacob and Josef, this will keep them active, riding horses and competing with other riders. It was a delight, to tour the grounds and sit in the shade of a tent listening to music during lunch and then enjoy the sport at the jousting arena. There was no shortage of entertainment, that’s for sure! Just check out the performers, the horses and the young men and women who battled it out!
I am truly grateful for the time I was able to spend at the Young Living Lavender Farm in Utah. If you ever have a chance to visit, go!! Find out when they are open to the public, because that is one of the things that sets us apart from other oil companies. You can visit their corporate farms!! See how they work and what they do and why SEED to SEAL is not just a slogan. We live it!
Happy Oiling!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch
essenty.com/cherylintexas/
Happy Oiling!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch
essenty.com/cherylintexas/
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