From the Lavender Farm to the Classroom
Local Lavender Farm Collaborates with Cabrillo College Extension to Offer Community Wellness & Botanical Education
It’s January 17th but the warm sunny weather today in Monterey, CA was like the perfect reminder that spring is on the way. Today’s warmth was a welcomed break from winter, and it’s not like it snows here, but we still have over two months left until it is officially time for our lavender to wake up from its slumber.
In the meantime, we are excited to share something new. This winter, we are collaborating with one of the community colleges in the Monterey Bay region, near Santa Cruz, to offer two hands-on herbal classes: essential oil distillation and botanical soap making. The educational collaboration allows us to offer the community a unique opportunity to experience what it’s like to work a lavender farm. Without all the work!
These upcoming classes are designed for anyone curious about how the essence of herbs is transferred into a bar of soap. It’s a special partnership and a unique learning experience.
Essential Oil Distillation
Essential oil distillation is both a science and an art. Some would say an alchemy too. It is the process of extracting aromatic compounds from plants using steam and time to capture the properties of the plant in its most concentrated form.
In our distillation class which will be co-instructed, students will learn the fundamentals of how essential oils and hydrosols are created. We will talk about the plant material and when it should be harvested, and provide a full distillation demonstration from start to finish. Distillations teach you to be patient. They also teach you to appreciate the amount of work that goes into the process. When you see how much plant material it takes to produce even a small amount of essential oil, you learn to respect both the land and the craft.
However small the amount, it is still potent.
Lavender is out of season in winter so we will likely distill rosemary for the class. We will reserve the essential oil for the soap making classing but each student will get to take home the floral water or hydrosol produced. Rosemary hydrosol smells amazing and has useful properties like an natural anti-bacterial cleaner.
Botanical Soap Making
Soap making is a beautiful blend of creativity, chemistry, and practicality. In this soap making class, we will have groups of 2-3 gather around a crockpot to create all-natural soaps using a gentle formula and plant-based ingredients.
The soap making process does require attention to detail in order to ensure steps are followed safely, but it is a satisfying activity almost anyone can enjoy. Students will learn how water, lye, and oils come together to create a functional product that is both useful and personal. Adding the rosemary essential oil from the distillation class, plus some Lavender Creek lavender essential oil, will make it a uniquely local experience.
Each student will take home 2-3 soaps that they can gift to loved ones, or just keep. You definitely won’t find these soaps in any store shelf or in any eCommerce warehouse!
Who These Classes Are For
These classes are designed to be approachable and welcoming, and hopefully fun too. They’re ideal for:
- Curious beginners interested in herbalism or natural wellness.
- Makers who enjoy hands-on, creative learning
- Gardeners and plant lovers wanting to deepen their knowledge
- Anyone seeking tactile learning.
Hands-On Learning
There’s something unique and innate about learing by doing. Hands-on experiences help information stick, build confidence, and create a deeper connection to the material. When you smell freshly distilled rosemary or stir the oils into soap, it inspires your curiousity too. There is so much value in the experience and satisfaction that comes with creating something new.
If you are in the Aptos, California area this February and March and want to join us, then register using the link below. Seats are limited and there is a discount for registrations done before January 29th.
Cabrillo College Extension Home Page