Plant Distillation 101 with Beth Ward

This workshop is an introduction to the art of sustainable plant distillation. You will learn how to get started with the basics of responsibly distilling quality essential oils and hydrosols with the plants growing outside your backdoor. In addition to a live distillation demonstration that includes harvesting, loading and distilling, we will cover the following topics: The art of Distillation Hydrosols or Essential Oils Choosing a Still (glass, copper, or stainless) Caring for your still (proper sanitation and cleaning) Methods of Extraction (Hydro vs Steam) Choosing your plants, sustainability + stewardship Favorite applications (lotions, sprays, and perfumes)

Beth Ward is owner and operator of Maple Hollow Botanicals (Products), a small herbal skincare company and herb farm in northeastern Pennsylvania that she operates with her husband, Stephen and two young children. She is also a high school English and Environmental Literacy teacher of over twenty years. She is most happy spending time in the fields and woods with her hands in the dirt, learning from plants, and creating with them. In 2012, she founded her company wherein she creates clean beauty products (and more) from wild-stewarded and cultivated herbs on her farm. Her passion for plant perfumery and sustainability naturally led her to look for a way to make small batch plant distillates in a responsible way. She has been learning the art of essential oil and hydrosol distillation ever since and is delighted to share her experiences with others who want to know more about how to get started with practice of plant distillation.