Essential oils are high-value, low-volume commodities quite suitable for small-scale farm production. A lack of essential oil market information and processing equipment limits the opportunity for American small holders to diversify into a rapidly growing market.Technical objectives are: 1) To produce essential oils from three local non-endangered aromatic species: spicebush, red cedar, and sassafras tree leaf, using a prototype distillery. 2) To test market the oilsÑ Pre-arranged agreements have been made with commercial essential oil brokers to evaluate oils for quality, potential new uses and sale. 3) Determine and evaluate the economic potential for implementation of small farm distilling technology in rural situations. Start-up costs, labor, operational costs and maintenance needs will be determined and other constraints identified to estimate what would be needed for a farmer to begin producing essential oils.
Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications of Research::Knowledge of start-up costs, operational budgets, harvesting, handling and marketing essential oils will increase interest in cultivating new aroma crops and harvesting other under-utilized aromatic species. As new farm opportunities emerge from the growing "niche" essential oils market, availability of small commercial essential oil distilleries will fill a technology transfer need, reducing the risk and knowledge gap for entrepreneurial small holders in beginning production. Made of non-reactive materials, distilleries would produce essential oils of the highest quality. The distillery's economy, small size and modular assembly would allow shipment by freight for use anywhere in the United States.
