Journal — entries N° 005–014

Field notes, kept as we go.

10 entries / Feb–May 2026
Zululand, ZA
Latest entry
Lavender rows at first cut, dawn light, east field — Zululand
12 May · E-014Harvest

First cut of the lavender rows

Four days early this year. The east rows came in dense and low — notes on what the dry April did to the yield, and what it promises for the autumn still runs.

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May 2026
Bergapten-free, explainedWhy we carry the FCF fraction of bergamot, what gets removed, and what it means for skin safety.Lab
April 2026
Slow steam, unrectifiedThe case against cleaning up an oil. What rectification strips out, and why we leave ours whole. · Batch L-0312DistillationSourcing notes: DhofarFrankincense doesn’t grow in Zululand. Notes from the harvesters who tap the Boswellia groves we buy from.FieldWhat a carrier actually carriesJojoba, sweet almond, baobab — the quiet half of every blend, and how to choose between them.Cabinet
March 2026
Batch L-0312, off the stillDistillation notes for the autumn lavender: charge weights, run time, and the first read of the GC/MS. · Batch L-0312DistillationHow to read a GC/MS reportLinalool, linalyl acetate, and what the numbers on our certificates of analysis actually tell you.LabRose geranium after the rainThe late-summer flush. Why geranium cut wet distills different, and what we wait for.Harvest
February 2026
Vetiver, eighteen months downRoot crops ask for patience. Lifting the first vetiver beds planted in 2024.FieldAmber glass, and whyLight degrades an oil faster than time does. On the bottle itself.Cabinet