Harvesting
The plants grown at Whitebay are the Grosso hybrid of lavender from the species x intermedia. They are considered the most favourable to grow. It is a commercial strain from a district of France and discovered in 1972. The violet flowers produce a strong scent, which yield an excellent oil. The plants are also suited to the silty, free draining loam soil and climatic conditions that Hawke's Bay offers.
No pesticides are used on the lavender plants at Whitebay, instead birds and insects are encouraged to control the enemies of the plant.
The lavender begins to flower in October but is not harvested until about January. The harvest takes place on a dry, warm, sunny day when the scent is heavy on the air and the flowers are awash with bees.
A special harvester created to handle the task performs the job that was previously completed by hand. This machine is perhaps the only one of its kind in the country.
Harvesting is carried out once the dew has dried. The crop must be dry to harvest.
Once picked the lavender is then distilled in a stainless steel boiler. This is a very delicate process. Distillation can determine the value of the oil, or destroy the value of the oil.
Essential oil distilling is not just a job, but an art. The operator of the distiller must have a full understanding of the value of oils in order to produce quality oils. If the pressure is too high, or the temperature is too high, it may change the molecular structure of the fragrance molecule, altering the chemistry constituents. The yield of the oil is apt to vary considerably from season to season, as the age of the bushes and the weather will affect both the quantity and quality of the product. The amount of sunlight in the weeks before distillation has a great influence. The best oil is obtained after a hot, droughty season, as heavy rains detract from the yield.
The flowers and flower stalks of the plant are used and distillation is conducted by boiling water beneath the chamber of the boiler. Steam then opens the flower calyx allowing the oil to be extracted.
Whitebay is a member of The New Zealand Lavender Growers' Association. This association subscribes to protocols to ensure good production practices are followed and to international industry standards for oil of Lavandin "Grosso", set by AFNOR (the Association Francaise de Normalisation.)