Page 10 - Cinnamon e-book

After the tree is cut, the leaves are removed, and the bark is

stripped by hand from the trunk and the branches. The bark is
where the essential oil comes from. After the bark has been

stripped, it is put on mats to dry in the sun for two to three

days. Then, it is bagged in for collection. Some of the bark is

sold to be distilled and some is saved to make powder to be
sold on the spice market. Any leftover wood is sold as

firewood.

A Boat Ride Down the Canals Takes Us to a Distillery

Terrain surrounding the Cinnamon Bark harvesting areas is

challenging to navigate and only accessible by foot,

motorcycle, or sometimes boat. Some areas are quite steep,
others prone to flooding, and there are often multiple rivers to

cross.

Once cinnamon bark reaches the distillery, it must first soak for

24 to 48 hours. It’s important for the bark to soak, otherwise

the oil yield will be low during the distillation. After soaking,
the cinnamon bark is steam distilled, which can take

anywhere from eight to ten hours to finish.

Supporting Small Holder Farmers

Near the distillery lives a small family. Together, they run a

nursery where they cultivate plants like cinnamon trees and
clove. Small scale farmers like this family are the ones bringing

this oil to the market. We are proud to partner with local

families to provide 100% pure and natural products from their

source to you.