Young Living Farms
Mona, Utah
In 1995, Gary Young purchased 138 acres of farmland in Utah, where he
could grow and distill plants to create essential oils. Nestled at the
base of scenic Mount Nebo, the farm now includes almost 1,600 acres and
is the largest privately–owned herb farm and essential oils distillery
in the world. Every year the farm produces chamomile, clary sage,
helichrysum, peppermint, hyssop, and, of course, lavender along with
other plants.
In the summer, when 120 acres are full of fragrant lavender, the farm
hosts its annual Lavender
Days. Visitors enjoy the unique opportunity of seeing the
entire distillation process, including Gary's proprietary design for
low–temperature, low–pressure spiral vortex steam distillation.
The farm also offers seasonal activities that the whole family can
enjoy, including tours of the distillery and wagon rides. Visitors
can also take advantage of educational classes to learn about essential oils
and more.
St. Maries, Idaho
Near the small town of St. Maries, Idaho, Gary Young discovered an
unspoiled valley ideal for harvesting aromatic plants and producing
essential oils. The land had never been plowed, exposed to harsh
pesticides or fertilizers and was unaffected by the pollution of urban
areas. Furthermore, there was little risk of contamination from aerial
pesticides and irrigation runoff from nearby farms. In 1992, Gary
purchased 160 acres and began to harvest lavender, tansy, and peppermint
to use for Young Living Essential Oils health and wellness products.
The first stationary distiller was built at the farm. It incorporated
Gary's proprietary low–pressure and low–temperature distillation
process. The distiller's original boiler capacity was just over 3,000
liters. Four years and six additional boilers later, the boiler
capacity topped more than 34,000 liters.
Simiane–la–Rotonde, France
The Provence area of France is world–renowned for its scenic landscape,
fresh crops, and fragrant lavender fields. Historically many natives
believed that the fragrance of lavender induced tranquility and
inspired feelings of happiness and celebration.
At one point, France was producing roughly 200 tons of lavender oil
annually. Yet over the years, the lavender crop in France has steadily
declined, though it’s unclear why.
Many farms in France produce Lavendin, a diluted lavender hybrid, and
has become an accepted substitute for the true herb.
It was with this decline in production and diluted quality in mind that
led Gary to purchase land for a new Young Living farm. This farm sits
at the foot of the quaint French village Simiane. Until Gary's first
crop, there was no lavender grown in the area. It's Gary's hope that
the farm will restore healthy and authentic lavender plants to the
valley.
Guayaquil, Ecuador
The Young Living Ecuador farm is the newest addition to the Young
Living family of farms. Gary personally chose the location because of
its rich soil and continual growing season. Spanning nearly 2,200
acres, the farm currently produces Palo Santo trees, helichrysum,
lemongrass and a variety of new plants with potent capabilities and
high oil content. The farm also houses the single largest single cooker
in the western hemisphere with a 14,500 liter capacity.
Recently, Gary and his family moved to Ecuador to allow Gary to further
his research on the therapeutic and healing properties of aromatic
plants and to identify new plants for use in Young Living essential
oils. He also oversees the entire production of essential oils,
including the growing and distillation of the plants.