Blossom to Seed to Soap: Borderview Farm Sunflowers in Full Bloom

Our Sunflower Oil Soaps are made with sunflower oil that is grown and pressed in the Lake Champlain Islands, just a short car ride (or boat ride!) from our farm.  This week I was able to take a drive over to visit Borderview Farm in Alburgh, owned by "my" sunflower oil farmer, Roger Rainville.  I've been  wanting to see the sunflowers in their full glory, and have been anxiously awaiting full bloom.

It was worth the wait!

Aren't they beautiful? The black spot in the sky is a bee.  

Borderview Farm is a gorgeous place, and sits right on the US/Canadian border.  The gravel road in front of his house literally divides the two countries.  I don't know how old the property is, or what all has been farmed there over the years besides dairy cows, but today the farm is a University of Vermont research farm and there are test plots everywhere growing a variety of plants, including all kinds of different grains and hops...and then there are all those gorgeous sunflowers!  Lots and lots of sunflowers!

It's a little hard to see, but there are a couple of bees here busily working.

Roger tells me the sunflower project is really about producing alternative fuels, but as a soap maker,  I see all those seed heads and all I can think about is the creamy, skin loving bars of soap that golden oil can produce.  Sunflower oil is one of the best oils for skincare.  It has a fatty acid profile similar to olive oil and is very high in vitamin e, which is known to help the skin heal and protect itself from sun damage.  Biofuels are great, but I love the fact that I can make a line of gentle soaps using a really beneficial oil that is grown locally, cold pressed, and naturally filtered.  How can you beat that?!

The different varieties of sunflowers were progressing at different stages.  This variety was just starting to flower.

This group was finished flowering, and the heads were starting to droop and dry.

The UVM/Borderview Farm sunflower project has been successful, and now there are farms all over the Champlain Islands growing and testing sunflowers and producing oil.  Besides the oil, Roger says that the pellet left over after the seeds are pressed is high in protein and is being added to animal feed.  Plus, it burns really well in pellet stoves.  I love that every part of the plant is being used.

I need to patiently wait until the seed heads are fully dried, and the oil is pressed and has had a chance to naturally filter itself, probably sometime in November or December.  I'm getting my buckets lined up and ready to go.  But, for now, I'm looking forward to another drive to the Islands so that I can enjoy the sight of all those friendly, welcoming flowers before they are gone!

Enjoy the last days of summer!