field that smells like mint?

billmart · May 26, 2017

Daughter drove past a mowed field of some crop that smelled like mint or catnip. She was right in the heart of alfalfa country in western NY. For the life of me I have no idea of what she may have smelled. Bill M.

300jk · May 28, 2017

Not sure what it could be. I am in your area. Where abouts was it ?

billmart · May 28, 2017

on 20A between Cuylerville and Geneseeo. Right in the heart of Christionos alfalfa fields. Bill

RayP(MI) · Jun 2, 2017

We have a farm that actually raises mint near here. Looks like alfalfa on a drive by. They harvest it with some sort of haybind or disk mower, and lay it in windrows. Green foliage is then collected for processing. When they harvest, smell of mint is strong in the air. Farm is north of St. Johns, MI.

JMS/.MN · Jun 2, 2017

Prairie Farm Report, out of Canada, has a video of mint production, in the 90s...guy chops it with a forage harvester, into special wagons, then transports to his production facility, where he cooks it down. Very few gallons per acre production after the process is done. IIRC, 20 something? Also showed how he harvests crop to replant...sort of like sprigging. Very specialized equipment.

Tramway Guy · Jun 4, 2017

I worked on a mint farm back in the late '60s. The mint oil is in the leaves, steam is used to carry the oil off, and the product is cooled in a condenser. The mint oil (peppermint or spearmint) floats on top of the water. It's drained into barrels that are provided by the buyer; all serialized for anti-theft purposes. A barrel of mint oil at the time was worth a LOT of money. I think like $1800 or so.
Up to the cooking, it wasn't much different from regular hay harvest. Windrowers, wheel rakes, and choppers (including a Fox Super-D). The wagons were big round tubs on wheels. After filling with chopped hay, they were hauled open to where the pole-barn style 'still' had big lids that clamped down on top. A steam hose was coupled to the bottom and a steam was run through for about 2 hours.
The residue was hauled away, and the tubs emptied of the cooked residue by tipping them over hydraulically.
It was quite unique.
Certainly mint could be grown in Western New York, it has the right climate.

David G · Jun 4, 2017

Mine smells like garlic mustard, darn stuff.

rbhuntn · Jun 9, 2017

(quoted from post at 15:37:41 05/26/17) Daughter drove past a mowed field of some crop that smelled like mint or catnip. She was right in the heart of alfalfa country in western NY. For the life of me I have no idea of what she may have smelled. Bill M.

Can't remember what it is called. It grows on small stalks with a wide mint like leaf. We have that on my property in the Ozarks in Arkansas.

It does have a good use. Take some leaves and rub them together in your hands then wipe it on your arms, neck and ears. Keep them pesky skeeters and other flying bugs away. Best natural insect repellent that I have found yet. Usually don't find many ticks around it either.

VicS · Jul 14, 2017

Know it has been a while. But Just west of my sons building, Spearment grows wild. Hard to see but makes mowing the yard sure smell good.

field that smells like mint?

billmart

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300jk

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billmart

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RayP(MI)

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JMS/.MN

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Tramway Guy

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David G

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rbhuntn

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VicS

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