The yearly crop of flax also came through the food processing facility. When the stalks of the flax turned yellow and the seed pods became pale brown, the flax would be harvested by pulling, not cutting, the plants from the ground in order to get the longest fibers. They would then be tied together in the field in bundles using one of the stalks, and left in rows to dry in the fields exposed to the elements for 2 to 3 weeks, allowing the dew and natural microorganisms to decompose the binding materials (pectins and lignin) that held the fibers together. Next, they would be gathered up and brought into the food production facility by wagon in order to remove the seed heads by dragging the bundles of flax through a comb-like tool with a single row of teeth, called a ripple, in a process called rippling that separates the seeds from the fibers.
After rippling the flax bundles would be taken across the street from the food processing plant to father’s textile mill. With 20 acres of flax being grown every year, producing ~1100 pounds per acre, there was plenty of material available to produce burlap and linen from flax. First in a process called breaking, the woody stalks would be broken down into smaller pieces, and then the broken pieces would be removed from the fibers through a process called scutching. This is done by using a scutching board and knife to scrape away the debris, leaving behind the long, glossy flax fibers. Next came hackling, where the fibers are combed and straightened, preparing them for spinning. In this part of the process the short course fibers, used for burlap, would be separated from the long fine fibers used to make linen. Next came spinning where the fibers were twisted into yarn using a spinning wheel. Then came weaving where the yarn is woven into fabric, creating the burlap or linen. Finally, the burlap and linen fabrics were sewn into bags or clothing, bedding, and other household items.
Next the flax seeds that were separated from the stems would need to be processed. The harvested flax seeds would first be screened to remove debris, husks and impurities before they would be put in the crusher to be smashed to break their outer structure, making it easier to extract the oil. After the seeds were broken up, the flax seeds are sent to the mechanical screw press to squeeze out their oil which would then be filtered before being put into barrels. With 20 acres being used to grow 17 to 21 bushels of flax seed every year, which could be cold pressed to produce 2.0 to 2.5 gallons of oil per bushel, resulting in an average of 16 large barrels of cold pressed flax oil (linseed oil) being produced to send to Athens for paint production (with an estimated total value around 13 gold troy ounces per year).
Canola[i] seeds would make their way through the food processing plant in the spring. The farmers cut the crop at the base, stack it in rows, and allow it to dry naturally in the fields for a couple weeks. They would then be harvested at the optimal time when the pods have turned straw-brown and the seeds inside are a dark color, indicating they are mature. The canola plants would then be threshed by dragging the plants through the comb mounted on the back of the wagon in order to separate the bean pods from the plants into baskets below.
Next the canola seeds would be extracted from their seedpods, by manually cracking and opening them to release the seeds. This would be done by doing the bean stomp in a bushel basket, shaking it occasionally so the seeds sink to the bottom and the unshelled pods rise to the top. The shells would be screened out from the canola seeds with a wood lattice screen by dumping a small amount on the screen and then working them around so the beans drop through. Finally, the beans would be winnowed by pouring them back and forth between baskets in a light breeze so the chaff will blow away while the beans drop into a bushel basket.
After removing impurities like weed seeds, plant stems, and other debris from the harvested canola seeds they would be taken by wagon to the food processing plant. There the seeds would be poured into the crusher vat where they would be crushed and flattened into thin flakes to maximize oil release during subsequent processing. Since the crushed seeds were dry they would be tied up in large burlap sacks placed between woven circular mats stacked in a pile and pressed using a mechanical screw press to extract the oil. After the first press the resulting pressed canola cake would be ground up, steamed and then pressed again. As the oil flows out of the press it receives another filtering through a fine cloth mesh in order to remove any remaining debris before it is poured into large barrels. Meanwhile the remaining canola meal, as a high-protein byproduct, would be sent back to the farm and used as animal feed.
The last step in the process is to degum (process of removing phospholipids) the canola oil which are naturally present in crude oils extracted from seed like soybeans, sunflowers, rice bran, corn and canola seeds. These impurities can have negative effects on the quality and stability of the oil. The water degumming process involves the addition of water to the crude oil, causing the gums to hydrate and separate from the oil. To do this a gallon of almost boiling water is added to the large barrels of oil and mixed for 10-15 minutes. The mixture is then allowed to separate overnight, with the oil being less dense than water floating to the top and the hydrated gums settling to the bottom. The separated oil would then be put into large barrels for storage, with the whole process producing around 2,200 gallons of oil.
Sunflowers were another crop that would be harvested in the fall when the heads droop and the leaves turn brown. The heads are cut off with a hand-held sickle and tossed in the back of a wagon, where another worker would separate the sunflower seeds from the heads by gently rubbing them so the released seeds drop into a bushel basket. The heads without seeds would be tossed in a barrel to be taken to be used as livestock feed, while the stocks would be cut at the base with a scythe to be dried and burned as kindling for fires.
The separated sunflower seeds would then be taken to the food processing facility to be cleaned and remove debris. In order to extract their oil, they would have to be dehulled by removing the outer hull (seed coat) from the inner kernel with a pass through the crusher vat.
Since the crushed sunflower seeds were dry, they would be tied up in large burlap sacks placed between woven circular mats stacked in a pile and pressed using a mechanical screw press to extract the oil. As the oil flows out of the press it receives another filtering through a fine cloth mesh in order to remove any remaining debris before it is poured into large barrels. The remaining sunflower meal is also a high-protein byproduct that would be used as animal feed.
The last step in the process is to degum the sunflower oil by adding a gallon of almost boiling water to each large barrel of oil and then mixing for 10-15 minutes. The mixture would again be allowed to separate overnight with the hydrated gums settling to the bottom. The 1780 to 2080 gallons of oil produced would then be put into large storage barrels.
Soybeans would be ready for harvest in the fall, between late September and early November when the pods are fully mature and dry, with most turning from green to tan or brown. The leaves also would transition to yellow, then brown, and finally fall off, exposing the mature pods. The dead ringer that it would be time to harvest was that the seeds crack in half when bitten, the leaves had mostly fallen off the plant and there was a consistent color throughout the field, with the majority of pods reaching their mature color.
The soybean plants would then be cut at their base and threshed by dragging the plants through the comb mounted on the back of the wagon in order to separate the bean pods from the plants into baskets below. Next the soybean seeds would be extracted from their seedpods, by manually cracking and opening them to release the seeds using the bean stomp method. The shells would be screened out from the soybean seeds with a wood lattice and then winnowed by pouring them back and forth between baskets in a light breeze.
After removing impurities like weed seeds, plant stems, and other debris from the harvested soybean seeds they would be taken by wagon to the food processing plant. There the seeds would be poured into the crusher vat where they would be crushed and flattened into thin flakes to maximize oil release during processing. Since the crushed seeds were dry they would be tied up in large burlap sacks placed between woven circular mats stacked in a pile and pressed using a mechanical screw press to extract the oil. The oil flowing out of the press would be filtered through a fine cloth mesh and poured into large barrels. Meanwhile the remaining soybean meal, as a high-protein byproduct, was but another source of animal feed.
The last step in the process was degumming the soybean oil using a gallon of almost boiling water added to each large barrel of oil and then mixed. After separating overnight, the degummed oil would be stored in large barrels, with the whole process producing around 1800 gallons of oil and 6300 gallons every other year.
Next building along the creek after the food processing plant was the beauty products chemical plant where products for cleansing, beautifying, or altering the appearance of the body were made. Here, all the oils pressed from the fruits and vegetables grown in the fields would be processed into higher order products.
Besides the low yields of the various oils relative to olive oil, there was another surprising limitation, the limited quantity of beeswax produced from the numerous beehives on the family estate. Father and Grandfather had proliferated beehives based on pollinating crops, fruit tree orchards and olive groves with 2 beehives per acres being built and propagated in beehives raised high enough off the ground and constructed such to keep skunks and rodents from disturbing them. This resulted in 500 beehives next to the farmable land and another 400 hives by the fruit orchards and olive groves. With an average of 50 pounds of honey being produced a year per hive and 2 pounds of beeswax for every 100 pounds of honey. This meant 45,000 pounds, or 3750 gallons, of honey, along with 900 pounds of beeswax, were being produced per year. The amount of beeswax produced was a definite restriction on beauty product production.
The largest amount of oil pressed was the cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil offers several benefits for beauty and skin health, including deep hydration, anti-aging properties, and gentle exfoliation. Olive oil's emollient properties help lock in moisture, making it a great natural moisturizer. Its high concentration of antioxidants and polyphenols help protect skin from damage caused by free radicals and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
The most versatile oil was probably the Canola oil, though it had the greatest likelihood of becoming rancid if not properly ‘preserved.’ Canola oil offers several benefits in cosmetics due to its moisturizing and conditioning properties. Canola oil contains essential fatty acids and antioxidants that help lock in skin's moisture, promoting hydration and a healthy skin barrier. It can soothe dry and irritated skin, and its emollient properties help enhance the skin's natural barrier function. The antioxidants in canola oil can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Canola oil is also useful in haircare products since it can tame frizz, restore shine, and improve hair texture. It nourishes the hair shaft, making it more manageable and improving overall hair texture.
Sunflower oil in cosmetics offers several benefits, primarily due to its moisturizing and soothing properties, its antioxidant content, and its non-comedogenic nature. It acts as an emollient, meaning it adds hydration and smooths the skin, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, soothes irritated skin, and can even minimize the appearance of pores.
Sunflower oil is also rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that protects skin from damage caused by free radicals and environmental stressors. This can help minimize the appearance of aging and promote a healthy complexion.
Soybean oil, the second largest amount produced, offers several benefits for skincare and hair care, including its moisturizing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. It's also a good source of essential fatty acids and vitamin E, making it a versatile ingredient in cosmetic formulations. Soybean oil contains linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid that helps the skin retain moisture, preventing dryness and promoting suppleness. The antioxidants in soybean oil, like vitamin E, help combat free radical damage, which can contribute to premature aging. Soap made with soybean oil typically has a mild, slightly nutty or earthy scent and as such didn’t have as pleasant a smell as soap made from olive oil or Canola oil. Soybean oil contributes to a rich, creamy, and stable lather, providing a luxurious feel. As an ingredient soap containing vitamin E, along with Its moisturizing properties, it was a good, everyday value, bar soap.
Flaxseed oil offers numerous benefits for beauty, hair, and skincare due to its rich omega-3 content, anti-inflammatory properties, and vitamin E. It can moisturize, nourish, and protect skin and hair, promoting a healthy, glowing appearance. As a result, it was added in small quantities to hair care products and facial creams.
Honey is a versatile cosmetic ingredient offering several skin benefits, including moisturizing, soothing, and antibacterial properties. Honey is commonly used as a humectant and skin conditioning agent in various cosmetic products like moisturizers and creams.
Adding honey to soap bars also provides several benefits, including enhanced moisturizing, improved lather, and potentially some antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Honey's natural sugars also help with lather production, and its humectant properties draw moisture to the skin, leaving it feeling softer and more hydrated.
Essential oils, like rosemary, lavender, oregano, and thyme, have antimicrobial properties that can help prevent bacterial and fungal growth in emulsions, acting as natural preservative for water and oil emulsions.
Vitamin E can also act as an antioxidant and contribute to the preservation of oil-based formulations. Vitamin E (tocopherol) helps prevent rancidity and offers antioxidant properties. It often works alongside ingredients like rosemary and lavender, which provide antimicrobial protection.
Glycerin is a versatile and beneficial ingredient in cosmetics due to its ability to attract and retain moisture, making it an excellent moisturizer for skin and hair. It is a humectant, meaning it draws moisture from the air and deeper layers of the skin to the surface, keeping skin hydrated and supple.
Lotions, creams, and serums often incorporate glycerin to provide long-lasting hydration. Glycerin helps to hydrate and soften hair, making it more manageable and less prone to dryness. Glycerin also adds smoothness and lubrication to soaps, enhancing their effectiveness.
The whole beauty products and soap making business centered around making lye, of which the business would make year-round. Ashes would be collected from the process itself and the Food processing business, the foundry, the ceramic jar factory, and the bottle making plant. The ashes would then be put in an elevated large barrel with a stopcock at the bottom. Once the barrel was full of ashes it would be filled with clean water and stirred until the ashes formed a slurry. The mixture would then soak for a few days, being stirred daily. After the third day, the concentrated lye water would be drained out through the stopcock and a filter into a black 10 gallon amphorae which would be set out on the south side of the building to evaporate in the sun during the day and covered at night.
Each barrel full of ashes would go through this several times to extract as much lye as possible. When fully spent, the ashes would be taken to the farmer’s fields to be used as fertilizer. Once the potassium carbonate water was fully evaporated it would be scraped out of the amphorae and stored in a much larger pithos ceramic jar for future use.
From there potassium hydroxide could then be produced by reacting the potassium carbonate thus produced with slaked lime. Calcium oxide, or quicklime, is a white solid that's typically produced by heating limestone (calcium carbonate) in a kiln. Slaked lime, also known as calcium hydroxide or hydrated lime, is produced by adding water to calcium oxide (quicklime). When potassium carbonate is mixed with slaked lime, calcium carbonate precipitates out of the solution, and the potassium hydroxide remains dissolved. The solution would then be filtered to remove the calcium carbonate, and the potassium hydroxide is obtained by evaporating the water from the remaining solution. From that point the resulting potassium hydroxide could be accurately measured out to achieve a consistent concentration of lye for soap making.[ii]
Every month glycerin would be made in the process of making the value bar soap from soybean oil. A ratio of 16 parts soybean oil would be heated up in a pot to 125° F (52° C). Meanwhile 1 part lye would be added to 8 parts water and mixed together into a lye solution, being sure to add the lye into the water and not the other way around, because adding water to lye can cause the lye to expand out of the container. The lye solution is then carefully poured into the heated soybean oil, mixing the ingredients well to ensure they are thoroughly combined.
Once the mixture reaches 125° F (52° C), the heat is reduced to bring the mixture’s temperature down until it falls to 100° F (38° C). The mixture would be stirred until it’s thick enough that the outline of the stirrer’s path remains visible for a few seconds after it traces through.
Once the mixture has reached the proper consistency, the pot is removed from the heat. Four parts salt are then mixed in, and stirred well so it is thoroughly incorporated. As the mixture cools, over the next 30 minutes, the soap and glycerin will gradually separate into different layers. The soap will solidify into a thick layer on the top of the mixture, while the glycerin will remain a liquid on the bottom. The top layer is poured into trays to form a sheet of soap which will dry over the next three days, and then be cut into bars which will be stacked and left to air dry for at least 3 weeks to finish curing.
The glycerin left in the bottom of the pot is stored into a tightly sealed amphorae jar, ready for use in making other products. For every ounce of lye used in soapmaking, approximately 0.77 ounces of glycerin are produced.
It would be possible to process all the oils created into bar soap starting with the massive amount of olive oil created. Castile soap made from 100% olive oil is a soft, gentle, and moisturizing soap that appears sticky or gooey, but less foamy than other soaps with a slimy consistency when freshly made. The other oils such as canola and sunflower oil also have detriments when made by themselves such as rancidity and brittleness. The answer of course was to combine oils together and add additional ingredients to them to enhance their quality and shelf life, which would drive their price up.
The main combination soap bars that would be produced by the soap making factory was a combination of 9 parts olive oil to each part canola oil. With over 2,000 gallons of canola oil available after its primary use in the beauty products production, soap production would produce well over 700,000 bars of soap, considering 35 bars produced per soap batch gallon. With Athens having a population of 350,000, that meant at least 2 bars of soap per person was being produced per year with this formula alone. Yet, that was still just a drop in the bucket in terms of satisfying the demand.
The soap Father and Grandfather had come up with using olive oil and canola oil offered a balance of cleansing and moisturizing properties, with Canola oil contributing a creamy, luxurious lather, while olive oil adding to the moisturizing and conditioning effects. When excess glycerin, a humectant that draws moisture to the skin, was available from the Soybean oil soap making process, it further enhanced the soap's moisturizing effect into the stratosphere, creating a true luxury moisturizing glycerin beauty bar.
In a process very similar to that of Soybean Oil soap making, olive oil and Canola oil would be combined in a ratio of 9 to 1 and heated to 125° F (52° C) in a large kettle. Meanwhile lye would be combined with water and then glycerin (if available) in a ratio of 1.77: 2.66: 1.77. Once the oils had reached the target temp, the lye, water and glycerin mixture would be added to the oils and mixed in. Once that was completely mixed at the target temperature, Essential Oil, such as Rosemary or Lavendar, and Honey would be added to the mixture before it was cooled and then poured in the molds. Little did father and grandfather know, who just wanted to extend its shelf life, that they were creating a moisturizing ingredient bar with anti-bacterial properties.
Another secondary soap was made with a combination of olive oil and sunflower oil in a ratio of 5:2 which produces a gentle, hard bar which enhances creaminess while leaving the skin feeling hydrated without greasiness, along with a long-lasting moisturizing lather.
In process very similar to that of Soybean Oil soap making, olive oil and Sunflower oil would be combined in a ratio of 5 to 2 and heated to 125° F (52° C) in a large kettle. Meanwhile lye would be combined with water in a ratio of 1.26:1.89. Once the oils had reached the target temp, the lye, and water mixture would be added to the oils and mixed in. Once that was completely mixed at the target temperature, Essential Oil, at a volume of 1% of the mixture, such as Rosemary or Lavendar, and a 1% quantity Honey would be mixed in before it was cooled and then poured in the molds, producing another durable, moisturizing ingredient bar, with anti-aging vitamin E, along with anti-bacterial properties.
With all of the other refined oil ingredients used in other products, the next thing to be addressed was the massive excess supply of olive oil. The simple answer was to produce liquid castile soap made from olive oil, lye and water. With a simple ratio of 4:1:1.5 olive oil to lye and water, with the usual method of heating oils to 125° F (52° C) in a large kettle, and then mixing in a lye/water mixture could be followed to produce a thick, pudding-like consistency, liquid soap to be poured into 10-gallon amphorae ceramic jars to be sent to Athens. The concentrated liquid soap would then be diluted 10 to 1 and then sold to the public as an inexpensive shampoo and liquid soap.
The other part of the beauty business was making cosmetics, moisturizers and hair care products. The biggest limitation to the business was the availability of beeswax, which acts as a natural thickener and binding agent, aiding in the formulation of creams, balms, lipsticks, and other cosmetic products. Beeswax can improve the texture and stability of these products, enhancing their creaminess and overall appearance. With only 9.3 gallons being harvested a month selectivity had to be exercised in what was made.
The first product made was lip gloss/balms which generally appealed to younger women. 3 parts Canola Oil, 1 Part Beeswax, 5% Glycerin for moisture and 1% Sunflower Oil for Vitamin E would be melted together in a double boiler. Then 1% micas for colorant, 2% Honey for stickiness and to extend shelf life, and 1% Essential Oils such as peppermint, lavender, chamomile, or rose geranium would be thoroughly combined with the mixture. The final step would be to carefully pour the lip gloss mixture into lip gloss tubes and allow the lip gloss to cool and solidify at room temperature. A pound of Beeswax used to make lip gloss would result in over 4,000 lip balms that could be sold.
The second product made was lipstick which appealed the most to older women. Canola oil, Beeswax, Glycerin and Sunflower oil would be melted together in a double boiler in a ratio of 2:1:5%:1%. Then colorants, honey and essential oil such as peppermint, lavender, cinnamon or rosemary would be added to the mixture in percentages of 1:5:1. The final step would be to carefully pour the lipstick mixture into lipstick tubes and allow the lipstick to cool and solidify at room temperature. A pound of Beeswax used to make lipstick would result in over 3,000 lipsticks that could be sold.
Another big seller was moisturizing facial cream made from 2 parts Canola Oil, 1 part Sunflower Oil, 1 part Beeswax and 1% Flaxseed Oil melted and then mixed thoroughly together in a double boiler. Then 1/8 part Honey and 1% Lavendar Oil are carefully mixed in. The mixture would then be poured into 6.5 ounce jars which would then be tightly sealed.
When demand was low for the other products a moisturizing hair conditioner would be made with the excess beeswax. olive oil, sunflower oil, beeswax, and 1% flaxseed Oil would be melted and then mixed together in a double boiler in a 2:1:1:1 ratio. The 1 Parts Honey, and 1% Essential Oil such as lavender, rosemary, peppermint, or cedarwood would be mixed in. The mixture would then be poured into 6.5 ounce jars which would then be tightly sealed.
Another big seller was a high end shampoo made by combining 8 Parts Water, 8 Parts Liquid Castile Soap, 1 Part Sunflower Oil, 2% Canola Oil, 1% Flaxseed Oil, 1 Part Honey which acts as a natural humectant, helping to retain moisture and also possesses antibacterial properties, 1 Part Apple Cider Vinegar which helps to cleanse and balance the pH of the scalp, acting as a natural preservative and clarifying agent and last but not least 1% Essential Oil such as lavender or rosemary which add fragrance and possess antimicrobial properties. After mixing together well, the mixture would be poured into 10 gallon amphorae jars to be sent to the store where it would be sold to customers in smaller jars.
[i] The crops that the ancients would be growing would actually be rapeseeds, but I’m using the name Canola because that is what you would actually use today. The name "Canola" originates from "Canadian oil low acid," as the oil was bred/bioengineered in the 70's to reduce erucic acid levels for safe consumption. Some studies in animals suggest that excessive erucic acid intake may lead to myocardial lipidosis, an accumulation of lipids in heart muscle fibers, which could lead to a heart attack. Also note that The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has expressed concerns about erucic acid and set limits on its content in oil. There are also concerns about the hexane used to process it to get the last bit of oil out of the seeds.
[ii] Lye is a strong alkali and can cause burns. Always handle it with care, wearing protective gloves and eyewear. If you get any on you or your clothes, flush it off with water immediately. Otherwise, lye will try to saponify the fats in your skin and turn you into a bar soap. It’s a good idea to have a bottle of vinegar nearby, which can be used to reduce the PH of the lye to a more neutral level in the event of a spill.