Our cannabis is a wonder of the senses. Folks are becoming more familiar with cannabinoids — those powerful compounds that bind with our endocannabinoid systems and ignite a whole-body response that is unique to us as mammals. But cannabis is so much more than cannabinoids. Within each flower lives a rich, living library of chemical elements that speak to our senses in ways we are only beginning to fully understand. Among the most captivating of these are terpenes.
What Are Terpenes?
The Oxford Dictionary defines terpenes as “any of a large group of volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons found in the essential oils of plants, especially conifers and citrus trees, based on a cyclic molecule having the formula C10H16.”
Cyclic — meaning “regularly repeated, occurring in waves.”
Volatile — meaning “(of a substance) easily evaporated at normal temperatures”, or “liable to change rapidly and unpredictably.”
Molecules — meaning “a group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.”
In fresher words: an abundance of micro-scopic rapidly changing compounds that build and shift in cycles, creating an entourage of rich aromatic depth that will eventually evaporate over time. But in their freshest state, they reach you before your mind does — they draw your nose and your full attention and reset your senses toward ease, toward calm, toward the natural world.
Imagine a single deep inhale that carries with it a fine lavender bath, the warmth of freshly ground coffee, the bright lift of lemon verbena, the burst of a wild fennel seed. That is the entourage of terpenes at work. And on our farm, each plant witnesses its own unique aromatic story. In our terpenes, you can now take that aromatic story home.
Grown Here, Felt Here
At Sonoma Hills Farm, we have always believed that what surrounds a plant shapes it just as much as the soil it grows in. For years, we have cultivated cannabis alongside a living tapestry of herbs, botanicals, and flowers — each contributing to the sensory richness of our land and an abundance of aromatics.
Walk our property and you’ll encounter the cool, camphorous breath of our eucalyptus tree walk. A fresh morning wind catching the tall, awakened blue-eyed grass. The subtle balsam amber rising off the seaside daisies. In our planted beds, we invite many aromatic herbs and flowers to sway alongside our cannabis – lemon verbena, dark opal, Thai and holy basil, lavender, thyme, calendula, marigold, zinnias, asters, and more…
Every plant on this farm is part of a conversation. And terpenes are the love language.
From Plant to Product: The Art of Steam Distillation
To capture these fleeting aromatic compounds in a format that you can take away from the farm, we use one of nature’s most time-honored methods: steam distillation.
The process is as elegant as it sounds. Steam is passed through freshly harvested plant material — in our case, our small-batch cannabis flower — gently coaxing the volatile terpene molecules to release from the plant. That steam, now carrying the essence of the flower, travels through a cooling condenser where it returns to liquid form. What separates out is a pure, concentrated terpene oil — the living signature of that plant, that harvest, that moment in time on our farm.
No harsh solvents. Just water, heat, and the plant itself. It is the same method used for centuries to produce the world’s finest essential oils, and it is the method that reflects the aromatics that we foster and grow.
Because terpenes are so volatile — so alive — the difference between a terpene captured with care and one rushed through an industrial process is immense. You’ll know it the moment you open the bottle. The senses hold a memory — your nose will recognize the familiar, the repetition, the ritual — and yet each season arrives with its own sweet, its own sour, its own newness.
Introducing Lagrimas del Sol — Tears of the Sun
Sonoma Hills Farm has partnered with Emerald Imports California to create Lagrimas del Sol (“Tears of the Sun”) — a small-batch, cannabis-derived terpene line with a singular mission: to set the gold standard in terpene quality by harnessing the power of nature and innovation together.
Every drop in the Lagrimas del Sol line is a distillation of our renowned terroir in the Petaluma Gap terpene belt — a region celebrated for its unique coastal climate, morning fog, and afternoon winds that push plants to produce some of the most complex aromatic profiles in the world. Our organic farming practices and commitment to small-batch production mean that what reaches you is a true expression of our flower, not a facsimile of it.
Importantly, these products capture the full sensory essence of the cannabis plant without any active cannabinoids — meaning they can be shipped and enjoyed globally, with no restrictions.
Who Is Lagrimas del Sol For?
We believe that the beauty of terpenes is that they belong to everyone. We warmly invite:
- Cannabis brands looking to elevate their formulations with authentic, terroir-driven terpenes
- Chefs and culinary creators seeking bold, botanically complex flavor profiles
- Beverage purveyors ready to bring depth and sensory intrigue to their craft
- Luxury beauty houses in pursuit of truly distinctive, plant-forward aromatic ingredients
- Perfumers who know that the finest raw materials come from the finest growing conditions
Wherever you are in the world, we invite you to come grow with us.
Lagrimas del Sol is produced in small batches at Sonoma Hills Farm in collaboration with Emerald Imports California. To inquire about wholesale, collaboration, or to learn more, wholesale@sonomahillsfarm.com.