Bi2*Lancastar Farming, Saturday, May 18, 1996
At the Income Opportunities Workshop held recently, a guest reviews herb infor
mation with Maureen Rogers, left.
Fresh And Dried Herbs For Profit
LINDA WILLIAMS
Bedford Co. Correspondent
EVERETT (Bedford Co.)
Sixteen separate rural income op
portunities were discussed at a
special seminar held at the Everett
Area Junior-Senior High School
recently.
Sponsored by the Penn State
Cooperative Extension, the Mary
land Cooperative Extension Ser
vice, Saint Francis College Small
Business Development Center, the
West Virginnia University Co
operative Extension Service; and
the Virginia Cooperative Exten
sion Service, subjects ranged from
farm vacations to domesticating
wild animals.
Speaking on “Fresh and Dried
Herbs for Profit,” was Maureen
Rogers, director of Herb Growing
& Marketing Network in Silver
Spring.
It was a well-attended session
with interests varying from grow
ing herbs for personal use to that
of Ramona Jablonski of Balti
more. Maryland, who said, “We
have property in Illinois. It’s a
working farm, but I don’t know
how long it can remain that way
and I’m getting ideas for ways to
put the land to use.”
Another couple, Roe and Helen
Herb (That’s right, herbs at a herb
workshop) of Butler, had similar
ideas. “We’ve not had dairy cattle
since the children left home,” said
Helen. “We do raise some beef
cattle, but we are looking for other
ways to increase our income.”
“Herbs are an up and coming
industry,” said Ms. Rogers. “But,
you have to market just as you do
any other type of alternative farm
income.”
“The ornamental market is a
dead-end one. Don’t expect to
raise dried flowers for much more
than your own enjoyment”
“Like it or not,” Martha Stewart
calls many of the shots. “What
ever she says is what is going to be
in demand.”
"Today.” Ms. Rogers contin
ued, "Herbs are being grown for
medicinal and culinary purposes.
But. unless you live in an area
where there are a lot of four or five
star restaurants, forget selling
directly. Chefs are not as intelli
gent as we think.”
"The FDA monitors all herbs
grown for medicinal purposes so
this can also be difficult.’*
“Herb plants are the best way to
make a profit,” emphasized the
speaker. “Everyone wants to grow
herbs, but most people will kill
them off or they freeze out over
winter.”
“Baby Boomers who are en
thralled with ‘staying alive,’ have
been a great herb maiket source.”
Maureen noted that purple
conefiower, which is a weed, is in
great demand. “It could be grown
almost anywhere,” she said.
“Golden Seal which has a mys
tique about it, is in short supply.
Last year the price went from $36
for /i pound to S6S almost over
night because the supply dried
up.”
The demand for culinary herbs
has grown along with a health
conscious populace. “They are
cutting the fat out of diets and re-
placing them with the taste of
herbs.”
Gingko which grows on a tree,
has been the success of one south
ern plantation. Gingko is in de
mand for Alzheimer research.
Cat’s Claw is being used for all
types of arthritis. “The beauty in
dustry is buying herbs at a rapid
rate and they have to come from
somewhere. Mary Kay is adding
Slow Cookers
HONESDALE (Wayne Co.)
A slow cooker can provide hot,
nourishing meals on cold winter
days. Because heat is direct and is
combined with steam within a
tightly covered container, the slow
cooker does a better job of killing
disease-causing microbes than
does long-time, low-temperature
cooking in a conventional oven.
Still, be sure everything is clean
the cooker, utensils, work area
and your hands! Choose recipes
with a high moisture content for
preparation in the slow cooker.
rosemary to some of its face
creams. I could use 1.000 tons of
rosemary a month and don’t know
where to get it.”
As a herb broker, Maureen says
buyers would prefer to buy within
the United States but sometimes it
is impossible.”
“I had a call for 1,000 pounds of
basil in February," she said. ‘Tell
me, where do you get 1,000
pounds of any herb in that
month!”
Ms. Rogers cautioned those in
terested in growing herbs to get all
of the knowledge possible.
"Read books, attend seminars,
or take a course,”.she advised.
Perdue University offers an exten
sive course in growing and mar
keting herbs. Cost is in the $1,400
to $l,BOO range plus room and
board but, according to Rogers, is
worth every penny.
“The sad thing is that 80 percent
of those attending are from out
side the country,” the speaker
noted.
When marketing herbs, check
out the competition, join a trade
association, and never limit your
self.
These could include chili, soup,
stew and spaghetti sauce. Cut food
into chunks or small pieces to
ensure thorough cooking. It’s best
not to use the slow cooker for lar
ger pieces, such as roasts or whole
chickens, because the food will
cook so slowly that it could
remain in the bacterial danger
zone too long. Fill the slow cooker
no more than two-thirds full. Heat
may not adequately penetrate to
all parts of the food if the contain
er is too full.
JNEIS
m\m
HP
« * *
SEE YOUR NEARES
8
DEALER
FOR DEPENDABLE
EQUIPMENT & SERVICE
PENNSYLVANIA
MESSICK
EQUIPMENT
RD 1, Box 255 A
717-259-6617
AnnvUlQ. PA
BHM Farm
Equipment,
Inc.
RD 1, Rte. 934
717-867-2211
Carlisle. PA
R&W
Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc.
Rt. 283 - Rheem’s
Exit
717-367-1319
Halifax. PA
Sweigard Bros.
R.D. 3. Box 13
717-896-3414
Norman D. Clark
& Son, Inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3689
Loysville, PA
717-789-3117
Frederick. MD
Ceresville Ford New Holland, In
Rt. 26 East 301-662-4197
Outside MD, 800-331-9122
Bridgeton. NJ Waahlnoten. N.
Leslie G. Fogg, Smith Tract*
Inc. Equip., Inc.
Carbon & Stow Creek 15HillcrestAve.
Landing Rd.
609*451-2727
609-935-5145
KWHOUM
T
Dependable
Motor Co.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
A.B.C. Groff, Ir
110 South Railroi
717-354-4191
Q»«v- PA
CJ. Wonsidl
Bros.
R.D. 2
610-987-6257
Pitman. PA
Schreffler
Equipment
Pitman, PA
717-648-1120
Tamaaua. PA
Charles S.
Snyder, Inc.
R.D. 3
717-386-5945
S.G.Lewis &
Son, Inc.
352 N. Jennersvilli
610-869-2214
1-800-869-9029
906-689-7900
Woodatown. NJ
Owen Supply *
Broad Street &
East Avenue
609-769-0308