HOW ABOUT HERBS 



Creating a Topsy 



TANYA )ACKSON 



Starting a small herb business 

 is an exciting experience — and 

 a lot of hard work. And maybe it 

 won't be such a small business — 

 such enterprises have a way of 

 growing like Topsy. 



There are many things to take 

 into account before finally decid- 

 ing what areas of the herb indus- 

 try are best for you. Whatever 

 your circumstances, you can be 

 sure there are herbs you can 

 grow and at least one market — 

 perhaps more — you can supply. 



Consider whatever land you 

 have available — your objective 

 will be to make the most profit- 

 able use of it. If you want to re- 

 tail potted plants, dried herbs, or 

 herbal crafts, an easy-to-find loca- 

 tion is important, but not totally 



necessary. One of my first experi- 

 ences shopping for herbs was 

 traveling way, way out in 

 Deerfield, New Hampshire, on 

 winding gravel roads to find a 

 small herbal business run by 

 Theresa Reynolds. She was in 

 business for a good many years 

 before others discovered the joy 

 and profits of growing herbs. But 

 a visible location will make a re- 

 tail business much easier. Visibil- 

 ity is not as necessary if you plan 

 to sell wholesale. The public will 

 go to your customers, not to you. 



You also must be willing to 

 meet and serve the public when 

 you are busiest — for that's the 

 time when people will be buying. 



If you enjoy field work more 

 than dealing with the public, the 



culinary or medicinal herb market 

 might be better for you. The mar- 

 ket for culinary herbs for restau- 

 rants is growing as more people 

 realize the taste differences and 

 advantages of cooking with and 

 eating fresh herbs. You would 

 need to produce several harvests 

 of cuttings each season and irri- 

 gation would be a true asset. This 

 type of business would need to 

 be near an area with a number of 

 good — preferably up-scale — res- 

 taurants willing to pay good 

 prices for fresh herbs. A town 

 that attracts tourists at the time of 

 year you are growing your largest 

 crop is ideal. 



If you are not a gardener, but 

 a craftsperson, making and mar- 

 contmiied on next page 



Newton Greenhouse 



32 Amesbury Road, Newton, NH 03858 

 603-382-5289 



Quality Plants 

 green & flowering 



from 3" to 10" pots 



Holiday, bedding plants & dish gardens 



Year-round cut Snaps, Gloxinias & African Violets 



Liscensed propagator 

 of Mikkelsen New Guinea Impatiens 



75 Chestnut Hill, Route 190 

 Stafford Springs, CT 06076 



W.H. MILIKOWSKI, INC. 



Greenhouse Supplies & Equipment 



Plants Bulbs 



All Your Greenhouse Needs 



'Our Goal Is Your Success' 



Ron Hill 

 NH & Maine Representative 



CT 800-243-7170 

 Fax: 860-684-3022 



OCTOBER.NOVEMBER.1998 



