Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, Revised Edition

"e;Seasoned and novice growers alike will find a mother lode of information and wisdom packed into this gem of a book!"e;-Nancy Phillips, author of The Herbalist's Way*Updated with new information about herb dryers and construction, soil fertility, growing cannabis, and moreIn the first edition of The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, authors Jeff and Melanie Carpenter presented a comprehensive seed-to-bottle guide for aspiring and experienced growers alike, from basic business considerations to planting and propagation to creating value-added products. Now they re back with a revised and updated edition, sharing the lessons they ve learned throughout their twenty-five years of operating a medicinal herb farm that prizes quality over quantity.The Carpenters offer their insights and tips on every aspect of herb farming, including:Size and scale considerationsData management for profit maximizationThe herbal marketplace and choosing which herbs to growField and bed preparation and planting, including building soil fertilityPlant-positive weed, pest, and disease controlHarvest and post-harvest processing, including scalable dryer constructionValue-added products and marketingA new chapter on growing cannabisAnd much more!The Carpenters make the case that growing organic medicinal herbs is not only viable and profitable, but also an important step for improving the ecological health of farmland, taking pressure off of wild medicinal plant populations, and increasing biodiversity. While local foodways are more often the focus of attention, local medicine ways are equally critical and in need of restoration.The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer is a one-of-a-kind resource, complete with detailed profiles of 50 medicinal herbs and over 200 color photographs. Whether you re looking to grow an herb farm from the ground up, incorporate medicinal plants on an existing farm, or add tools to your belt as a seasoned grower, you ll find the information you need in this volume. [A] beautiful and informative book . . . A dirt-smudged copy should be within easy reach of every home gardener or farmer who grows or wants to grow medicinal plants. Michael McGuffin, President, American Herbal Products Association