The Organic Medicinal Herb Farmer, Revised Edition

'Seasoned and novice growers alike will find a mother lode of information and wisdom packed into this gem of a book!' Nancy Phillips, author of The Herbalists Way *Updated with new information about herb dryers and construction, soil fertility, growing cannabis, and more In 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 theyre back with a revised and updated edition, sharing the lessons theyve 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 considerations Data management for profit maximization The herbal marketplace and choosing which herbs to grow Field and bed preparation and planting, including building soil fertility Plant-positive weed, pest, and disease control Harvest and post-harvest processing, including scalable dryer construction Value-added products and marketing A new chapter on growing cannabis And 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 colour photographs. Whether youre 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, youll 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 growsor wants to growmedicinal plants.' Michael McGuffin, President, American Herbal Products Association