Herb Farming Can be A Profitable Business
Have you noticed the high price of fresh herbs in the supermarket lately? It amazes me why more individuals aren’t getting into the lucrative area of growing and processing fresh herbs.
If you want to try your hand at herb farming, grow herbs that do well in your area. Start small, you can expand later with a green house, climate control and soil manipulation. You can begin with just a hot frame to start your seeds, and a screened area for drying your herbs away from insects along with other undesirables.
Do a lot of homework before you start your herb farm. Go to the library or bookstore and discover what are the needs of the herbs you plan to plant. After you know what herbs you’ll be planting on your herb farm go through the history of that particular herb. Also see if it has any folklore or medicinal uses attached to it. Make up little pamphlets with this info as a “give aways” with your plants, it makes it more attractive to the buyer and will add to your sales and profits.
During your research, include study on which herbs attract pests. (Basil attracts white flies that are difficult to eliminate). Another trick is to keep herbs that entice pests away from the ones that don’t on your herb farm.
If you’re proficient with your computer, make up nice labels for your herbs. Otherwise, go to a printer and have them make them for you. When you get to the stage that you are shipping herbs, always put a bit info on the herb in the package. It gives your package a personal effect and your client will be more apt to buy again.
Once you have a crop in you’ll need to market your inventory. Go to Gourmet Restaurants and Gourmet stores. Do not forget health food stores and caterers. Talk to the chef or owner and explain what you’ve. You may try to leave some of your stock at the establishment on consignment to get your customers to see the value of fresh herbs. Provide to set up a display with a poster for their window. Or offer them a “special introductory price”. You might even know many people in your area that just love to cook and would be ecstatic if they had been part of your route. Exposure is key at this point for both your name and your herbs. Go back to these potential clients often to build up your dependability.
Another important step is to write press releases that you can send to your local newspapers. Here is where the research on the folklore will come in handy. Use your gathered information on the folklore attached to herbs in the press release. These press releases will introduce you, and your products to the marketplace. Publish them on the web as well, this may help you get clients from out of town. Be imaginative on the many fascinating uses of fresh herbs and of course, how to find you as the source.
You may want to set up a network with other herb farms to purchase from, at wholesale prices. This way in the event you get low on some herb stock you have a place to obtain it for your customers. Keep in mind, they’re depending on you and you want to keep their business.
An inexpensive method to advertise your business is to buy the magnetic signs that stick on your car door. Think outside the box, make people wish to purchase your goods from YOU.
So, jump in your car, go to the library and start studying on how you can become an herb farmer.
Happy Gardening!
Copyright 2006 Mary Hanna All Rights Reserved.
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