Living Off The Land

                     Raise Herbs For Profit

                      By Marion Van Atta


   So many folks are having to make changes in their 
lifestyles.There are job losses, reduction of interest 
incomes, expensive medical costs and many more reasons to 
find other sources of income.

   Have you ever thought about raising herbs commercially?

   For a long time most folks had the idea that herbs are 
hard to grow.

   We had fantastic crops of herbs during the two years when 
we grew herbs in raised beds. In fact, I had several bushels 
of lemon grass. I gave away lemon grass plants in North 
Carolina to garden club members, library staff, and others.

   If we had known how to market our herbs we might have 
started a little herb business. But we didn't. If we had 
followed the advice from a special for herb growers called 
"The Business of Herbs" herbs might be making our lives a 
little easier now.

   Portia Mears began this magazine several years ago and I 
got on her exchange list then. I have enjoyed hearing about 
herb conferences and almost attended one at Purdue 
University. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has done much 
to educate herb growers.

  Paula and David Oliver in Shevlin Minn. are running the 
magazine now. I am glad they kept the columns by Dr.. James 
Duke, who has been on national television, with some of his 
favorite wild edibles, and Dr. Peter Gail who runs a center 
for wild vegetable research.

   Gail writes about use of clover in the September/ October 
issue. He includes recipes for clover soup, cooked greens, 
tea, wine, and more. Use caution in eating any wild edibles. 
First make sure you have it properly identified and then 
make sure you are not allergic to it. Your local 
agricultural county agent can help you with identification.

   The magazine has much more. I love herb fragrances. In 
fact I even bought a red wood apple in a saucer and a bottle 
of cinnamon oil. An article discusses beneficial effects of 
fragrances citing an experiment using a vanilla-like scent 
for patients undergoing MRI scans It actually reduced 
anxiety.

   A Japanese firm developed an environmental fragrance 
system, which cleans and circulates air in homes, hospitals, 
nursing homes, prisons, and more sites. This will promote 
more pleasant working and living areas.

   There is also a business section. This issue discusses 
getting help from specialists in the herb business including 
names which can help you with growing information, medicinal 
plans and even your own business set-up.

   There are notices of herbal conferences. You might like 
to attend some of the many offered all through the year in 
North Carolina.

   In Dr. Duke's article about Shepherds Purse, an edible 
weed, he writes about the high fumaric acid content of it 
and says, "A richer source is carambola." He suggests there 
may be a possibility of using a mixture of high-choline, 
high-fumaric acid, high lecithin and high silymarin plants 
to prevent liver cancer. Interesting.

   For our Florida readers - don't start eating too many 
caromobola as they have so much oxalic acid they could give 
you gout. Maybe only one star-slice per day? All this needs 
to have scientific investigation!

   You can order "The Business of Herbs" by sending $20 to 
Northwild Farm Publications, RR2, Box 246, Shevlin, MN 
56676-9355.

   Who knows - maybe herbs will be part of your future.