Northwest Botanicals,Inc. SPECIALIZING IN MARKETING, PROCESSING, AND COTTAGE INDUSTRIES

1212 SW 5th Street Grants Pass, OR 97526-6104 (541) 476-5588 (541) 476-1823 (FAX)

The following is a partial list of crops recommended for specific markets and cottage industry opportunities of the Mid-West. They are grouped into specific categories:

SPICE FLORALS - This is a new way to get started. When beginning feasibility studies, smaller acreage can be put up as dried florals, and sold to the mass market outlets (Vons, Safeway, Food Giant, etc.) While the markets are limited, this offers an alternative to the produce trade. (Same buyer, most supermarkets). A list of crops include most spices and some herbs.

MINTS - Various mints can be grown for the herb tea companies. This requires a swather and then combine pick-up, to separate the leaf from the stem. As a market niche, these crops can be quite diverse, since most crops considered as spices are also mints. These are the crops with square stems (like Catnip and Basil). Suggested crops include:

BERGAMOT - Another crop which grows well in very cold regions. While primarily markets have used this as a source of some oils, I recommend you grow this one for the potpourri markets. (HMR 1:6).

LICORICE MINT - Somewhat fragile, licorice mint is often grown as an annual rather than perennial. It is an excellent dried floral, and the leaf is also now marketed as anew tea ingredient. This requires a combine, similar to peppermint and spearmint. The oil is rarely extracted.

ORANGE MINT - This mint contains linalool and linalyl acetate (lavender), and is marketed as an oil to the perfume industry. New markets indicate it might be used as a leaf product for the herb tea markets. It is quite fragrant, and could be harvested somewhat like peppermint and spearmint leaf.

PENNYROYAL - Grows wild in many states, including Oregon and New York. While used mostly for the oil, as an insecticide, new markets include the floral trade. It is quite beautiful in full bloom, and the American varieties grow tallest (for these markets). It is poisonous to cattle, so many states consider it a noxious weed.

SEED PRODUCTION: These crops take advantage of the current experience of most Mid-West farm programs, combines and other capital equipment used for this industry, and the numerous grain bins and corn dryers in the region. Oil is often obtained by steam distillation or cold press operations.

Many of the markets are cross-over ones, starting with bakery and candy manufacturers, to the more sophisticated pharmaceutical house and cosmetic industry.

ANISE - As a major spice import, this crop can be easily cultivated and harvested with a combine. There are incorrect cultivars which grow wild in most parts of the U.S., so the correct species should take easily to your soils. Often used as a candy ingredient.

BLACK CARA - (Nigella) - This caraway seed is used exclusively in the German communities as a substitute for poppy. It grows wild in most western regions of the U.S. and can be easily cultivated for combine harvesting.

CARAWAY - The advantages of this crop cannot be overstated. It builds dry land soils back into production, especially those tending toward clay. The seed can be taken with a combine, or as an oil using steam distillation. Primary markets are those oriented toward the use of the seed in baked goods.

CORIANDER - This is a major spice which is currently imported from Mexico and Soviet Bloc countries. Its primary use and markets for this country are as a pickling agent. It should market very well to the same buyers as dill. Cilantro is the fresh produce, and is marketed in most supermarket stores.

DILL - This annual requires low water and makes excellent cottage industry projects for the winter months. Dill flowerheads (Dill Weed) often makes excellent florals, and during the canning season many larger mass-market stores can sell more than one acre of fresh produce.

FENNEL - Similar to anise seed, unwanted species variations grow wild in many regions. It is easy to cultivate and the markets are quite extensive, especially if a domestic source of supply can be established. It needs a combine and further seed cleaning for current markets.

SESAME SEED - This crop grows well in Texas, and has a history of production throughout the Midwest, especially Illinois and Michigan. China has not produced their usual quotas over the last several years, due to extensive flooding in those regions of cultivation. It requires a combine

FOREST FIELD CROPS - Many forest products, sold as herbs and medicinal plants, originally were produced in Europe. With the fall of communism and the Soviet Bloc, many of these products are no longer available. For example, Yugoslavia, a primary producer of nettle no longer exists as a country. Clairol manufactures a hair conditioner that uses more than 400 ton annually. Where will they find this ingredient for use in the manufacture of their cosmetics?

Current programs include foraging these crops from native stands. If a program were established to actually farm these crops in their natural habitat, using light machinery and farm practices, many of these natural stands could be developed and enhanced with lower labor costs and higher profitability.

ARNICA - A traditional medicinal used in most liniments. Volumes have been limited to availability. This can be easily cultivated and harvested using traditional hay equipment.

BLESSED THISTLE - A nice annual thistle with good local markets in the region. Used to make certain alcoholic beverages, and other food markets. Put it up like a hay crop.

BLOODROOT - This grows well in northern woods of the Midwestern states, especially as a forest farming project. It takes about three years before full production is achieved, and requires full shade for best growth. It can be harvested with rototiller-like root harvesters.

CATNIP - A typical mint-type crop which requires limited irrigation. It can be put up as a hay-type crop, or combined like peppermint for the leaf. Limited markets include the pet toy industry.

ECHINACEA - A traditional medicinal which likes drier forests and range-land in Northwestern States. While it has been traditionally foraged for the botanical markets, it is a perfect candidate for forest farming techniques. Requires partial shade and cold winters.

MANDRAKE - Traditional medicinal to cross over into pharmaceutical use. This grows well in northern woods of the Midwestern states, especially as a forest farming project. It takes about three years before full production is achieved, and requires full shade for best growth. It can be harvested with rototiller-like root harvesters.

NETTLE - This grows best up against a tree-line or edging a lake or river - partial shade. It can be cultivated and harvest much like a hay-type crop (i.e. catnip). It must be cut in the herbaceous stage so it can be sold as an herb. Perfect forest-farm project.

VALERIAN - Valerian root is a major import from India and Soviet Bloc countries, there are current shortages and a need for domestic sources. It can be harvested in three years similar to potatoes, although it does not usually need to be replanted.

WILD INDIGO - This root crop is well-suited to the Midwest forests and Oregon. The root is used as a dye (501 blue jeans), and can be grown in forests that small machinery might be used. It is harvested in the seventh year, and seed is collected for new plantings.

WORMWOOD - This is a new crop for the U.S. Government (Army) as a major pharmaceutical. It should grow very well in most regions, and can be put up as a hay-type crop (sun-cure). Look toward growing extract markets in the future.

COTTAGE INDUSTRY - HERBAL COFFEE SUBSTITUTE PROJECT - The Brown Paper Bag prospectus might be how an Indian Herbal Coffee might first want to be marketed. The tea bag prospectus is a future direction for the herbal coffee, if marketing wants to move in that direction. This would be for the institutional markets, like fast-food delis and small restaurants.

If the cut is made correctly, the herbal coffee can be brewed in a machine. This allows you to go into the restaurant trade (like teas), and the potential market expands to more than 10x that proposed in this document. You would sell bulk to warehousing (like Farmer Brothers), and allow them to deliver weekly.

BURDOCK - A noxious weed which likes to grow in cornfields. Its root is worth 3x the yield from corn in the same field. It usually takes two years before full production is achieved. (HMR 2:11, 3:1).

CHICORY - Often classified as a noxious weed, this crop is now cultivated for coffee substitute markets. It is harvested with potato harvesting machinery, or plows designed to harvest root crops. The root can be sun-cured.

DANDELION R - After the second year, roots can be taken as a by-product for the coffee-substitute/additive and other cottage industry markets. This should be a fairly easy crop to cultivate.

FENUGREEK - This is a perfect crop for stickier soils, those which have begun to clay-pan. The seed is combined for the maple syrup markets, while the herb is often marketed as a produce. It is used as a perfect crop to rotate a field with that which was previously used for roots. It grows like an alfalfa.

FLOWER-HEAD HARVESTER POJECT - projections indicate that more than 100,000 new acres of herb flower-head crops would be needed for full production by 1996, if a flower-head harvester was developed at this time. This type harvester would also make a number of new crops available for consumption.

I proposes a project to facilitate the development of a mechanical harvester for harvesting many types of herbal products. The project would involve building a modified header harvest system, attachable to a John Deer-type swather to sever flower-heads from the plant stems and collect them into mobile containers for drying and further processing.

CHAMOMILE (GERMAN) - This annual variety requires a special flowerhead harvester. There is now a working prototype available for limited studies. It is critical that no stem is harvested with the flowerhead. Stems have a bitter agent not acceptable with this crop.

CHAMOMILE (ROMAN) - This variety is used almost extensively as an oil extraction from steam distillation. This means that the precision requirements for flowerhead harvesting is not as critical. You should harvest this crop approximately two times on unirrigated fields and more than five times on those with moderate irrigation (14-day sets).

FEVERFEW - This is a new market, and growing, as an aspirin substitute. One way to orient this crop is via harvesting the flowerheads for the potpourri markets, then putting the rest of it up as a hay-type crop for the pharmaceutical uses. It is also sold as a dried floral in large quantities, and there is also a growing seed market for this crop. (HMR 3:11).

MARIGOLD - The Tagetes variety is grown as a poultry feed supplement. Its dye colors the meat and make the yoke orange. Marigold flowerheads need a yet-to-be developed "flowerhead harvester." It can be picked for profit by hand for potpourri, but this market is limited, and competition comes from Mexico.

PYRETHRUM - This is a form of chrysanthemum which is also one of the best natural insecticides known. It is used in almost every household product, including such items as Raid and Black Flag, and is considered to be an "organic insecticide." It is harvested with a yet-to-be discovered "flowerhead harvester." Even picking the flowerheads by hand is profitable.

RED CLOVER - Excellent grower in your area, the market needs a domestic source of red clover flowerheads (for potpourris, pharmaceutical markets, and my GOLDEN EAGLE HERBAL CHEW). A special flowerhead harvester is needed, and we are just now developing a prototype.

OTHER HIGHLY RECOMMENDED CROPS - The following crops all look to be well-suited to the soils and regional weather variables for the Mid-West. Some require a major commitment in dehydration and other processing facilities. Complete prospectuses, like "A Processing Facility for Botanical Alternatives," are available.

BASIL - This annual requires low water and makes excellent cottage industry projects for the winter months. It can be used to make vinegar and pestos (frozen) for mass-markets. (HMR 2:2).

BLACK CARAWAY SEED - (Nigella) - This caraway seed is used exclusively in the German communities as a substitute for poppy. It grows wild in most western regions of the U.S. and can be easily cultivated for combine harvesting.

CHIVE - While the garlic and onion markets are well surplused, this type of dehydrated onion green has extensive demand in most gourmet restaurants and other cottage industries, like prepared foods. It is very easily grown and harvested. The problem lies in cutting and dehydrating it for appearance. This may need some form of dicing/slicing machine used for carrots and celery.

COMFREY - While the market for the leaf in the food industry is quite limited, the markets as a cattle-food supplement are quite extensive, especially in the dairy business. The problem comes in attempting to handle this product green. While profit margins are potentially available, there are some machinery requirements.

DANDELION L - There are some extensive markets for the leaf, now estimated at more than 10,000 acres (as an herbal chewing tobacco substitute). It is almost impossible not to grow this crop well. Since the leaf is considered a by-product, the production tables do not include overhead, as they are covered in root production.

DILL - This annual requires low water and makes excellent cottage industry projects for the winter months. Dill flowerheads (Dill Weed) often makes excellent florals, and during the canning season many larger mass-market stores can sell more than one acre of fresh produce.

LOVAGE - This is a primary fragrance material, used in cosmetics and as a food additive. It is currently cultivated in France, Belgium, and most Soviet Bloc countries. It is usually cut for an essential oil from steam distillation. Watch for wilt, it should be rotated every third year.

LUPIN - This crop has become very popular with seed companies as an ornamental. There are also some potential growing markets for this as a seed in Europe, the primary buyer: Dutch. It is very easy to grow.

MARJORAM - A major spice, cultivated primarily in France and Greece, this crop is used extensively as oregano. Since it is not hardy, it is best treated as an annual (except Arizona). Weed control will be the primary problem with its cultivation because it is a slow grower. 3 harvests are available per year.

OREGANO - This is a primary spice, used extensively in pizza, the fastest growing "fast-food" market in the U.S. It is almost exclusively imported and Turkish sources are recently in shortages. It will need dehydration. (HMR 1:5).

PARSLEY - Last year, more than 10K tons was used just in the restaurant trade as a fresh garnish alone. Used in soup mixes and condiments, the estimated dried import of this crop is more than 4K ton. There will always be local markets for this product (HMR 3:4).

SAGE - This is a major meat packing spice, used to keep meats from rotting. It grows well in poor soils and little or no water. The best situations, however, include irrigation. The plant can be taken as a leaf in the 3rd year, once the initial wood stock has been trimmed to produce leaf.

SAVORY - Summer savory is a tender annual, while winter savor is hardy perennial. Used in many stew preparations, summer savory has a more delicate aroma and fragrance than does winter savory, thus it is also more popular in the marketplace. Summer savory prefers lighter soils than winter savory, and both like irrigation.

SCULLCAP - A mint (square-stem) which is in short supply in the world. It likes a swampy woods, and can be harvested with a rotary mower. World volumes would increase with availability. Excellent for semi-wooded swampy regions with cold winters

SESAME SEED - This crop grows well in Texas, and has a history of production throughout the Midwest, especially Illinois and Michigan. China has not produced their usual quotas over the last several years, due to extensive flooding in those regions of cultivation. It requires a combine.

TARRAGON - French varieties require cuttings. It prefers higher altitudes for the best oil production, although will grow almost anywhere. After the second year, the stalks can be harvested with the leaf when still in the herbaceous stage. Woody part should be cut back each year, like pruning.

THYME - A major genus of spice species, used in the flavor and food industries. It also has antioxidant properties. The herb is harvested when the plant is in full bloom, usually with two cuttings per season. It will need good drainage to produce well, and may need some mulching to prevent winter-kill. It can also be taken for oil via steam-distillation, and has numerous ornamental markets.

 

Richard Alan Miller, has marketed herbs and spices for more than twenty years. As a regional wholesaler, he saw the need for development of domestic sources of supply. Over the last ten year, specific farm plans have been developed for agri-businesses and USDA. As a result, commercial production of herbs and spices is now feasible.

CONTACT:
Richard Alan Miller
Agricultural Consultant

Page Update: 03-08-05