On a small scale, UMES Extension Specialty Herbs Consultant Henriette den Ouden is helping area farmers grow and explore markets for medicinal herbs. The hope, of course, is that the specialty herbs market proves an emerging one benefiting growers and consumers.
Farmers with previous relationships with UMES Extension are growing skullcap, holy basil or the Chinese herb, red sage, in a single 250’ row “as a beginning,” said den Ouden. One is growing ashwaganda, an Indian herb.
“We provided them the plugs and are working with them to troubleshoot and find out what practices work best for growing on the Eastern Shore and find markets for the dried product,” she explains.
Den Ouden currently has a local herbalist lined up to buy product, but said at this time, it will “most likely be sold to herbalist in the D.C. area as dried herbs.”
Contact den Ouden at hdenouden@umes.edu for more information on medicinal herbs.
Gail Stephens, agricultural communications and media associate, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, UMES Extension, gcstephens@umes.edu, 410-621-3850.
Photos by Todd Dudek, agricultural communications, University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Agricultural and Natural Sciences, tdudek@umes.edu.
