Growing Your Herb Business [Paperback]

Practical advice on budgets, locations, business plans, bookkeeping, staffing, inventory, and pricing. Case histories of 50 thriving herb businesses. Additional topics include developing products, packaging, special events, and methods for expanding.

The founder of the Rosemary House, a Pennsylvania herb and spice shop, provides readers will all the necessary information for transforming an herb hobby into a successful herb business, and shares her secrets for developing and designing herbal products and packaging them effectively. Illustrations; resource list.

Have you ever dreamed of selling your herbs and crafts? Stop dreaming and start reading! In Growing Your Herb Business, Bertha Reppert shares the story of how she launched The Rosemary House, a Pennsylvania herb and spice shop in business for more than 25 years. In addition, Reppert details the experiences of 50 other herb business owners from across the country. She explains how to: -- determine a start-up budget -- select a suitable location -- build and track inventory -- develop marketing strategies Bertha Reppert shares her secrets for developing a broad range of herbal products. Growing Your Herb Business also includes imaginative ideas for effective packaging, hosting special events, and seasonal promotions. Reppert even suggests methods for expanding your business through wholesaling, mail order catalog sales, and newsletters.

Author Bertha Reppert was the founder and owner of The Rosemary House, Inc., a well known herb and spice shop located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, since 1968. Her book Growing Your Herb Business was based on over 25 years of experience at The Rosemary House purveying herbs and spices, and it captures her dream of turning a hobby into a profitable business. Bertha was an instructor for an Herbs 101 course at a Pennsylvania Community College, was a contributing editor to The Herb Quarterly, and wrote for The New York Times and Rodale's Organic Gardening as well. She was the first honorary member of the Heartland Herb Society Group, a member of the Herb Society of America, President Emeritus of the Penn-Cumberland Garden Club, and life member of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, among many others. After she retired, Bertha wrote, taught, and lectured on her experience. Bertha was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. She was married for 47 years to her husband, Byron, who was former mayor of Mechanicsburg. They had four daughters. Bertha passed away in June of 1999 at the age of 83.