Herbworld….a blog for herb businesses

In talking to a friend yesterday we recalled when we first got our herb businesses started.  For both of us it was the early 80s.  We were passionate about herbs.  There were so few resources and when we found one, the high lasted for weeks.  There were “names” back then in the industry: Adelma Simmons, Bertha Reppert, Madeline Hill, Jeannie Rose, Betsy Williams, Emelie Tolley, the Sasos, to name a few.  Most had written books.  Many had a physical location which one could make a pilgrimage to and learn at their feet.  They’d occasionally speak at a gardening event and we’d travel across five states to see them.  It was wonderful.  It was a passion we shared with hundreds of others.
           Unfortunately for herbal enthusiasts today, it’s not the same.  Society has made “passions” difficult.  Now “herbal odysseys” to a string of herb businesses is halted by gas prices and the fact that many herb businesses are now strictly online.  Publishing changes have made successful herb books a thing of the past, so we don’t have the inspirational authors of the past.  With scheduling conflicts, there are few conferences and those that attempt to schedule one find lack of support.  And much as I’m addicted to the Internet for searching as anyone, I really do miss the pressing of flesh in the halls between sessions at a physical event, tromping through a weed walk with other herb folk, laughingly remembering the banquet back in 96 when we danced half the night to a great band at the conference in Albuquerque.  Will we ever see that passion for our herb businesses again?     

What herbnet is about is really a forum for those that are in the business of herbs….problems we face, information we need, how to sell products.  In the days to come, I’ll give hints and tips on making your herbal business profitable and hope others will make contributions as well