Starting your Herb Farm

There are a few things to consider when starting your herb farm. You need to look at it as an initial 2 – 3 year establishment timeframe before you are earning a sustainable income. Research shows optimal size for small – intermediate production is ideally 0.4 ha>, the number of herbs you grow and what you grow is very much dependant on your climate/soil type/access to water and site.

Choice of crops

It’s best to maintain diversity by growing several crops (5 or 6) with different harvest times to help with harvest and drying so as not to bottleneck your production. It is also worthwhile to look at what crops are needed and suitable for your environment but also what you have an affinity with.

Costs

Small scale herb growing is labour intensive more than capital intensive, while it helps to have income coming in in the establishment phase and a little extra to get your herbs off to a good start, you don’t need a lot of money. Herb farming will most likely never mach you rich (there are exceptions) but it will afford you a modest living off your land.

Equipment Needed

The list above is for a basic small scale set up, you can purchase or repurpose large cropping equipment for larger farms like potato and carrot harvester for root harvest. Specialist leave harvesters and flower harvesters. You will need a clean shed to process and dry in that can be kept vermin proof.