If you want to be an organic farmer, but don’t have any experience or know how, you might consider starting an organic herb farm. It is more convenient to grow herbs than many other crops, and it does not require larger land to get started. You can have a profitable organic herb farm even on a few acres, so here are some of helpful tips on buying land for your organic herb farm.

Climate and Market

First thing you should do is to find out the kinds of organic herb farms already exist in your area. Talk to the farmers and ask about the climate and the kinds of hers that will grow best there. You can also get some advice from them. They are experts and they can help your organic herb farm to be successful.

Have a thorough study of the place you’re planning to have your organic herb farms. How are other organic herb farms doing financially? Is there any possibility to gain more profit for putting up another organic herb farm?  How do others sell their produce? Are they selling herbal products as well as herbs? What is the equipment needed to make those products?

Just like with any business, it is important to make a comprehensive market analysis before you start growing an organic herb farm.

Look for Land

When you start looking for a land it is good to put these questions on your list. How much land do you need? Would you prefer cleared or wooded land?  Do you want previously cultivated land? Is there an existing organic herb garden for sale?

If you plan to live on your organic herb farm, make sure that there’s a livable home on it. 

Check out the outbuildings to make sure they are adequate for your needs. Don’t forget to find out about the water supply, electrical supply and septic especially if you’re currently a city dweller. 

Since you plan on starting an organic herb farm, try to find land that has not been treated with chemical additives.  It’s important to know the history of the land and everything that has done to it, at least for the past five to ten years. That’s how long you have to go back to get an organic certification for your organic herb farm.

Decide on a Crop

There are many ways you can do with your organic herb farm. The pictures you see of acres of lavender look gorgeous, but monoculture farming sets you up for disaster. It is better to have more than one option in case one doesn’t do well.

Perennial herbs such as lavender, rosemary and thyme can be grown on your organic herb farm. You can harvest and sell the herbs directly to consumers, to food producers or to cosmetic and other industries.  You can also make herbal products and sell them too. These days, annual culinary herbs like basil and oregano are usually grown hydroponically but you can also grow them in the ground. Culinary herbs are a good cash crop.

There is a growing market for native or naturally growing herbs. You can harvest native plants with high value wherever they grow on your land. Many of these herbs would grow best in wooded areas, and you can interplant them in your woodlot.  Some of the examples of native herbs that have commercial value are ginseng, goldenseal, cohosh and Echinacea. Most of the native herbs are used for medicinal purposes.

The perfect way for you to become an organic farmer is to start growing an organic herb farm. There is a lot to learn, but you can start your organic herb farm with a relatively small investment and without a degree in agriculture.