In the past half-year or so, I have become intensely interested in plant-based medicine. For 30 years or more I've been very involved in natural approaches to good health generally (for myself, and in helping others on a strictly non-professional basis), but recently have begun making my own medicines from plants I grow, or purchase from reputable sources. To most of you, this is no new idea.

As you might suspect, I have spent a lot of time and money acquiring expertise and equipment to produce such "medicines" (who knows what the FDA would call them!). Now, having made that investment, I'm wondering whether anyone would be interested in a service, if I created such, where I would take plants or plant parts that you would supply to me, or which I would purchase on your behalf, and produce an extract or medicine from it for you.

Initially at least, it would be strictly a way of paying for my habit(!), so there would be no profit in it; it would be strictly to cover my cost--no more. I have to admit, though, that if it really became popular, so that it started taking time away from my real job, it might someday turn into a "real business". But for now, it's just an idea, and will be a not-for-profit endeavor if I do start doing it.

Granted, making basic plant medicines can be fairly easy, and doesn't have to require a lot of investment in equipment or time. But I have found that the basic methods have their limitations, and being a scientific type anyway (by profession an Engineer in a major communications company that you've all heard of), I've been having myself a good time learning about all this stuff. And buying entirely too much equipment to make specialized things, like hi-concentration extracts useful, for example, in making therapeutic salves or skin creams, or a multi-herb formula.

So... Would anyone be interested in such a service as I am describing if indeed I did start offering it?

Thanks for your thoughts.

-BH

A big problem with herbal medicines and supplements today is lack of standardization and quality control (tests have shown that for a variety of products, quality varies a lot between products with some having negligible or none of the active ingredients they claim to).

This applies to medium to large supplement companies. I'd be even less likely to trust a product from someone just getting started in a home business, however knowledgeable they were said to be. Some of these products are potent medicines, and problems could be costly.

My inclination is either to pick and use fresh herbs I grow (or dry) myself, or seek out a product from a firm with a reputation for, or even better, evidence that it adheres to testing/purity standards.

Theresa
Honey Thyme Herb Farm