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--- THE PORT PERRY STAR ~ FARM & RURAL LIFE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9, 1995 3 Giving home-grown herbs to the world By Stephen Leahy Farm and Rural Life While some farmers are now trying their hand at selling direct to consumers with road- side stands and such, the Richters sell the majority of their crops by mail, all around the world. And they've been doing it for over 20 years, from their small farm located on Highway 47 between Goodwood and Uxbridge. Taking the concept of crop specialization or niche marketing to its furthest extent, Conrad and his mother Waltraut sell herb plants, herb seeds, dried herbs, books and videos on herbs, herbal remedies, herbal potpourri and lots, lots more to the public and commercial retailers. The Richters are now among Canada's largest herb growers and suppliers. While their 10- acre herb farm isn't vast, it is the nerve centre of a world-wide network of growers and seed collectors who supply hundreds of dif- ferent herbs and seeds. They list 27 different varieties of mint, 25 basils, 14 oreganos, and exotics like India's rose scented geranium grass and the Chinese herb of choice for colds and flu, the bur marigold, in their 100-page catalogue that is mailed annually to over 100,000 people. Waltraut Richter says they look for plants with special properties all over the world, but sometimes customers visiting their greenhouses share their herb favorites. "One woman was looking for a mint she'd used in Jamaica as an aid to digestion, and we didn't have it. So I asked her to bring some back the next time she went home. And now we have what we call Jamaican mint," says Mrs. Richter. A hale and hearty 78, Mrs. Richter, who still puts in a bustling six or seven days a week, is a testament to the vitality herbs pro- vide. She has been using them in her cooking, making her own teas and remedies for many years. In fact, she got the business started by growing herbs for the family after emigrating from Austria in the 1950s with her husband Otto and their four children. Trained in the nursery business in Europe, the Richters had a thriving business in bedding plants in north Pickering. Unable to get herbs here, Mrs. Richter start- ed growing her own. Word soon got around and more and more people came looking for herbs to freshen up their cooking or just to have some pleasant smelling plants around the house. Soon recognized as Toronto's "herb growing expert," she found herselfin magazines and on television. Over the years Mrs. Richter has blended many different herbs and developed her own herbal tea, which is widely sold. The five-herb formula she uses is a tightly-held secret, but the tea is considered both refreshing and relax- ing. Some people have found it to be an amazing health restorative, she says. As more and more people become interested in the role vitamins and herbs play in main- taining good health, the Richters' business has really boomed. And, in recent years, scientific research is discovering that such herbal treat- ments such as feverfew, echinacea (purple coneflower), and evening primrose, among oth- ers, actually provide health benefits. Another reason, says Conrad, is people are using more herbs in their foods and are more willing to try foreign cuisine, such as Vietnamese foods, which use a wide variety of herbs. Yet another is the fact that herbs are often wonderfully scented and can be used in things like potpourri, and to make aromatic oils. Mrs. Richter is quick to point out that all of their plants are grown organically -- without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. She says this gives their plants stronger root systems, and are better able to withstand the shock of trans- plantation. It also means they get a higher price for their product. Plants or seeds will be shipped to most places in the world. In order to ensure delivery of delicate plants through the mails Mrs. Richter's husband Otto, who died a few years ago, invented a plant shipping box. "The box can be turned upside down and kicked like a football and the plants will be fine," says Conrad. Delivery has to be within four or five days to ensure the plants can survive without light and water. They don't use ordinary parcel-post for that reason, but the system works, and they have hundreds of letters attesting to that fact. Otto Richter also invented a simple tool to make plant pots from strips of old newspaper which is ideal for starting young plants, seedlings or cuttings. That's a big improvement for any gardener who has a shed full of envi- ronmentally unfriendly -- and usually broken - - plastic pots. The potmaker can be purchased for less than $15. When asked if she is happy the family busi- ness shifted from bedding plants to herbs, Mrs. Richter's answer is very direct: "Of course. Herbs are much more interesting. They also have such wonderful health benefits for people." Waltraut Richter has found her niche in the increasingly popular herb market. Her Uxbridge-area operation is doing a booming business with people who seek herbs for sea- soning, and health. | J ( ; a § e ELECTRIC MOTOR SERVICE Phone: (705) 324-9427 Fax: (705) 324-9840 THEE 4 Durham St. E., Lindsay IE 9650 (155hp) Powershift Demo unit now in stock 45 & 55 hp 5600 models designed for comfort, convenience and tight turning ability. Loaders available. Call Bill Worden or Lloyd Trewin for a demo. Sohn Green Flectric Limited (formenty Defy Electric) Electrical, Plumbing & Heating Poleline Construction PUMPS Sales & Service Specializing in Farm & Residential Work BLACKSTOCK TREWIN FARM EQUIPMENT (905) 986-4212 986-4283 A AGCO. ALLIS 3758 Reg. Rd. 57, Nestleton, Ont.