The growing of Chinese medicinal herbs in the United States is an emerging agricultural crop. To help farmers in the Southwest to decide if adding Chinese medicinal herbs is a viable option to their operation, New Mexico State University’s College of Agricultural, Consumers and Environmental Science has developed an online tutorial.
Funded by a USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service grant from the Western Center for Risk Management Education, based at Washington State University, the online tutorial allows viewers to attend a live training program on Asian medicinal herb production and marketing, which was recorded earlier in the project.
National experts Jean Giblette of High Falls Gardens in New York and Peggy Schafer of Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm in Petaluma, CA., were invited to share their extensive knowledge of Asian herb growing with growers.
The training is divided into eight modules titled overview, species identification, propagation, cultivation and management, harvesting, invasiveness, processing, and marketing strategies. The homepage of each module includes an overview of the sessions goal, link to the audio/visual presentation, listing of supplemental materials, resource guide, resource links and the presenters contact information.