Value Added Floral, Nursery, and Medicinal Herbs

Consumer Trends and Market Diversification Opportunities for Specialty Crop Producers

Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 9:00AM to 4:30PM
WSU Mt. Vernon Research Center
16650 State Route 536, Mount Vernon, WA 98273011

The Northwest Agriculture Business Center will provide an interesting and engaging day in which participants will learn about the current market and product trends in the floral, nursery and medicinal herb category, what to consider in the development of these products, and how to meet food safety and regulatory requirements.

Medicinal Herbs, Business and Market Development Opportunities in the Puget Sound Region

Presenter-Marisha Auerbach, Owner Herb N' Wisdom, Adjunct Faculty for Bastyr University and Oregon State University
Nationally, consumers spent more than $12 billion on natural supplements last year--nearly double the amount spent in 1994, and sales continue to grow at better than 10% a year. Marisha will provide information and recent data on the nation's top medicinal herbs under cultivation and fine-tune it for this region based on her ten years of experience in cultivation, permaculture, and agroforestry.

Cut Flower Growers School, Building a Viable Business and Capturing Local Markets

Presenter-Diane Szuchovathy, co-owner of Jello Mold Farm and founding member of the Seattle Growers Wholesale Market (a regional floral producer marketing Cooperative)
Most consumers aren't aware that more than 80% of the cut flowers sold in the U.S are imported. As well as sharing some land and water stewardship strategies that can help to capture the local sensibilities of the Puget Sound region's consumers, Diane will share the nuts and bolts of her farming, production, and business operation's experience.

Tickets must be purchased in advance from the NABC website

The Presenters:

Marisha Auerbach:
Marisha has been actively practicing, studying, and teaching Permaculture in the Pacific Northwest for over a decade, specializing in food production, herbalism, seedsaving, ecology, and useful plants. She graduated from The Evergreen State College in 1998 and continued her studies to receive a Diploma of Herbal Studies from the Australasian School of Herbal Studies in 2000. Marisha is passionate about creating land-based businesses that focus on medicinal herbs and other useful plants. She has developed a number of businesses, including Queen Bee Flower Essences and Growing Greetings plantable cards. Marisha currently teaches an Online Permaculture Program at Oregon State University and is adjunct faculty for the Certificate in Holistic Landscape Design program at Bastyr University.

Please Note: Due to an unexpected family obligation, our original presenter Jenny Perez, Herb Garden Manager for Bastyr University is unable to present. Fortunately, Jenny put us in touch with Marisha who will bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and useful information to our workshop.

Diane Szukovathy:
Diane owns and operates Jello Mold Farm in Mount Vernon, WA with her husband, Dennis Westphall. They use sustainable growing practices to produce a wide variety of field and hoophouse grown annuals, perennials and woody crops. They purchased their seven acre farm in 2000. Coming from a background in fine arts, graphic design and 15 years experience in landscape design, construction and maintenance, Diane brings a creative and diverse approach to flower farming and marketing. She serves on the Board of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers as Northwest Regional Director and is President of the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market Cooperative, a 20 member trade association which facilitates direct marketing of member produced floral crops to florists, shops and businesses in the greater Seattle area.

For more information see Product Development on the course webpage.

Cost: $95 general registration / $85 with PSFN Member discount (membership will be verified). Includes box lunch and handouts

Class is limited to 25 attendees For more information or questions, please contact

Jeff Voltz,
jeff@agbizcenter.org
360-593-4744

click here for the Cancellation Policy for Long-term Workshops

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