Forest Farming Video Series
~Value Added Products~
This video series provides insights into various ways that non-timber forest products can be used
to bring further value to the forest farmer. Forest botanical production can be taken a step further
by processing different plant parts into medicines, creams, essential oils, salves,
teas, and other value-added products.
We go behind the scenes to show a glimpse of where these herbal concoctions can be made, how different products are created, and what the business model is for each company we interviewed. Our hope is to provide a broad view behind the herbal products industry, from growing medicinal herbs in the forest as seen in our forest farming videos, to drying and post harvest handling, to finished products that incorporate these forest botanicals.
Be sure to check out the rest of our forest farming videos on our YouTube channel.
Value Added Products
Goldenseal Salve with Paul Strauss
Tincture Preparation at Maryland University of Integrative Health
Tinctures extract chemical components of a plant by using a solvent which is typically alcohol but can also be glycerin.
Elderflower Hydrosol
Donna La Pre, natural perfumer and herbal products creator, harvests elderflowers and creates an elderflower hydrosol in this value-added product demonstration.
Elderberry Syrup
Susan Leopold and Teresa Boardwine make elderberry syrup at the Indian Pipe Botanical Sanctuary. Elderberry syrup is considered an immune booster and is easy to make.
Essential Oils
Asheville Tea Company
Paris Apothecary
Susan Leopold, Director of the United Plant Savers, began the Paris Apothecary to carry a variety of herbal remedies and elixirs made both in the region and beyond. The apothecary is also a great place to educate consumers about herbal tonics, the plants used to create them, and how those plants are cultivated and harvested.
Herbal Ingenuity
A botanical raw ingredient supplier gives a behind-the-scenes tour of their facility in North Carolina.
Mountains to Sea
How does a business get off the ground? We joined a small start-up in Western North Carolina to film the production of an all-natural body scrub made with locally sourced ingredients. Incubator kitchens like Blue Ridge Food Ventures provide a clean, regulated space for small businesses to produce and package items ranging from hot sauces to dog treats. Co-owner of Mountains to Sea, Amanda Vickers, walks us through the process of creating a salt scrub at Blue Ridge Food Ventures.
Gaia Herbs
Blue Ridge Food Ventures
Located in Asheville, North Carolina, Blue Ridge Food Ventures provides facilities and guidance for small businesses to create and market value-added products.
Producers of Value Added Products
Asheville Tea Company
Paris Apothecary
Susan Leopold, Director of the United Plant Savers, began the Paris Apothecary to carry a variety of herbal remedies and elixirs made both in the region and beyond. The apothecary is also a great place to educate consumers about herbal tonics, the plants used to create them, and how those plants are cultivated and harvested.
Herbal Ingenuity
A botanical raw ingredient supplier gives a behind-the-scenes tour of their facility in North Carolina.
Mountains to Sea
How does a business get off the ground? We joined a small start-up in Western North Carolina to film the production of an all-natural body scrub made with locally sourced ingredients. Incubator kitchens like Blue Ridge Food Ventures provide a clean, regulated space for small businesses to produce and package items ranging from hot sauces to dog treats. Co-owner of Mountains to Sea, Amanda Vickers, walks us through the process of creating a salt scrub at Blue Ridge Food Ventures.
Gaia Herbs
Blue Ridge Food Ventures
Located in Asheville, North Carolina, Blue Ridge Food Ventures provides facilities and guidance for small businesses to create and market value-added products.