Recommended Reading
The Chinese Medicinal Herb Farm by peg schafer
A Cultivator's Guide to Small-Scale Organic Herb Production
by Peg Schafer, Contributions by Sean Fannin, Forweard by Steven Foster
A comprehensive cultivation guide to growing organic Chinese medicinal herbs, for serious home gardeners and professional growers. Read a detailed review of the book on Mother Earth News here.
Chinese Herb Cultivation:
Daodi Practices for Growing & Processing Chinese Herbs
Edited by Guo Lan-ping, Huang Lu-qi and Xie Xiao-liang / Special Editor to the English Edition: Zhang Yan / Translated and Annotated by Thomas Avery Garran
Thomas Avery Garran lived in China for over a decade, studying the language, TCM and the medicinal herb trade. This book is a translation of part of a national survey of Chinese medicinal materials conducted by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and the most inclusive resource for Chinese cultivation research and daodi descriptions. This book is an important resource for attempting to match American farming locations with the ideal growing conditions for each herb.
Read a book review by Pam Sherman here.
HERBAL EMISSARIES: BRINGING CHINESE HERBS TO THE WEST
A Guide to Gardening, Herbal Wisdom, and Well-Being
by Steven Foster and Yue Chongxi
Published in 1992, this volume was possibly the first English-language book that tied the medicinal substances learned by TCM practitioners with the plants and their cultivation. Each of the 44 monographs include the taste and character of the herb, along with history, cultivation tips, uses, dosages – a wealth of information on each plant. This book should never be forgotten.
THE ORGANIC MEDICINAL HERB FARMER: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO PRODUCING HIGH-QUALITY HERBS ON A MARKET SCALE
by Jeff Carpenter & Melanie Carpenter
Although not specifically about Chinese medicinal herbs, the information about large-scale herb farming should not be overlooked. Laying out fields, herb drying techniques, and larger equipment usage is particularly helpful.
THE MEDICINAL HERB GROWER: A GUIDE FOR CULTIVATING PLANTS THAT HEAL (Vol.1)
by Richo Cech
This book provides gentle encouragement and many, many ideas to try as a grower. While not all of his suggestions are meant for production growers, this collection of thoughts have a place on any medicinal herb grower’s bookshelf.
THE BUSINESS OF BOTANICALS
by Ann Armbrecht
In The Business of Botanicals, Armbrecht explores global herbal medicine supply chains and networks and shares her insight on the big business of medicinal herb and their journey from seed to shelf. Read a book review from Mother Earth News here.