HARVEST FROM HEALING FIELDS
In a quiet corner of Herefordshire, an organic skincare company is growing herbs for its natural range of products, at a flower-filled farm
THE DAY IS hot, with barely a sound to break the stillness; the distant hilltops brushed by soft white clouds that lazily drift and shift formation. It is August, and the fields are filled with colour: untidy rows of blue, pink and orange flowers, bright against the deep green hedgerows, and a faint breeze carrying hints of lavender and cut hay. A little way down the hillside, a farmhouse nestles among a swell of trees, with the River Wye glinting in the valley below.
This mellow corner of Herefordshire is home to botanist Paul Richards, who has transformed a patch of semi-cultivated land into a thriving organic herb farm. Carefully selected for their natural healing properties, the burgeoning rows of calendula, echinacea and marsh mallow, and of cornflower and comfrey, will be gently hand-picked, dried and blended to create a range of soothing and nourishing skincare products, using recipes specially developed on the farm.
Green shoots
Paul’s love of plants was fostered in childhood. He grew up in the rural town of Knighton, on the border of England and Wales, and would roam the surrounding countryside, studying wildlife and particularly wild flowers. “My dad and my uncle were both very interested in plants, and told me all about them,” he explains. “I also had a neighbour who painted flowers. She made cards with the name of the plant on and all its uses. I thought that was fascinating: it fed the medicinal side of my interest. I went on to study botany and plant physiology at university. It’s nice now to use the things I’ve learned in a different context.”
Paul moved to the farm in 1983, starting with just one acre, but buying up adjoining pockets of land as he could afford them. Today, he works almost five acres. An early member of the Soil Association, he wanted to farm organically, with a strong commitment to protecting wildlife and the environment. “When I bought the farm, some of the land had been unused for a while, but it all needed to go through a two-year conversion to organic. We started off selling vegetables and herbs, and had chickens, goats and pigs. But I realised we had to concentrate on one thing and do that really well, so it had to be the herbs.”
Kitchen chemistry
Having successfully cut their teeth selling traditional home-grown remedies, Paul and wife Carol decided to branch out, using their experience to launch a range of organic skincare products, under the name Herbfarmacy. They set about developing new recipes in the kitchen.
“Rather than thinking in terms of active ingredients, herbalists look instead at the action of the herb as a whole and its overall effects,” he says. “It took nine months of trial and error with different recipes, finding out what worked and what didn’t. Although we knew the basics and had few problems with balms and oils, we met up with a formulator, who gave us help with how to structure a cream, as they require expert knowledge. It was a very creative process, and we learned an awful lot. We launched our first 10 products, including hand creams and a lip conditioner, at a Christmas market in 2006.”
Most herbal therapies use the flowers, fruit, leaves or roots of a plant, but bulbs, seeds and even sap can also have powerful effects. Many herbs have astringent or anti-inflammatory properties, acting to tighten or smooth the skin, while others can lock in moisture, calm irritation or offer mild pain relief. But some herbs may have unwanted or harmful effects, so expertise is vital.
“It’s a question of harnessing the properties correctly and getting the texture and fragrance of the product right. We always try out recipes on ourselves first, so we know they’re good, and staff and friends volunteer too,” explains Paul.
The farm now grows approximately 20 different herbs, including cornflower, mullein, St John’s wort and chamomile, and Paul is always experimenting with new ones. As most plants are grown as biennials, planning out quantities needs to be done two years ahead, and predicting future demand is one of his most challenging tasks.
Groundwork
Paul has developed his own landraces over time, by saving seed from the strongest plants each year. Most seeds are taken out of storage with the beckoning of spring in early March and planted in polythene tunnels. Calendula, one of the farm’s biggest crops, is sown straight outside in April or May, when the weather is kinder, to be joined by the germinated seedlings. These are some of Paul’s favourite days on the farm. “Although I enjoy playing around with the herbs, creating recipes, at the end of the day, I’m really a herb grower,” he says. “Sowing and planting out give me great pleasure: it’s that starting of new life.”
Herbs are planted in different densities, depending on the size of the mature plant, mullein, with its large rosettes of leaves needing more space than the finer-leaved hypericum or meadowsweet. Disease and pests are of relatively little concern: herbs are less prone to disease than many crops, and, as an organic farmer, Paul is prepared to offset some loss. “The best defence is a healthy plant,” he says. “Growing strong plants means susceptibility will be less as natural resistance is built up. Our main challenge is actually weeds. But with spacing, rotation and the use of biodegradable mulches, we’ve found ways of coexisting with them, though plenty of work with the hoe is still needed. We even use some of them, such as chickweed, which has anti-itch properties.”
With no pesticide use, the farm is a haven for wildlife. In August, the nectar-rich herbs attract butterflies and bees, and
“And in his left he held a basket full Of all sweet herbs that searching eye could cull”
John Keats, ‘Endymion’
late-nesting finches dart among the hedgerows Paul manages for shelter and firewood. To further encourage diversity, one half-acre field is given to traditional meadow, with crickets and moths among the myriad of insects sheltering among the swaying grasses: a feast for bats, hedgehogs and shrews.
Rich harvest
Harvesting takes place throughout the summer months, with comfrey picked a little earlier than most as it comes to flower, usually in May. From June to September, Paul’s close-knit team of eight move carefully among the rows of cornflower, meadowsweet and echinacea, gently hand-picking delicate flower heads. In autumn, pungent hops and burdock are harvested for their seeds and roots. Several hundred kilos of herbs are picked every year, including 4-8st (25-50kg) of dried calendula flowers and more than a ton of fresh echinacea, some of which is sold to a company specialising in nutritional supplements.
The fresh harvest is taken to the dimly lit drying room, which is part of an organic-certified processing unit purpose-built for the farm. Batches of mullein and cornflower are settled straight into large, wire mesh trays, while the larger heads of calendula are first chopped into smaller pieces to even out drying time and maintain quality. A large dehumidifier under the trays gently draws the water from the
plants, which are rustled regularly to help the process. Once dry, which usually takes from 24-48 hours, the herbs are stored in airtight containers. This ensures the active components are preserved and that the flowers do not become damp, which is vital to prevent mould.
Pure oil
The process of maceration can now begin, the herbs being steeped in oil so the active elements slowly infuse into the liquid. This is carried out at different temperatures in order to gain the maximum benefits of each particular plant.
“Cold maceration, used with calendula, actually takes place at what I call airing cupboard temperature, for at least three weeks,” says Paul. “Other herbs, such as marsh mallow root, are macerated as a hot infusion for 2-3 hours to make sure the active ingredients are really locked into the oil. We use a special sunflower variety as our main carrier oil and blend with jojoba oil, which has a profile close to the natural oils in the skin. This helps the final product melt into the skin when applied.”
When infusion is complete, the liquid is strained to remove all solid plant material, leaving a rich, pure herbal oil. This might be sold on its own, but more usually is combined with other butters, waxes or essential oils, such as lavender or eucalyptus, to add fragrance and texture.
To make creams and lotions, the dried herbs are steeped in water to create a decoction, or extraction. A herbal oil is then added, along with an emulsifier, to enable the two to mix. Because of their water content, these products require a preservative permitted under organic standards. Artificial colours are never used, many of the products taking on the natural colour of the original plant, such as the deep orange of calendula oil.
Since the launch of the first products, the Herbfarmacy range has blossomed. But Paul aims to expand it further and is continually experimenting with new flowers and recipes. “I’m now growing heartsease, the wild pansy. It’s a really good herb for the skin, used to soothe and to help acne and other conditions. Our aim has always been to harness the best of nature and make affordable, ethical skincare products, and I think we’ve got there. We oversee every stage of the process, from seed to skin, and everything is done by hand. It takes a lot of effort, but it really is a labour of love.”
“Excellent herbs had our fathers of old – Excellent herbs to ease their pain – Alexanders and Marigold, Eyebright, Orris, and Elecampane – Basil, Rocket, Valerian, Rue”
Rudyard Kipling, ‘Our Fathers of Old’