Next year's Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap) crop

Above you can see next year's Scutellaria lateriflora (Skullcap) crop being planted on a specialist herb farm in an organic valley in north-west America.

Herbs in a Bottle have already contracted to buy this crop, assuming it meets the pre-set quality criteria.  Over the coming weeks and months we will be receiving regular updates on how the crop is progressing.  It is genuinely exciting for us to see the tiny shoots grow to maturity, nurtured with care and love (love is not an exaggeration - the herb farm is staffed by herbal enthusiasts!).

We are very careful on how we choose the farmers and growers who supply our herbs.  We ask many searching questions on the history and ownership of the company, and look for partners who match our high ethical standards.  We also rate suppliers on the current licences they hold, and monitor renewal dates of those licences.

The management structure of a company is also of interest.  We look for people who are motivated as well as just technically competent.  Above all we value an interest in herbs (an enthusiasm for herbs is very hard to fake). 

Quality systems also receive scrutiny.  We look for documented control procedures and accountability (ideally we want named individuals who will take responsibility for each stage of the growing, harvesting and forwarding process).  Complete traceability of every batch is essential. 

Obtaining raw herbs is more than just a matter of legislative compliance, codes of practice, and growing guidelines (vitally important though these elements are).  We are interested in how raw herbs are stored prior to shipment and who has access to them (and what clothing they wear and whether they have been trained in hygiene procedures).  We even ask about the drains and where they flow to.

Employee training is another area we ask about.  We ask questions about induction of new staff and whether any casual or agency staff are ever employed.  As well as training and re-training, we also ask whether training records are audited (and who by).

Medical screening of staff is additional area of interest for us, and we will want to know what medical facilities the supplier will have, and what the reporting procedures are for staff who become ill.

This might all sound very single-minded and procedural, but as well as the details we are also interested in the wider picture.  The quality of the air, the purity of the water, the health of the soil - all contribute to the value of the herbs.  That is why we look for farmers and growers of integrity, living in harmony with nature.

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