Greenhouse herb operations are popular in Virginia, and there seems to be a resurgence in the popularity of locally grown herbs. Greenhouses are located on 51 Virginia herb farms, which produced 29 acres of fresh-cut herbs in 2012. That was down from the previous decade, when there were 73 herb operations.
But the market is changing, and there’s been consolidation within the industry. Most greenhouse herbs are sold to grocery chains year-round. And while cooking herbs are top sellers, up to 40 million adults now use herbal supplements in their diets.
The Growers Exchange has found a niche in this unique farm sector. It began in 1985 as a retail garden center in Richmond and later became a greenhouse operation on a 900-acre family farm in Charles City County. Today it is a modern production facility that includes five greenhouses, a packing warehouse and an office complex in eastern Henrico County, where it sells fresh organic potted herbs to consumers online.
"While greenhouses offer controlled growing conditions year-round, the biggest change for the Growers Exchange has been in its production room. It’s more efficient and streamlined than in the past", said Briscoe Smith, Growers Exchange president.
Read more at augustafreepress.com