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Wintergreen Herbs & Vegetables
Owner:  Kate Newkirk

Founded:  1998

Location:  514 Garland Rd Winslow ME

Employees:  Just me with the help and support of my husband

Q: How did you start (or become owner) of the business?
I had been in the same job for 8 years and I was looking for something new to do and this once in a lifetime opportunity to move to Maine and buy a farm came along. So - we grabbed it.

Q:  What made you choose this type of business?
Always wanted to farm and I love herbs.

Q:  What is your background?  
Agricultural and Environmental Science.  I have a Masters Degree in Agronomy (Soil and Crop Sciences) and spent 20 years working as a soil scientist.

Q:  What are your biggest challenges as an herb business? Differentiating myself from herbalists. I consider myself an herb grower.  Our goal is to concentrate on producing high quality fresh and dried herbs. We dry our herbs and store them as whole leaf until used.  All our herbs are no more than 2 years old and we process our herb teas as orders are received guaranteeing the freshest possible product. Our teas are single ingredient teas meant to be enjoyed as a beverage although they can and are used medicinally. We are expanding into culinary herb blends as our drying and storage facilities expand.

Q:  What are the biggest rewards of being an herb business? For me going out in the field in the morning to cut fresh herbs, especially marjoram, talk about aromatherapy.  Then there is turning customers on to an herb they’ve never known about.

Q:  What is your philosophy of customer service? Provide our customer with the highest quality freshest product available. And here “freshest” applies to both the fresh and dry herbs. 

Q:  What makes you stand out from your competitors? Overall we are a small certified organic diversified farm. We sell herb teas year round. We sell herb and vegetable seedlings in the spring. During the growing season we supply local restaurants with herbs, edible flowers and fresh produce and we run an on-line Community Supported Agriculture Program (CSA).  Unlike most CSA’s our customers can choose their level of participation. Program shares run from a minimum of $50 up to $250 and we add an additional 15% for payment before May 1^st of each year.  Each week customers order from our on-line internet form which lists that weeks available products and they come pick up their order on Saturday mornings. We do have a delivery service for an additional fee. Shares are non-refundable and the customers are responsible for spending down their balance before the end of the season or they loose it to the program.  Our customers like this style of CSA as they choose their level of participation and it allows them to take vacation without forfeiting a weeks worth of product. We also have customers that take advantage of our on-line ordering form on a pay as they go basis.  

Q:  What plans do you have for your business?
Big Picture is grow slowly, stay out of debt, and pay off the farm within the next 10 years. Currently looking to expand spring seedling sales and add perennial herb plants.  For growing season I’m looking at cooperating with other certified organic farms to have products such as milk, cheese, and baked goods available for CSA members. For herb teas and dried herbs we’re looking at adding culinary herb blends such as Fines Herbs and Herbs de Province to our year round sales. 

Q:  Is your family supportive of your business?
Mostly, though some probably think we’re crazy and others think this is a “hobby”.

Q:  What do you wish you’d done differently with the business?
Started younger.

Q: What do you think people starting out should know about getting into your type of business?
Don’t do it if you’re expecting to make a lot a money. The profits are not monetary - they’re sitting down to dinner where everything on your plate was produced by you.

Q:  How has the internet helped/hurt your business?
The internet is an integral part of the business. We combine the power of the internet with the bricks and mortar of the farm by having our customers order on-line and pick-up at the farm each week. 

Q: How long has it taken for your website to pay off? Once we started the on-line CSA it just kinda took off. Tea sales still don’t move much on the web site.

Q: What things have you done to promote your website? All of our promotional items e.g. business cards and brochures have our web address.  We are linked with the local food and agriculture sites in the State of Maine as well as our own HGMN.

The Herb Growing & Marketing Network
PO Box 245, Silver Spring, PA 17575-0245
717-393-3295; FAX: 717-393-9261
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