Could you advise me on what might be the best Herbs to grow commercially in southern Saskatchewan?
Your question is too broad fopr me to respond in a posting. Saskatchewan has many resources to help address this broad of a question. Start with Connie Kehler, Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association (https://www.saskherbspice.org/).
You might also look at their newsletter:
www.saskherbspice.org/membersonly/Weekly%20news/newslettersept2220041.pdf A production book has also been written on this subject, specific for Saskatchewan. Called "Herb and Spice Production Manual", it is available from Richters. Certainly, you should get my ebook "Getting Started: Important Considerations for the Herb Farmer" which covers many of the basic issues that new herb farmers will need to deal with.
Herb and Spice Productional Manual:
www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?product=XB4540 Getting Started:
www.richters.com/show.cgi?page=Growers/herbfarminfo_index.html The markets for these crops fell in 1998, and are only just now beginning to recover. There will be a national need for some 50,000 new farmers in 2005 (this year). Who is going to train them in production and marketing?
I have tried to address some of these questions via books I have written, websites I act as a consultant, and a variety of papers available on my own website:
www.nwbotanicals.org/oak/altagri/a_a_index.html .
I lecture on this and related subjects. Conrad Richter and I are talking about putting on a possible workshop intensive at Richters in 2006.
Beyond that, I would need specific information on your soils, capital equipment, and other resources in the neighborhood in order to best recommend specific crops and directions of markets. I am available to do this as an outside consultant:
www.nwbotanicals.org/oak/oakservice.htm .