HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1989-05-17, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1989.
Frank Sanders says herb growing is in his blood
BY LISA BOONSTOPPEL
There’s a giant medicine cabinet
in Blyth. It contains medication for
such common maladies as stomach
aches, headaches, sore eyes and
colds. But when you look inside the
cabinet there are no pill bottles, no
prescription drugs and no shelves.
In this cabinet there are dried
roots, dried leaves, and a whole
array of green plants growing in
soil. It’s not really a cabinet, it’s
Frank Sanders greenhouse and
garden in Blyth.
The greenhouse is the final link
in a chain of events that began in
Langeraar, Holland near The
Hague. In this small village, 55
years ago, everyone made a living
growing vegetables. Later, floricul
ture became a successful way to
earn money. It was in this little
village that Mr. Sanders was
taught about the world of horticul
ture.
As time moved on. Mr. Sanders
worked for his brother in Aalsmeer.
His brother owned a greenhouse
and grew carnations and roses
among other flora.
In Aalsmeer, Mr. Sanders re
members the incredible sight of
100 acres of flowers under one roof.
“You pretty well fell flat on your
face from the smell,’’ he said.
After four years of greenhouse
work, Mr. Sanders left to manage a
herb farm. Here he gained the
experience that allowed him to
start his own business of collecting
and growing herbs, in Nieuwkoop a
business he’s successful at today.
Mr. Sanders came to Canada
after one successful summer in
Holland growing peonies. That
year he sold 10,000 peony plants to
Canada. With thoughts of immigra
tion already in his head, he decided
there was business opportunity in
Canada to grow his plants, instead
of shipping them from Holland.
They arrived in Canada in June,
1958.
After a five year stint at Lloyd
Doors in Wingham and 19 years of
dairy farming, Mr. Sanders said he
started growing herbs again be
cause it was in his blood.
“I wanted to go back to what I
really liked doing, he said, but he
adds jokingly, “slowly it’s getting
more and more like work.’’
Armed with a lifetime of experi
ence in the business and a diploma
for gardening from Holland, he
started collecting and growing
herbs at a farm on the 5th
concession of Morris.
His business began to take off
one day while ambling through a
health food store. Mr. Sanders
started a conversation with the
store owner after noticing the
selection of herbs displayed on the
shelves, many of which he grew.
“She asked me for some of the
things I grew and that’s how the
business started out.’’ he said.
Things started rolling by word of
mouth Mr. Sanders says. “If
somebody wanted something, I
would grow it for them.’’
Some herbs Mr. Sander’s grows
are anise for colds and relaxing,
angeiica for stomach aches, carro-
way which he describes as “cold
weather cookies and yarroway.
Most of his herbs are medicinal but
he also sells fresh herbs to restaur
ants.
He says selling herbs is different
here. In Holland, the herbs are sold
freshly cut, but here, the herbs
must be cut and dried before sale.
The drying process is mainly
done in the dome-shaped green-
A hot-bed of health
WICKER,
RATTAN
& BURI
Christmas
and
Country
1 n his greenhouse in Blyth, Mr. Sanders checks these dandelion leaves for dryness. He says if you are
ever sick, and you can’t find anything else, eat dandelion leaves, the ‘wayside wonder’. The leaves
are drying on a flat that is heated underneath by hot-water filled pipes.
house. When drying herbs outside,
you have to be home to take them
in if it rains or gets real windy. “In
the greenhouse the plants dry in
two days.’' he explains. Some
herbs even turn black when dried
outside, he says, so it’s much more
convenient to dry them inside.
Since the greenhouse is used
mostly for drying, Mr. Sander’s
backyard is mostly garden. Here he
grows the wide variety of herbs.
Continued on page 20
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