Tag: Herb

One of those opportunities came last spring, when Lee started selling herbs to Sanctuary Herbs of Providence. For co-founders Eliza Sutton and Christina Dedora, launching Sanctuary Herbs of Providence was about more than just starting a new business. Once fresh herbs are dried, blended and packaged into teas, no refrigeration is required and tea has a longer shelf life than other fresh, locally grown products. Last year, Sanctuary Herbs of Providence worked with eight farmers. Thanks to demand for the tea, the number of farmers supplying herbs to the company has doubled. Sutton hopes to continue increasing the number of partner farms as business grows. He grows several varieties of herbs, including spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, lemon balm, basil and turmeric for the tea company. "Some people make fun of me for growing herbs but I ignore them; those people are closed-minded," he says. As the brand gains recognition, several farmers who are not immigrants and some refugee farmers have reached out about selling herbs to the startup. The community, he says, is one of the best things about being involved with Sanctuary Herbs of Providence.