Sitting beside a garden among the fertile fields of North Taranaki, three “old hippies” drink tea and discuss the part medicinal herbs will play in the future of the region’s economy.

They share a few common traits; fairly high-powered careers, a belief that Taranaki's soils could be used for so much more than growing grass for cows, and a love of the healing powers of herbs.

President of the Stratford Herb Society and North Island vice president of the New Zealand Herb Federation, Shonagh Hopkirk spent much of her career as a computer scientist, her interest in herbs began at a workshop in California.

“I think more people are becoming interested in being able to have control of your own health.

“Especially now that it's getting so hard to get into a GP. I think there's been more interest from people wanting to go back to a natural way of life.”

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Hopkirk says many herbs are a long-acting, gentle way of healing.

It’s thought that medicinal plants could be as good for the Taranaki economy as they are for healing illnesses – they’ve been identified by economic development agency Venture Taranaki as one of 10 commercially viable food and fibre opportunities for the future of the region.

With the help of growers and researchers Venture Taranaki has identified Echinacea, Ashwagandha, and Calendula as the three most promising varieties of medicinal plant that could be grown in Taranaki.

Conservative estimates have put the return per hectare of Echinacea at $15,822 and the global extract market for the product is predicted to grow to NZ$4.73 billion by 2027, according to Venture Taranaki’s Medicinal Plant Blueprint.

Former Chief Executive of Kindergarten Taranaki and Stratford Herb Society member Cherie Boyd wants to be involved in a pilot project for the commercial growing of herbs in the region.

“I don't think there's any question that the growing of herbs can be successful.”

There’s plenty of work to do – especially around supply chains and who will grow the plants from seed, or turn raw herbs into consumer goods.

A commercial drying facility for the region will also be needed to ensure products are produced to a consistent quality – most growers currently have a hodgepodge approach, using hotwater cupboards or fitted sheets.

But there is strong demand nationally for the products, Boyd says, as many of the dried goods bought in from overseas are often months or even years old and can smell “like old socks”.

Former laboratory technician Jan Smith also belongs to the Stratford Herb Society and has a huge interest in the science behind the plants.

The group believes the current perception of medicinal herbs is comparable to that of manuka honey before it had scientific backing of its benefits.

“Everyone knew it had these amazing properties, they just didn’t have all the science to back it up, and then they tested it and look where it is,” Smith says.

Herbs have piqued the interest of everyone from retired dairy farmers and lifestyle blocks owners with a few hectares of land to spare, to those with larger farms who are looking to diversify.

They are also one of the food and fibre opportunities generating the most interest, says Branching Out project manager Michelle Bauer.

The next step in the development of the industry is to undertake commercial-scale pilots which will involve testing the bioactive properties of the plants.

“It is hoped that we will have some very high bioactive properties here in Taranaki and that will also give us a unique selling point.”