Granville Farmer Uses Herb Garden To Earn Aromatic Living

Dorothy Booth has farming in her blood.

"My father was a farmer, a dairy farmer, but he raised all kinds of crops," she said.

Herbal oils were popular in California when Booth lived there years ago, but she could not find them in North Carolina.

"I started developing my own oils and my own herbs to do that," she said.

Her oils include items such as basil, rosemary and parsley. Used in cooking, dipping or mixing in bread, the oils can be used to season food.

"I use it in place of butter or in place of vegetable oil in the bread," Booth said.

You will not find Booth's loaves or bottles in stores. She sells them at local farmers' markets. She said keeping the farming, baking and marketing on a small scale is the way she likes it.

"I love it. I just love it," Booth said.

She said some of her customers may not use in the oils in a traditional way.

"I have one lady who buys my rosemary oil for massages because it's cheaper than at the body shop," she said.

Booth grows many of the herbs and ingredients used in her oils, but the North Carolina soil and climate are not well suited for growing things like garlic or ginger.