{"product_id":"9781988550862","title":"Plant Fiend","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe fascinating story of an entrepreneur who has been growing plants for most of his adult life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn this memoir Peter Butler explores his relationship with plants, which have always been both a love and a refuge. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the mid 1970s he and his then partner purchased 90 acres of dense rainforest in Golden Bay’s Aorere Valley. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLiving amongst the nīkau and rātā developed his passion for forest plants but it was gold-mining that helped finance his experimentation with commercial crops. He started with subtropical fruit, before becoming one of New Zealand’s fi rst certifi ed organic kiwifruit growers. When the wet climate and marketing issues put an end to the kiwifruit, growing cannabis was his next venture. It also did not end well for him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWanting a high value but legal crop to grow, Peter then researched the medicinal properties of New Zealand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003enative plants. The plant with the best supporting science was horopito, one of the world’s oldest flowering plants. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHis plantation of horopito now covers several hectares and the resulting business, Forest Herbs Research, has \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003edeveloped products utilising the plant’s powerful anti fungal properties. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePeter also helped grow a large online retailer of natural health and skincare products, HealthPost, based in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCollingwood and owned by him and his family.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cem\u003ePlant Fiend\u003c\/em\u003e is the story of a driven, risk-taking entrepreneur. His successes and struggles are described withhonesty and humour, making for a wonderfully engaging, reflective read.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Peter Butler","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49295035662587,"sku":"9781988550862","price":40.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0806\/8176\/3067\/files\/9781988550862.jpg?v=1789088736","url":"https:\/\/aureliabooks.co.nz\/products\/9781988550862","provider":"Aurelia Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}