Author Bertha Reppert was the founder and owner of The Rosemary House, Inc., a well known herb and spice shop located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, since 1968. Her book Growing Your Herb Business was based on over 25 years of experience at The Rosemary House purveying herbs and spices, and it captures her dream of turning a hobby into a profitable business. Bertha was an instructor for an Herbs 101 course at a Pennsylvania Community College, was a contributing editor to The Herb Quarterly, and wrote for The New York Times and Rodale's Organic Gardening as well. She was the first honorary member of the Heartland Herb Society Group, a member of the Herb Society of America, President Emeritus of the Penn-Cumberland Garden Club, and life member of the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania, among many others. After she retired, Bertha wrote, taught, and lectured on her experience. Bertha was born in Reading, Pennsylvania. She was married for 47 years to her husband, Byron, who was former mayor of Mechanicsburg. They had four daughters. Bertha passed away in June of 1999 at the age of 83.