The herbs used to produce A.Vogel fresh herb tinctures and fresh herb tincture tablets are grown using a strict organic protocol, mainly in the fertile conditions of Roggwil, Switzerland. This allows the company to exert complete control over the cultivation of plants -- from the time of planting through to harvesting. All the company's products are manufactured under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) protocols and control. Stringent quality control tests and checks are carried out throughout all the stages of the growth and manufacture.

These images illustrate the A.Vogel organic fresh herb cultivation and production.

Seeds are collected each autumn to create the new stock of spring seedlings. These are planted out by hand in our organic fields where the Swiss climate is ideal for cultivating strong healthy plants.

Organic farming methods are used to create the strong and  beautiful plants which flower in our fields each summer. They are clear testimony to the methods Vogel always used. He would not permit insecticides, fungicides or chemical fertilisers to be applied to any of his herbs - a principle we follow to this day, ensuring both the health of the plants and protection of nature.

Herbs are gently harvested. Plants are cut with great care, usually starting just after sunrise as this is the time when they contain the highest levels of active substances.

Within a very few hours of harvesting, our plants find themselves at the first stage of their journey to becoming a fresh herb tincture. This transformation uses a time-honoured and painstaking processing method.

In using our herbs immediately, we ensure that the active substances present are still at their peak and avoid any need for storage, fumigation or irradiation.

By using alcohol we are able to achieve a well balanced extract, locking in all the beneficial properties present in the freshly harvested herb.

The result of this careful and gentle handling from seed to selection, through organic cultivation, to the use of fresh herbs and the creation of tincture filled with all the active substances, is the world renowned, holistically standardised A.Vogel fresh herb tinctures such as Echinaforce.

To produce tincture tablets, we employ Vogel's unique method of tablet production using the tincture as the starting point. This protects the active substances and provides all the benefits of a tincture in a 'convenient-to-use' tablet.

Modern quality control methods are employed at all points in the manufacture. These tests have also confirmed Vogel's intuitive belief that fresh herbs, extracted in alcohol, contain more active substances and are more stable. As you would expect, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) is our watchword throughout the entire process.

Finally, fresh herb tinctures and tincture tablets are placed into the familiar and fresh-looking A.Vogel packaging, in preparation for delivery to your local health store or pharmacy.