Giving consideration to his set of skills, Meyer realized that he knew a great deal about printing and even more about nature.

A company that sold herbs through a catalogue would be a profitable endeavor thanks to his possession of an old printing press and vast knowledge of natural remedies.

Indiana Botanic Gardens is a privately owned, family-run business that operates within the vitamin and herbal supplement industry.

Initially called the Indiana Herb Gardens, the business barely covered living expenses for the large Meyer family, which eventually consisted of seven sons and one daughter.

Joseph Meyer's elder sons helped their father to grow the business by gathering herbs from the nearby fields.

Once the company began to sustain itself, it moved from Meyer's cottage to a larger building off of Calumet Avenue in Hammond, Indiana.

The Herbalist Almanac was a booklet contains listings of the herbs and roots that the company sold, recipes, Indian weather forecasts, treatments for common ailments, popular songs of the day, and advice on farming issues.

In Joseph Meyer's time, self-treatment with herbs was commonly practiced and often necessary due to economic conditions or the scarcity of professional medical help.

Meyer devoted his life to providing herbs to people, and many grateful customers sent letters and recipes extolling the benefits.

Although no longer a grower of herbs, Indiana Botanic Gardens sells vitamins, essential oils, teas, beauty care products, and other nutritional supplements in addition to being a distributor of bulk herbals.