This could be a relatively simple problem of dry skin altho could also signal other problems. Have you been checked for diabetes and hypothyroidism? Other factors which can exacerbate cracks in feet are obesity, standing for long periods, wearing non-supportive shoes, improper diet and lack of nutrients such as omega-3, zinc, and vitamin C. You should use a pumice stone and gently and gradually work at removing the calluses after soaking in warm water. Add some soda bicarb to the soak water. Dry your feet well, apply petroleum jelly, and wear socks to bed. Never try to remove calluses by cutting. If the callus is too thick for you to remove with a pumice you should see a Podiatrist. This is a problem which has occurred gradually thru neglect and may take awhile to improve. Work at it gradually and never neglect daily foot care. I rarely have problems with dry skin but know people who use this cream for various skin problems. I have no interests in this company but this product is well-known and liked by many. Here is a link that might be useful: Gardener's Dream Cream

You didn't mention what kinds of uses you had in mind. Beware that not all herbs are culinary, and some are downright dangerous (every once in a while a woman will poison herself drinking pennyroyal oil). Some very common herbs are not very useful, and some obscure ones highly desireable. I would say that the Thymes are some of the most useful and versatile. I love them. They have so many interesting and useful fragrances--if you can find them. Unfortunately I am not a good source of information regarding hardiness (a very mild z8). I know that some are hardier than others. The most common Thymes are not considered particularly culinary--they are used as groundcovers. The culinary Thymes tend to be taller, a little bigger-leaved, and more fragrant. One of my favorites is "orange balsam" Thyme, which indeed has a balsomy and vaguely citrusy scent. It is delicious. I also like Oregano Thyme, which smells better than the real thing (and holds its scent pretty much all year in my climate), "Lime Thyme" (which to my nose smells lemony, not limey), and I have just discovered "Lavender Thyme" which smells amazingly like Lavender but is available year-round whereas real Lavender only blooms briefly. These are all low-growing, creeping evergreen subshrubs. People like to grow them as groundcovers but they tolerate almost no traffic and are prone to getting thin. I grow them on the edge of my herb garden. I love Monarda. It is a good hardy plant, has pretty flowers, attracts hummingbirds, and makes a good tisane. Or mix it half and half with black tea to make ersatz Earl Grey tea. It is a leafy perennial much like mint (some people call it "horse mint"). The flowers are blazing scarlet, except some cultivars have subtler colors. It has some very pretty and also fragrant relations. I might try M. punctata next year. Monarda didyma (sp?) likes it moist (even wet), whereas M. punctata grows with drier feet. The mints all like moisture--often growing naturally along rivers or in damp meadows, and at least one of them is aquatic (Mentha aquatica). Despite their weedy nature I do grow my favorite mints. Useful in the kitchen. The Thymes all need good drainage, or they will rot. I dunno what the limits are for true Oregano; my impression is that it is a lot hardier than most of its rather tender relatives. Not as attractive as they are, tho. Oreganos can be quite ornamental. Don't bother with Marjoram; it won't be hardy for you anyway (unless it's been crossed with Oregano, which it does readily) and most forms are almost scentless. Oregano for people who hate Oregano. I always wonder what the purpose of dried marjoram is in a recipe. I love Fennel. Don't know how hardy it is but a weedy plant like that must be somewhat hardy. You use the leaves as an herb and the seed as a spice. They both smell like licorice. You can toss young fennel leaves into a salad. Fennel seed is good on bread rolls, or just a touch in spaghetti sauce. Bronze fennel is a shorter variety that is ornamental; you can grow it in a flower bed but use it in the kitchen. I love its close relation Dill in the kitchen, but it is an annual and I have never gotten it to perform particularly well. I can't get it to naturalize. Doesn't seem as well suited to my climate as its very aggressive perennial cousin (that often just shows up--as does Lemon Balm which is very common here as a feral plant). I like Chives and they are easy to grow and kinda pretty in the garden when they bloom. Cute.

Wood chips would be good as long as theyÂre almost completely decayed. If thereÂs too much undecayed wood, it will bind the nitrogen thatÂs in the soil and could rob your plants of nitrogen until it completely disintegratesÂat which time the nitrogen is released into the soil again. I recommend lots and lots of any WELL composted organic matterÂas long as youÂre prepared to deal with any weed seedsÂand it sounds like you are! Being on a farm/ranch, you should be able to come up with lots of wonderful stuff to compost. When itÂs finished, home-grown compost is the best stuff you can possibly add to your soil. For anyone whoÂs lacking finished compost, I recommend (fluffed) moist Canadian sphagnum peat. It adds good quality organic matter, which helps the soil hold nutrients and moisture, yet allows excess moisture to drain off (same thing any GOOD compost does). It doesnÂt add any nutrientsÂlike home-grown compost doesÂbut I can deal with that. The reason I donÂt use store bought compost very often is because it varies so widely, you can never be sure exactly what youÂre getting. If you find a brand thatÂs consistently light and fluffy feeling when itÂs moist, IÂd recommend that too. Happy tilling, Skybird

Soak feet in a bowl of warm water and a cup of vinegar. Dry and dust with talcum powder. OR Soak feet in a solution of one handful of salt to about 5 litres of water (as hot as you can bear) until the water is cool. Rub with a rough towel, rubbing only in an upward direction. ROSEMARY FOOTBATH: 3 tablespoons Epsom salts 2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda 3 drops rosemary oil 3 tablespoons cooking salt Mix all ingredients in a bowl of hot water. Soak the feet for 20 minutes. Wonderful for tired, aching feet. Avon has a product called Footworks cooling gel, and Nutrimetics has one called Aromatherapy Foot Balm. Both are very effective - the Foot Balm has peppermint in it. I use it after a heavy night's dancing (I teach it). I hobble inside when I get home, rub some of this stuff in, rest for a while, then waltz off to bed. You could probably make your own peppercream ointment, or you could use mint or thyme instead of rosemary in the above treatment. If you have a foot spa, you could add the essential oils of these herbs to the water.