Collect, dry, freeze your herb harvest

Sep 152008
 

It is not exactly rocket science to grow your own herbs, but to grow them from scratch, preserve them properly and use them for your family’s benefit is more complex than it might seem at first glance. There are very good guides out there that help you with all of these, such as Growing 101 Herbs that Heal: Gardening Techniques, Recipes, and Remedies.  And here is a little article that helps you with the seasonal tasks at hand.

Via: The Newark Advocate

Herbs can be harvested anytime they have sufficient growth throughout the growing season. Never cut more than a third of the plant, giving it a little time to recuperate between cuttings.
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Now that the air is cooling and winter looms ahead, it is a good time — before the first frost — to gather in the herbal harvest for use later in cooking and crafting.

Start your harvest on a dry, clear day in the morning after the dew has dried on the plants, before the heat of the day can wilt them. Cut the herbs, and clear the last 2 inches of the stem. Bundle them in small bunches, wrap a rubber band tightly around the bare stem end and hang upside down in a dry, dark, cool place. A portable wooden clothes dryer is inexpensive, lightweight and easy to set up for this purpose.

Be sure to label each bundle with name and date; this will avoid confusion later, when all the dried herbs look alike. Use string tags from the office supply store or labels made out of craft foam sheets, cut into strips. Attach to the rubber band holding the bunch together. When the herbs are dry, put them as whole as possible into airtight food storage bags. Store in a dry, cool, dark place.

Some herbs — such as basil, parsley, chives, dill and fennel — retain their flavor much better if frozen, rather than dried. Strip the leaves from the herbs, lay on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, and freeze until brittle. When ready, pour into freezer bags, label and date.

Another freezer method is to put 2 cups of fresh herbs, free of moisture, into a food processor with 1⁄2 cup of high-quality oil (canola or olive) or water and blend into a thick paste. Freeze in ice cube trays. When frozen, pop the cubes out, package in freezer bags, and label. These can be popped into stews and soups or added thawed to recipes.

Enjoy the essences of your herb garden in the midst of winter!

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SMALL- SCALE HERB FARMING

Jun 172008
 

Via: MotherEarthNews.com

SMALL- SCALE HERB FARMING

Growing your own herbs as you experiment with herbal remedies and discover their values for health and healing. As with any crop, the scale of herb production varies wildly, from large fields and well-manicured gardens to small boxes in or outside the kitchen window.
(…)

Indoor Herb Gardens

Most herbs will grow in containers.  The soil should consist of equal parts potting soil, coarse sand and peat moss, all of which can be obtained in hardware or garden supply stores.  The pots preferably should be placed in a window that faces south, so as to assure four to five hours of sunlight each day, and they will need to be watered about once a week. The window temperature should be between 50°F and 75°F and the humidity around 50%. Try to avoid placing plants either near a radiator or a window with open drafts, as these conditions may radically alter the optimum temperature. While plants such as rosemary, bay and chives tolerate cold conditions, most others can be harmed by extremes of temperature in either direction.

During winter months it is best to water the plants with lukewarm water rather than the cold faucet run; frigid temperatures can shock a plant’s system.

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Grow these herbs to create a soothing homemade tea

Jun 122008
 

Via: Salt Lake Tribune

Grow these herbs to create a soothing homemade tea
By Maria Noel Groves
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 06/11/2008 04:50:58 PM MDT

Creating your own herbal tea can be a cinch with the right herbs. Here are some options for your garden:

ANISE HYSSOP
Agastache foeniculum, Mint Family
Anise hyssop brightens many home gardens with its long-lasting purple spikes. The leaves and flowers taste like licorice and can be snipped into salad as easily as they can be turned into sweet tea. Also consider root beer-flavored sunset hyssop (A. rupestris) and bright pink bubble gum mint (A. cana), says Tammi Hartung, herbalist and author of “Growing 101 Herbs that Heal.” These beauties attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.

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Grow your own tea

Jun 122008
 

Via: MailTribune.com

Cultivating a tea garden makes a very fresh brew
AP
Staff and wire reports
June 11, 2008

A cup of tea at breakfast or over lunch is one of life’s simple indulgences. It’s even more special — and not much more difficult — if you grow the herbs yourself.

“Tea is one of my favorite ways to use herbs,” says Ellen Scannell, a master gardener and food preserver certified by Oregon State University.

Many of the best tea herbs are easy to grow, beautiful and naturally resistant to pests. Even if you don’t have garden space, many delightful tea herbs will grow in containers on a porch or windowsill.

“Mint is the classic one,” Scannell says.

Consider mint species with other subtle flavors including apple, pineapple, chocolate, orange, ginger and lemon. Scannell also favors lemon verbena. Daisy-like chamomiles can cheer up any garden and make a soothing tea.

Once you’ve chosen your herbs, it’s easy to harvest, dry, store and brew.

Here is how:

WISE WAYS: Easy-to-grow herbs out-season dried ones

Jun 122008
 

Via: Suburban Journals

WISE WAYS: Easy-to-grow herbs out-season dried ones

By Linda Rellergert
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 3:50 PM CDT

Last summer I earned my name badge as a Master Gardener. Micha Kornblum, who heads up the herb demonstration garden for the St. Charles Master Gardeners, is one of many great gardeners I have met. An enthusiastic promoter of growing and using herbs, she generously shares her time teaching others about these culinary marvels.

“Growing and using your own herbs can be one of the most satisfying things for a gardener to do,” she says, “Herbs are easy to grow and do so well in pots that it’s a shame to not have a few on your patio or deck. Even novice gardeners can have herbs for harvesting.”

There is more benefit than taste.”Herbs offer a beautiful variety of leaves, texture, color and scent in a garden. You can also reduce the amount of salt in a recipe by using herbs,” she adds.

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