I have done very little gardening this year less than usual anyways. I have had a lot of repairs, mending, etc to do on the farm and it has occupied most of my time. Plus trying to dig up a huge patch for a garden with my walk behind tiller takes way too long. I was able to acquire a tractor tiller this year to also help with digging. Now I can do some cover crops for soil amending. I am excited about that.
It is soup and harvest season being fall. We did get about 200 lbs of potatoes. Will try to save some for seed next year. Mom and dad got a bunch of apples. I have made apple crisp, pie, and turnovers. Will be working on some cider vinegar I think and freezing some for later use. I made some potato soup with the freshly dug spuds and local fresh milk from Middendorf's dairy. Yum!
I was able to find a bread recipe that has made bread making less of a chore and more successful. It stays really soft even after freezing and thawing out. I will try to share it on here soon.
I resurrected my kombucha 'mushroom' after months of neglect. I did learn one thing. If you are not able to keep up with making kombucha place the scoby in a jar with a tight lid and let it set. It does not dry out and no other external 'things' get introduced while it is resting. It will pretty much just rest, but will go back to work once a new brew is made. It can be stored at room temp or in the fridge both work without issues just make sure you place a lid on it not the usual towel, etc for brewing. :)
Liana
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Friday, January 8, 2016
Drying and Storage of Herbs
I really need to get back to blogging again. I guess this find will spur me forward. :)
I ran across a post on Pinterest I found a bit misleading. They have posted about a new herbal apothecary shelf they put up in their kitchen/house. They go through all the herbs they have on it and the hanging herbs they have drying. It looks great there was two problems with it. Her herbs were stored in clear glass jars out in the light and she had tied up and hung herbs from it for drying. Two big no nos in the herbie world, at least according to those who are seasoned herbalists. I am one of those who likes my herbs to look good and still retain their flavors and smells.
When storing herbs on a shelf that is exposed to light one should always use the blue, green, or brown colored glass jars. This helps limit light exposure and slow down deterioration. I have had dried peppermint and spearmint from my garden on a cupboard shelf in a blue quart antique canning jar for 2 years without color and oil content deterioration. The key is fully dried Herb and "colored" glass jar. The jars come in various sizes and shapes, which can be ordered online. I have found most all of mine at various antique and second hand stores or auctions and garage sales. The top edges of the jars can have nicks the lids still fit with not issues. We will not be canning the herbs only storing. :)
As for actually drying the herbs they need to be in a warm, dark place to dry. I have used paper grocery or lunch bags depending on the size and amount of herb I had collected. I find with the crazy weather the past 2 years drying is near impossible unless I use my dehydrator. If the drying process is too slow or there is a lot of humidity in the air no herb will dry properly and will actually mold on a person. You can get an inexpensive dehydrator at a local store for around $20. I have a Excalibur I bought many years ago with temperature regulation, a fan, removable shelves, and a timer a person can set for a few minutes to 24 hours depending on what you are drying. It can be cleaned with soap and water if needed. If you dry anything other than leaves and flowers things can get dirty.
I dry all my herbs at about 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the time setting for drying depends on the herb. Stems usually take longer than leaves just like any berries and fruits. Many people say to blanch some things first before drying or freezing I say it depends. Some berries or fruits have hard skins and those need to 'crack' open before they dry properly into something that can be eaten, cooked with, etc. Cranberries would be a good example of this.
If I have small flowers like chamomile, I will place them in a paper lunch bag to keep my fan from blowing them around. Other herbs, like thyme I may place on some parchment paper on my dehydrator shelf. I can remove shelves in my dehydrator for larger items like rose buds or larger herbs with big stems like oregano, mints, etc. Then I can strip the leaves off the stems much easier and faster once they are dried. I will do that all in a clean, dry paper grocery bag and funnel the leaves into my colored glass jars.
I am not saying a person should not use clear glass jars. I use them quite a bit, however they are stored in a cupboard away from any exposure to house lights or sunlight. Most herbs will last for up to one year in storage. I have some last longer with good drying and storage techniques. If you have good quality herbs no sense in not storing them properly whether you grow yourself or buy them. :)
There are many good books out on the market and good herbalists. I am in the Essential herbal yahoo group who has Tina and her sister Mary, Rosemary Gladstar, and others who are quite knowledgeable about herbs, uses, drying, storage, etc. If you are looking to buy some dried herbs, etc. I think Mountain Rose Herbs is one of the best and a lot of their stuff is organically grown. Here is their link: https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/.
Happy Herbaling,
Liana
I ran across a post on Pinterest I found a bit misleading. They have posted about a new herbal apothecary shelf they put up in their kitchen/house. They go through all the herbs they have on it and the hanging herbs they have drying. It looks great there was two problems with it. Her herbs were stored in clear glass jars out in the light and she had tied up and hung herbs from it for drying. Two big no nos in the herbie world, at least according to those who are seasoned herbalists. I am one of those who likes my herbs to look good and still retain their flavors and smells.
 |
| Just for reference purposes. I take no credit for the photo. |
When storing herbs on a shelf that is exposed to light one should always use the blue, green, or brown colored glass jars. This helps limit light exposure and slow down deterioration. I have had dried peppermint and spearmint from my garden on a cupboard shelf in a blue quart antique canning jar for 2 years without color and oil content deterioration. The key is fully dried Herb and "colored" glass jar. The jars come in various sizes and shapes, which can be ordered online. I have found most all of mine at various antique and second hand stores or auctions and garage sales. The top edges of the jars can have nicks the lids still fit with not issues. We will not be canning the herbs only storing. :)
As for actually drying the herbs they need to be in a warm, dark place to dry. I have used paper grocery or lunch bags depending on the size and amount of herb I had collected. I find with the crazy weather the past 2 years drying is near impossible unless I use my dehydrator. If the drying process is too slow or there is a lot of humidity in the air no herb will dry properly and will actually mold on a person. You can get an inexpensive dehydrator at a local store for around $20. I have a Excalibur I bought many years ago with temperature regulation, a fan, removable shelves, and a timer a person can set for a few minutes to 24 hours depending on what you are drying. It can be cleaned with soap and water if needed. If you dry anything other than leaves and flowers things can get dirty.
I dry all my herbs at about 90 degrees Fahrenheit and the time setting for drying depends on the herb. Stems usually take longer than leaves just like any berries and fruits. Many people say to blanch some things first before drying or freezing I say it depends. Some berries or fruits have hard skins and those need to 'crack' open before they dry properly into something that can be eaten, cooked with, etc. Cranberries would be a good example of this.
If I have small flowers like chamomile, I will place them in a paper lunch bag to keep my fan from blowing them around. Other herbs, like thyme I may place on some parchment paper on my dehydrator shelf. I can remove shelves in my dehydrator for larger items like rose buds or larger herbs with big stems like oregano, mints, etc. Then I can strip the leaves off the stems much easier and faster once they are dried. I will do that all in a clean, dry paper grocery bag and funnel the leaves into my colored glass jars.
I am not saying a person should not use clear glass jars. I use them quite a bit, however they are stored in a cupboard away from any exposure to house lights or sunlight. Most herbs will last for up to one year in storage. I have some last longer with good drying and storage techniques. If you have good quality herbs no sense in not storing them properly whether you grow yourself or buy them. :)
There are many good books out on the market and good herbalists. I am in the Essential herbal yahoo group who has Tina and her sister Mary, Rosemary Gladstar, and others who are quite knowledgeable about herbs, uses, drying, storage, etc. If you are looking to buy some dried herbs, etc. I think Mountain Rose Herbs is one of the best and a lot of their stuff is organically grown. Here is their link: https://www.mountainroseherbs.com/.
Happy Herbaling,
Liana
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