I used to think that herbs were just seasoning. I had no idea how healthy they are for you! I’ve been growing my own herbs for several years, but this year I learned how to actually harvest, dry, and preserve fresh herbs. It’s so easy – let me show you how!

Growing

Growing herbs is pretty easy.  Most of the common ones are relatively hardy and can grow either indoors or outside.  Some are invasive and will spread everywhere, so be sure to do your research ahead of time.  Parsley, oregano, and mint are all best grown in containers.  You can start from seed, but I have found that they are easiest to grow from existing seedlings.

Harvesting

You can do some research to determine the maturity height of your herb, or do what I do and just guesstimate.  When they look like they have grown and are mature, you can cut them.  I recommend cutting them in the morning.  You will want to lay them out for a few hours to dry.

Drying

Make sure your herbs are dry before you dry them.  That makes sense doesn’t it LOL!?!  Basically, you don’t want to dry your herbs while they are wet to avoid any mold growing.  You will want to dry them in small bundles and tie them up with twine.  A cool, dry place is ideal.  You can even cover them to keep the dust off.  You can use an herb drying rack, but you don’t have to. Our library is right off the entrance to our front door, and it doesn’t get sunlight, so this is a perfect spot to hang them to dry out, and also provide some delicious aromatic fragrance when we walk past it.

Let them dry for at least a month.

Grinding

You can go the easy route and put your herbs through an herb grinder.  But what is the fun of that?  I like doing it the old-fashioned way with a mortar and pestle.

Supplies:

Herbs from the garden

Mortar and Pestle

or Herb Grinder

Small Glass Containers

First, turn the stem upside down and pull off the herbs in the opposite direction of their growth.  They should come right off, and then pull off the few remaining at the top.

To use a mortar and pestle, you want to use a combination of pounding and smushing and stirring.  Rosemary was quite difficult, but the oregano and thyme were easy peezy.

Spoiler alert – when grinding herbs, your kitchen will smell AH-MAZE-ZING!

You can either make a little or a lot.  I personally like to make a little bit at a time so the flavor is fresher.  Place the herbs in a glass container and store in a cool, dry place in your pantry.

Super easy!  Learning to use the mortar and pestle took a minute, but it went a lot faster once I got the hang of it.

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Love hugs, and parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.