How to Harvest, Dry, and Preserve Fresh Herbs

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 herbs is pretty easy. Most of the common ones are relatively hearty 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.
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. 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.
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.
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Holly Bertone | Pink Fortitude
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