Before cutting with the white-handled knife, attune with the pant
through visualization. Feel its energies. As you cut, say these or
similar words:
O little plant of (name, such as hyssop,etc.) I ask that you give of
your bounty that it may aid me in my work. Grow stronger by my stroke,
stronger and more powerful, O plant of (name)!
If it is a tree, substitute the appropriate word (tree of oak). Gently
cut only what you need, and never from very young plants or more than
twenty-five percent of the growth. At the base of the plant leave an
offering: a silver coin, a bright jewel, a bit of wine or milk, grain,
a quartz crystal, and so on. Cover the offering and it is done.
3) Home Grown: You can purchase seeds or starter plants and grow
your own herbs. If you have a green thumb then I would opt for this!
You get the benefit of growing your own herbs, along with the
oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange from the green growing plants, their
magickal properties all over your home, and their aromas and beauty in
your home or outside garden. I would go into details about growing
herbs, but I am not blessed with a green thumb! There are books out
there that deal specifically with growing plants, and that in itself
would probably be a whole other course!
Once you have gathered or purchased your herbs, you need to store them.
Keep your herbs in airtight glass containers. Usually colored glass is
the best, in either amber or dark blue colors. These tend to keep the
sunlight off of your herbs. You can use clear glass containers if you
can�t get the colored ones. All containers should be kept in a cupboard
and out of direct sunlight, as this will cause the herb to lose its
medicinal properties and shortening its shelf life. Dried products can
be stored to your needs. Flowers: Dry all flowers carefully and rapidly
in order to preserve the color, as the strength of the flower can be
judged by the intensity of its color. Take special care with flowers
containing volatile oils. Spread the flowers loosely on white paper. Do
not dry scented flowers in the sun, for the sun depletes the strength
of the plant. However, although aromatic flowers must be dried in the
shade, they should be placed for a brief time in the sun, in order to
prevent fungus attack. Some flowers can be dried in medium sized
bunches attached with string. Hang from a dowel or rafter in an airy
room. For storage, hang bunches in a dry, airy room, or place in
labeled brown paper bags. Fold bags to prevent insect attacks. Leaves:
Dry aromatic leaves in the shade. Place in the sun for a short time to
prevent fungus attack. Unscented leaves may be dried in the sun,
although it is best to dry them in an airy, dry place. Separate leaves,
and change their position once they become dry. Succulent leaves need
more care to prevent discoloration and may take more heat than dry,
thin leaves. Annual Plants & Tops: If the plants are not too juicy,
they may be strung in bunches across the top of an airy, dry room.
Bulbs: Peel off the outer membranes, and cut the bulbs into transverse
slices about a half inch in length. During the drying process they
should be stirred and moved several times to prevent molding. Barks,
Woods, and Twigs: Dry in the sun or in thin layers in the open air. Do
not dry wild cherry bark in the sun. Fibrous Roots: Dry in the sun or
artificially at temperatures from 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Fleshy
Roots and Rhizomes: Cut into transverse slices of about a half inch in
length. Stir and move several times during the drying process to
prevent attracting mold. Store in a cool, dry place. Pay attention to
when you purchased and stored your herbs. The shelf life of a dried
herb is approximately one year. Once it is ground, its shelf life
shortens.(Gathering and Drying recommendations for herbs was taken from
the book Herbal Medicine)
Freezing Herbs: Freezing preserves more of the fresh flavor of herbs
than drying.
The disadvantage is that you have your freezer full of green ice cubes!
Basil, tarragon, sage and mint can be frozen by removing leaves from
the stems; more delicate herbs can be dried in sprigs; chives can be
cut into 1/2" pieces. Except for basil, dill and chives, blanch the
leaves or stems of the herbs by placing them in a colander
and pouring boiling water over them for 1 second. Spread out on paper
towels to dry.
When dry, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze for several
hours. Quickly place in Ziploc bags and seal. Do not refreeze herbs
once they are thawed. Another way herbs can be frozen is to chop the
leaves and place 1 T. into ice cube tray sections. Spoon 1 T. water
over the herbs and freeze. Then store the cubes in an airtight
container in the freezer. Then take out as many cubes as needed.
Note: If using fresh herbs in place of dried herbs, double the
measurement. Only use fresh herbs if the mixture will be used
immediately...if making a mixture that is to be stored, use only herbs
that are completely dried.
Methods of Drying Herbs
Oven Drying:
Set your oven at its lowest temperature.
Arrange your herbs in a single layer on a wire rack
that you have lined with cheesecloth.
Place in the oven and leave the door open a bit.
Turn the herbs every 1/2-hour until they are dry and crumbly.
Microwave Drying:
Place 1/2 to 1 cup of herbs between layers of microwave-safe paper
towels. Microwave on high power for 2 to 3 minutes, checking often to
make sure they are not scorching. Microwave in additional 15-second
intervals, if necessary, until leaves are brittle and pull from stem
easily.
Air Drying:
Cut sprigs several inches in length then strip the bottom leaves to
expose a few inches of bare stems. Gather into small, loose bunches---
you want to leave room around the leaves for air to circulate.
Tie stems together very tightly, as stems will shrink as they dry. Use
string or rubber bands. Hang the bunch upside down in a warm, dry
place, with circulation, and out of direct sunlight. It may take up to
2 weeks for herbs to dry, depending on humidity. Leaves will be brittle
and crumbly when completely dried. Drying herbs slowly will help them
to retain their color, and also the volatile oils contained in the
herbs that give them each its unique flavor and aroma. The ideal
temperature for air drying herbs is 100 degrees. A well-ventilated
attic is an ideal place to dry herbs. In cooler temperatures, the herbs
will take more time to dry.
Herbs can also be air-dried on screens, which is a good method for
drying herbs that have stems too short to be gathered into a bunch, or
for loose leaves. Turn leaves frequently to insure thorough, even
drying of the herbs.
Dehydrator Drying:
Place herbs in a single layer on an herb screen in the dehydrator. (I
used vinyl window screening cut to fit into the dehydrator trays...much
cheaper than buying herb screens!) Leave in the dehydrator, rotating
trays if necessary, until leaves pull off stems easily and are brittle.
Flower-press Drying:
This method takes up less space than air-drying by hanging or on a
screen. You can use a purchased flower-press, or make your own by using
a stack of heavy books. Arrange the herbs in a singe layer between
sheets of paper towel. Place several thickness� of newspaper between
the layers (for example: newspaper-paper towel-herbs-paper towel-
newspaper-paper towel-herbs-paper towel-newspaper, etc.)
Pressed herbs will take longer to dry--up to 6 weeks, maybe longer.
They will not need to be checked or turned as often. They also will dry
flat rather than retaining their natural shape. When dry, crumble
leaves into an airtight container for storage.
*There are other ways to gather and dry your herbs; these are just the
ones that I feel comfortable with. Explore the different options!
Working with Herbs
There are a few things you may want to get for working with your herbs.
I will try to get most of them here, but may add more later.
Mortar and Pestle: It would be a good idea to have t Of Gathering Flowers, Herbs, and Plants:
Before cutting with the white-handled knife, attune with the pant
through visualization. Feel its energies. As you cut, say these or
similar words:
O little plant of (name, such as hyssop,etc.) I ask that you give of
your bounty that it may aid me in my work. Grow stronger by my stroke,
stronger and more powerful, O plant of (name)!
If it is a tree, substitute the appropriate word (tree of oak). Gently
cut only what you need, and never from very young plants or more than
twenty-five percent of the growth. At the base of the plant leave an
offering: a silver coin, a bright jewel, a bit of wine or milk, grain,
a quartz crystal, and so on. Cover the offering and it is done.
3) Home Grown: You can purchase seeds or starter plants and grow
your own herbs. If you have a green thumb then I would opt for this!
You get the benefit of growing your own herbs, along with the
oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange from the green growing plants, their
magickal properties all over your home, and their aromas and beauty in
your home or outside garden. I would go into details about growing
herbs, but I am not blessed with a green thumb! There are books out
there that deal specifically with growing plants, and that in itself
would probably be a whole other course!
Once you have gathered or purchased your herbs, you need to store them.
Keep your herbs in airtight glass containers. Usually colored glass is
the best, in either amber or dark blue colors. These tend to keep the
sunlight off of your herbs. You can use clear glass containers if you
can�t get the colored ones. All containers should be kept in a cupboard
and out of direct sunlight, as this will cause the herb to lose its
medicinal properties and shortening its shelf life. Dried products can
be stored to your needs. Flowers: Dry all flowers carefully and rapidly
in order to preserve the color, as the strength of the flower can be
judged by the intensity of its color. Take special care with flowers
containing volatile oils. Spread the flowers loosely on white paper. Do
not dry scented flowers in the sun, for the sun depletes the strength
of the plant. However, although aromatic flowers must be dried in the
shade, they should be placed for a brief time in the sun, in order to
prevent fungus attack. Some flowers can be dried in medium sized
bunches attached with string. Hang from a dowel or rafter in an airy
room. For storage, hang bunches in a dry, airy room, or place in
labeled brown paper bags. Fold bags to prevent insect attacks. Leaves:
Dry aromatic leaves in the shade. Place in the sun for a short time to
prevent fungus attack. Unscented leaves may be dried in the sun,
although it is best to dry them in an airy, dry place. Separate leaves,
and change their position once they become dry. Succulent leaves need
more care to prevent discoloration and may take more heat than dry,
thin leaves. Annual Plants & Tops: If the plants are not too juicy,
they may be strung in bunches across the top of an airy, dry room.
Bulbs: Peel off the outer membranes, and cut the bulbs into transverse
slices about a half inch in length. During the drying process they
should be stirred and moved several times to prevent molding. Barks,
Woods, and Twigs: Dry in the sun or in thin layers in the open air. Do
not dry wild cherry bark in the sun. Fibrous Roots: Dry in the sun or
artificially at temperatures from 65-80 degrees Fahrenheit. Fleshy
Roots and Rhizomes: Cut into transverse slices of about a half inch in
length. Stir and move several times during the drying process to
prevent attracting mold. Store in a cool, dry place. Pay attention to
when you purchased and stored your herbs. The shelf life of a dried
herb is approximately one year. Once it is ground, its shelf life
shortens.(Gathering and Drying recommendations for herbs was taken from
the book Herbal Medicine)
Freezing Herbs: Freezing preserves more of the fresh flavor of herbs
than drying.
The disadvantage is that you have your freezer full of green ice cubes!
Basil, tarragon, sage and mint can be frozen by removing leaves from
the stems; more delicate herbs can be dried in sprigs; chives can be
cut into 1/2" pieces. Except for basil, dill and chives, blanch the
leaves or stems of the herbs by placing them in a colander
and pouring boiling water over them for 1 second. Spread out on paper
towels to dry.
When dry, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze for several
hours. Quickly place in Ziploc bags and seal. Do not refreeze herbs
once they are thawed. Another way herbs can be frozen is to chop the
leaves and place 1 T. into ice cube tray sections. Spoon 1 T. water
over the herbs and freeze. Then store the cubes in an airtight
container in the freezer. Then take out as many cubes as needed.
Note: If using fresh herbs in place of dried herbs, double the
measurement. Only use fresh herbs if the mixture will be used
immediately...if making a mixture that is to be stored, use only herbs
that are completely dried.
Methods of Drying Herbs
Oven Drying:
Set your oven at its lowest temperature.
Arrange your herbs in a single layer on a wire rack
that you have lined with cheesecloth.
Place in the oven and leave the door open a bit.
Turn the herbs every 1/2-hour until they are dry and crumbly.
Microwave Drying:
Place 1/2 to 1 cup of herbs between layers of microwave-safe paper
towels. Microwave on high power for 2 to 3 minutes, checking often to
make sure they are not scorching. Microwave in additional 15-second
intervals, if necessary, until leaves are brittle and pull from stem
easily.
Air Drying:
Cut sprigs several inches in length then strip the bottom leaves to
expose a few inches of bare stems. Gather into small, loose bunches---
you want to leave room around the leaves for air to circulate.
Tie stems together very tightly, as stems will shrink as they dry. Use
string or rubber bands. Hang the bunch upside down in a warm, dry
place, with circulation, and out of direct sunlight. It may take up to
2 weeks for herbs to dry, depending on humidity. Leaves will be brittle
and crumbly when completely dried. Drying herbs slowly will help them
to retain their color, and also the volatile oils contained in the
herbs that give them each its unique flavor and aroma. The ideal
temperature for air drying herbs is 100 degrees. A well-ventilated
attic is an ideal place to dry herbs. In cooler temperatures, the herbs
will take more time to dry.
Herbs can also be air-dried on screens, which is a good method for
drying herbs that have stems too short to be gathered into a bunch, or
for loose leaves. Turn leaves frequently to insure thorough, even
drying of the herbs.
