two branches homestead

If you are anything like us, you are always looking for ways to add more growing space.  A few years ago we found a great way to add growing space and beautify our outdoor living space at the same time.  We started using containers on our deck and in our pool area.  We can grow almost anything in containers, but our favorites are herbs. Growing herbs in containers allows us to have fresh herbs for cooking right outside our back door.

It is amazing how productive even a small pot of herbs can be.  It is important to have good soil and water often.  Every night we clip a few leaves for dinner.  It was not long before we realized that these little marvels produced more than we needed.  It was time to learn a new skill, preserving herbs.  After some research and weighing the pros and cons of each, we settled on dehydration.  This method was quick, simple, and easy.  We already owned a dehydrator so the investment was zero, and this method used much less space than hanging them to dry.

We waited for our basil and oregano plants to have an abundance of leaves, which would allow us to harvest and still leave enough leaves for the plant to flourish.  We then harvested the largest leaves of basil with a scissor.  We also used scissors to snip the longest stems and leaves of the oregano, sort of like giving it a haircut.

We then placed the leaves on the trays of our dehydrator in a single layer keeping the leaves from touching to allow for good air circulation.

 The basil lays out nicely

The oregano is a bit unruly

 

We then set the dehydrator to 105 degrees Fahrenheit, and let the dehydrate for 24 hours.  Our house smelled faintly like an Italian restaurant and we waited patiently for the results.  It is important to let the herbs fully dry or they will not keep, so this is a step that cannot be rushed.  The should feel kind of like tissue paper and fall apart easily when crushed.

The dried herbs were then placed into a bowl and then crushed.  We removed the stems from the oregano before crushing.

 The last step was to put the herbs into a mason jar for safe keeping.

Herbs preserved in this way will last for more than a year, and there is something about a mason jar full of anything that appeals to us.  Opening the jar in the middle of winter and inhaling that amazing aroma takes you back to warmer days and excites you about the upcoming spring, even if it is months away.

Preserving herbs in this manor was one of the easiest things we have ever done on the homestead.  We are able to dehydrate pesticide and herbicide free herbs every other week from just 6 pots on our deck.  We make so many big plans on the homestead, but sometimes it’s the littlest ones that pay the biggest dividends.