Harvesting & Drying Herbs
The harvesting and drying of herbs is something of an acquired artform, with nothing I know of to beat practise and experience, but the information below I hope will give you at least a starting point from which to increase your understanding of the art.
Although many herbs have specific phases and times at which they are best harvested, a simple general rule is to gather them early in the morning on a sunny day, just after the dew has lifted. Preferably, you should still yourself a while and request permission from the herb to cut it, and remember always not to rob the plant entirely of it's gifts. Rather, gather a little from each source of the herb, and give thanks in turn to each herb. Remember too only to collect from strong and healthy plants; the weaker or diseased ones will have a poor energy to work with.
Many people reserve a small sharp knife specifically for the purpose of gathering herbs, and pay further attention to detail by using the corresponding metal in the blade for the plant in question (silver for moon, gold for sun, etc). Whatever your preference, please take care to use a sharp knife or scissors when collecting the herb, so as to cause the least possible amount of damage to the plant.
Herbs should be dried as soon as possible after harvesting. In an idea world, this would take place in a well ventilated, airy and dry place, but sadly we don't all have such places available to us in modern dwellings. As an alternative, small amounts can be dried in the airing cupboard, but for larger ones, I'm afraid it's generally a case of putting up with drying frames about the house! In the summer, of course, a dry and airy shed is ideal, although you should take care to ensure that the herbs are only dried in the shade, and never in any sunlight.
Always dry the herbs on a flat surface, and ensure that they are dried in a single layer which doesn't overlap. Whilst it's preferable to dry them on steel or fabric mesh, paper or an old sheet are perfectly adequate for the job. Allowing the layers to overlap will severely compromise the quality of the herb, or possibly render it unusable, so it is essential that they are kept to a single layer.
Drying times will vary enormously, with the fastest drying being flowers and leaves, while fleshier fruits, roots and tubers take far longer. However, if you want to cheat a little, you can speed the drying time up a little by using a low temperature oven. If you do decide to do this, be sure to leave the oven door open, with the oven on at less than 40 c. Be sure, if trying this method, to carefully monitor the herb throughout to ensure that the drying isn't overdone.
When properly dried most plants will remain very close to their original colours, and should be strong enough not to crumble and fall apart when you touch them. Sounds easy, but in truth is far easier said than done! There's no magic trick to drying herbs, I'm afraid; it really is a question of trial and error, until you start to get the feel for them.
With that in mind, please don't be disheartened if your first attempt turns into little more than a crumbled pile of brown powder! You won't be the first to suffer this fate, and certainly won't be the last either! When starting out, it is really best to start off by drying something readily available, such as nettle or dandelion, rather than the prize specimen you've been lovingly nurturing as your winning cure-all!
İCaitlin, 2000
