Llewellyn's 2024 Herbal Almanac by Llewellyn Publishing

Author:Llewellyn Publishing
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: llewellyn 2024 herbal almanac;Archive;Calligraphy;herbalism;Illustration;Symbol;herbal almanac;llewellyn's herbal almanac;Disjunct;R895 2024 Herbal Almanac anchored.indd;llewellyns herbal almanac;PRODUCTS;2024 herbal almanac;Production;9780738768953;2024 almanac;2024 datebook;ANCHORED FOR STEFF 2024 Herbal Almanac Folder;llewellyn herbal almanac;Vector;Graphic Design;Business
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2023-05-23T16:20:58+00:00

[contents]

DIY

and

Crafts

Herbal Drying Racks and Techniques

^ Rachael Witt &

With the arrival of spring comes the reemergence of the growing season, which also means the beginning of the harvest season. Vibrant green shoots are rising, leaves are unfurling, and roots are swelling with nutrients underground. It’s time to collect and process, making space for the new and capturing the freshness of the year’s seasonal offerings.

I often find myself caught off guard at this time of year. Though my body yearns for the return of the plants and the vibrancy of spring, it is still waking from the winter slumber. Sometimes, I am not quite ready to clean out the herb kitchen and jump into the effort of gathering and processing. Nonetheless, the plants are springing back to life, and so my energy is too.

Spring lends itself as a teacher to gatherers learning the ways of harvesting, processing, and storing plants. Finding the right time to forage in between breaks in the weather is one teaching. Drying and processing the plants is another. The intermittent coldness and dampness of the season can serve as a challenge in dehydrating and storing herbs to preserve their potency.

Living in the Pacific Northwest has taught me the ways of rain, moisture, and cool temperatures. As an herbalist, this is important for knowing how to work with plants based on their growing season, usable and harvestable parts, and preservation techniques. The wet environment has informed how I dry plants—requirements of drying, methods of drying, and techniques of drying and storing.

The Art of Drying Herbs

Did you know that the sunlight can depreciate the quality of the herb by its searing intensity? And ovens can trap the moisture of plants, causing them to bake instead of dry? And drying plants on a solid surface can create mold? And stripping the fresh leaves off of a stalk to dry can cause bruising and discoloration?

While there are many methods to drying herbs, there are certain requirements to preserve their color, taste, smell, and vitality.

The art of drying herbs requires warmth, airflow, dryness, minimal light, and clean space. Herbs are best dried in consistent warm temperature, ideally between 80 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the plant parts being dehydrated. There needs to be good airflow and minimal to no humidity—this limits a moldy environment. There should be no direct sunlight. The plant’s pigments are sensitive to solar rays, and any direct contact can encourage the plant to compost instead of dehydrate. From flowers to ripe fruit and seeds, plants attract all sorts of beings. Make sure to flick off as many insects as possible prior to drying and also to dry your herbs in a space that is rodent and insect free.

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