Drying and Storing Herbs

What you'll need:

• Bunches of fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, parsley)
• Scissors
• Twine
• Clothespins
• Airtight container

How to:

1. Separate herbs into their own bunches.
2. Cut off any extra herb stems.
3. Tie each bunch at the stems with twine.
4. Hang a line of twine in a dry place, preferably inside.
5. Hang the bunches upside down on the line with clothespins. It takes approximately 5 days to dry herbs. Remove when dried and no moisture can be felt.
6. Carefully pick the dried leaves off of the stems and store in an airtight container.
7. To release the full flavor, crush the leaves just before adding to a recipe.

Herb Swag

What you'll need:

• Length of 1/2-inch rope (about 12 inches long)
• Raffia wire
• 2 bunches of lavender
• 2 bunches of sage
• Ribbon

How to:

1. Loop the 1/2-inch rope in half and secure just below the loop with raffia wire.
2. Wrap the bunches of lavender and sage with raffia wire.
3. Attach the first bunch of lavender near the bottom of the rope with raffia wire.
4. Overlap the first bunch of sage a few inches higher up on the rope with wire.
5. Repeat with the second bunch of lavender.
6. Repeat with the second bunch of sage.
7. Wrap a bow with the ribbon at the top of last bunch of sage.  
8. Hang in a warm dry place.