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Herbal Wisdom:  Drying Sage  |
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mooselovingmamabear
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Gail
MI
USA
20 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 21 2008 : 3:49:03 PM
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Anyone have a tip or two on how to dry my sage so that I can use it this winter?
TIA...
~~waving from Michigan~~ gail aka: mooselovingmamabear
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Edited by - mooselovingmamabear on Oct 21 2008 3:55:17 PM |
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prairielandherbs
True Blue Farmgirl
690 Posts
Maggie
Iowa
USA
690 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2008 : 5:00:52 PM
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Loads of ways! You can just rubber band a bunch of stems together and hang them upside down in a dark, dry place until they are dry and crumbly. If you have a gas stove with a pilot light, just put sage leaves on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven until crispy - usually overnight or so. If you've got some sunlight...put them in a paper back and put in the back of your car - if your car sits outside, the dry heat "greenhouse effect" will dry the herbs in no time, plus make your car smell good. You can use a dehydrator (if you've got one) on the lowest setting. If it's cool and crisp out, like it is here right now, you can simply lay them on a screen or sheets of newspaper in a non-windy location and let them air-dry.
I cut a bunch of sage, lemon thyme and horehound today - going to make cough syrup! |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4740 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - Oct 21 2008 : 7:32:40 PM
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Maggie, thanks for the great suggestions. I have a ton of sage to dry, along with a bunch of other herbs. I especially like the car method. Thanks for telling us about them!
Dawn in IL |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Oct 23 2008 : 09:36:24 AM
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You will get a bit of the medicinal and nutritional benefits of the sage and some of the culinary taste of the sage, but the best time to harvest the leaves of the sage is before it flowers. This is true for most herbs and medicinal plants. That is the time when the essential oils and "medicine" of the leaves are at their most potent. If you have a dehydrator, use the lowest setting and place the leaves on the drying shelves one layer only. If you decide to dry in bundles, make sure that they are small bundles. Hanging herbs to dry in bunches is best done during the summer season or if you live in a dry environment. If it is moist, rainy or humid in your area at the time of drying, you run the risk of the plants drying/rehydrating/drying/rehydrating at different times of the day and night when the dew or moisture is higher. This will cause mold and it definitely destroys the culinary and medicinal effects of the plant. Small bunches are best, tied with rubber bands as the stems will shrink during the drying process. The rubber bands keep the stems from falling out of the bunch as the bands will tighten around the bunch.
Roses are red, Violets are blue; But they don't get around Like the dandelions do.
Slim Acres
www.goodnaturedearthling.com |
Edited by - Wildcrafter on Oct 23 2008 09:38:33 AM |
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mooselovingmamabear
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Gail
MI
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - Oct 23 2008 : 4:58:48 PM
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Thanks for all the tips. :-)
Fortunately, no flowers on the sage. This is when I "wish" I had a dehydrator, LOL....
~~gail~~aka: mooselovingmamabear
 It's the Great Pumpkin  |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2008 : 08:01:19 AM
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What I mean by "before it flowers" is usually in early June here in the Pacific Northwest. The sage has already flowered out for the season, so that means that it is very late to be harvesting. But I'm sure that you will get flavor out of it. I went out yesterday and rubbed one of my sage leaves and it smelled pretty good. What I'm talking about is the medicine of the plant. I'm an herbalist. That's what I am interested in and what I teach.
Roses are red, Violets are blue; But they don't get around Like the dandelions do.
Slim Acres
www.goodnaturedearthling.com |
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mooselovingmamabear
Farmgirl in Training
20 Posts
Gail
MI
USA
20 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2008 : 5:04:07 PM
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I'm not sure about the flowering. I just know that I can't recall it flowering, so I assumed that it didn't. So, now I'm really confused....
Since I'm in Michigan, I bet that it did flower, like you said. I did rub the leaves and it does smell, so I'm hoping that it will be flavorful.
Now, I'm off to checkout your website. I really do appreciate all your help :-)
~~gail~~aka: mooselovingmamabear
My Blog: http://mooselovingmamabear.blogspot.com/2008/10/well-its-starting-to-sink-in.html
It's the Great Pumpkin |
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Wildcrafter
True Blue Farmgirl
340 Posts
Suzanne
Seattle
WA
USA
340 Posts |
Posted - Oct 24 2008 : 6:30:49 PM
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Is it a newer plant? First year? If so, It may not have flowered this year, but will next year. The leaves will be fine for flavoring cooking. I love it in chicken soup, myself.
Roses are red, Violets are blue; But they don't get around Like the dandelions do.
Slim Acres
www.goodnaturedearthling.com |
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electricdunce
True Blue Farmgirl
2544 Posts
Karin
Belmont
ME
USA
2544 Posts |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Nov 23 2008 : 08:18:10 AM
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After visiting out West this summer, i'm on a sage kick too...in hopes of also drying some to sell around next Christmas.
I'll order seed as soon as the catalogs start rolling in
Can you start seed inside? |
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prairielandherbs
True Blue Farmgirl
690 Posts
Maggie
Iowa
USA
690 Posts |
Posted - Nov 29 2008 : 12:42:05 PM
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Sure! it starts quite well.
I'd have it for sale before thanksgiving. That's the one time we sell lots of dried sage. :) |
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Nov 30 2008 : 03:25:42 AM
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COOL!
Thanks
That'll give me something to do while waiting for spring |
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Herbal Wisdom: Drying Sage |
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Drying Sage
