5 Ways To Preserve Your Herbs | Tea Garden 2020 

Stoppp you two are so cute. He compliments you, you giggle, he tells you to stop so he can help...eye contact is that if best friends. Gurlll...we all want that. How adorable are you two.

There she is the Tea Garden Queen. Lovely to watch you working together, don’t be rude to the herbs. 🤗

So glad you two can work together, so sweet.

You need to learn to make herb butter. With the butter you make, you can mix with fresh herbs, and freeze. So when you cook, you can add flavored butter.😀

This herb lesson was fascinating!

Thank you for being relatable.

Great Vlog! Love herbs! I always forget about tinctures. Thank you for reminding me. I do find that grape seed oil works best. The olive oils (even when buying the highest quality) overrides the herbs. Thank you again! God Bless!

We purchased the Calendula Salve and we absolutely love it!!! My husband gets really bad cracks on his heals and we used the salve and within a few days it was completely healed.

Love you two! May God Bless you both throughout your lives!

Love y'all , be blessed !

Jen have you ever used a outdoor screen to dehydrate in the sun, like the old days......it’s how I did on my farm years ago...

Ty so much for not just teaching different gardening but how to use it all!! I want an herb garden now! I was so nervous to make one before because I had no clue what to do with it! I am so thankful I found you guys and will definitely be telling others to check ya guys out!! 🥰

I bought a square Nesco dehydrator YEARS ago. I bought that one because it was very reasonably priced (@$60) and, being square, it was easier to load space-efficiently.. I bought the cheap one because I didn’t want to be out of a lot of money if I decided that dehydrating wasn’t for me. I bought 4 extra trays, some plastic needlepoint screens and cut to the tray size to serve as a fine-mesh screen for small items, and got a lamp timer to plug it into so that I could set the amount of time that I wanted it to go.... That was about 10-12 years ago, and my Nesco is still going strong! Best $60 I ever spent!

I’m looking forward to growing more of a tea/herb/medicinal garden next year.

Thanks so much for sharing this valuable information!!

Loved getting to see how you put your herbs to good use.

I love that round dehydrator. I have 2. I do all mine N make vanilla too. You have good tinctures. Lv an Prayers to all.

I love how y’all divide and conquer the chores of living. Many hands make light work. ❤️👩🏻‍🌾

Thank you for the inspiration to make my plans for an herb garden. I’m hoping I can still find some perennials for my zone to plant this fall and then continue with annuals and more perennials in the spring.

just watched a video from Rain Country dehydrator cloth covers it helps with small herbs and sticking to the trays love your family vickie

Can't wait for my herbs to be preserved! Thanks for the ideas!

Glycerites are also a wonderful way to preserve herbs. Especially lemon balm because it helps it hold it's volatile oils and it's easier to get down than tincture. Glycerin is expensive though that's the downside. I am so happy though that you are showing everyone how to do this stuff, even just to raise awareness and demystify herbs! Thank you

Plz do more vids on herbs and tea garden stuff. I love learning about these things.

I always enjoy your videos. You are so bubbly and funny that you often perk me up and make my day more enjoyable. Thanks. This video was great and I need it right now.

Aside from normal drying and tinctures of various herbs and medicinal plants I like to fill 1/2 gallon jars with lemon balm and cover with vinegar. Let it sit a month and you have wonderful lemon scented cleaning vinegar. I also like to take orange / lemon peels and soak in vinegar as a rinse agent for my dish washer.

Good word today, Zach.

I dried chocolate mint, Oregano and lemon balm they other day too.

I love it! "Because you don't treat herbs that way... it's just rude."

This gave me the boost I need to harvest my chamomile❤

We didnt get a nice spring we went straight to HUMID and hot 😫 I hate humidity... we are doing some chocolate mint as well.... great ways to preserve herbs.. Need to save this one😁 Have a good evening 🌻🌻🌻

We use brown paper bags to dry herbs in as well

Use parchment paper on topic the the racks that have larger holes.

Thanks for sharing! I typically grow savory herbs for cooking. Have been branching out a bit here and there as I learn more. Will be growing more tea herbs in the future!!

Great ideas :) I’m terrible at harvesting herbs!!

Zach and Jenn.....What are those "creatures" that you have their profiles cut out in plywood and painted black? I love your homestead and you all seems to have FUN making your homestead such a loving place...!! God Bless...!!

Thank you Jen!! So very helpful.

I dry all my herbs on the stem and run my fingers down the stem when its dry. Lol....never thought of it as rude🤣

I just adore watching the two of you work together! Makes my heart smile. Y’all have made me into a total herb junkie! 😊 QUESTION: I’m driving myself crazy trying to figure out the difference between marigolds that are ok to use for calendula oil or teas. I had read somewhere that one type might be harmful so now I’m paranoid. I have “regular” and jaguar marigolds growing. But I can’t tell if they are ok to use. What is the difference in calendula and other marigolds?

When drying anything in my dehydrator that is similar to your white one, I cut parchment rounds. That keeps tomato juices, etc. from making a mess and keeps my herbs from slipping through the holes.

Thank you this is helpful. Our community garden is overrun with oregano with one patch of lemon balm, I wish it was the other way around

Jenn, sometimes depending on the stem thickness of your plant cuttings, you can stick the stem through a colander hole and pull it from the underneath and it strips the leaves from the stem. Maybe a little less time consuming.

Great info..thank you guys for sharing! Blessings from Western NC💖🙏🏻

Yes I am all about Herbs. Here in N. Illinois some herbs over winter but some don't. I really love lemon grass & I hang to dry. All others I dehydrate in my Nesco. Do you dehydrate tomato slices & then powder them? You two are so much fun to watch.. Keep up the good job.

Zack aquiessing to your request Jenn....lol That was good stuff. I could almost smell the mint when he clipped it! Oh my goodness. I just bought a new chocolate mint plant to replace an old one here. Oh, by the way, not sure if you are aware of this but chocolate mint and most other mints are propagated by cutting or divisions...the seeds if you get them will be common mint and not the lovely chocolate mint you have there. Okay, the vodka bottles...really!? HAHAHA That cracked me up, 3 partial bottles from different places in the house it looked like. Your house must smell wonderful when you were working with those. I'm excited about my chamomile this year. I should have a pretty decent harvest. I have a long low basket I lay a tea towel on and them place the chamomile flowers on to dry. It also works very well for harvesting lavenders and other stem bundles. I can't remember what it was originally used for but it was some kind of harvets basket. Best basket find from the thrift store ever.

First year to successfully grow dill but it’s super tall and skinny. I’m going out now to top it. Thanks for the tip.

Your vids are sooo addicting......

I love your pantry! It's so fun to process all the herbs in all the ways! I love growing, handling, and processing, reading/learning about all the herbs! For the tincture, I chop the leaves and stems roughly. I weigh my herb. I put the herb in my blender then add % of alcohol needed. Blending exposes more of the herb to the alcohol to extract more of the constituents and make a stronger tincture. It is fantastic that you educate people about the use of herbs!

i would love to see how you keep and use the dandelion root if you get a chance

I love seeing the kids pop in....but her hat is the absolute cutest!!! I cut sinw of my parsly - but now I think I'll cut my chocolate mint too. You made me feel brave enough lol

Jenn, I'm sorry I can't find a link to tell you about quick enough, but I do want to mention it in case you are interested. So it's a "leaf stripper" I don't know the actual name used for it, but I use to have one that came in two pieces, one you slip on your thumb and the other over your pointing finger or the one most comfortable to you. It made the job so much faster and easier and as a matter of fact I'm going to try and find me another one. And I need another "greens pincher" I call it, it's like a silicone thimble with a blade and a protective sleeve for the other finger, for picking greens and flower buds. But I used it for every thing it worked with especially okra! Just thought I'd pass it along. I love you all, and God bless.

Zac-“That’s gonna be harder to put them in baggies, .... “ Jen-“well that’s what I want you to do with it.”” Zac-“ well...ok” ... happy wife happy life man👍🏻good job you 2♥️🌱🥰

Jen, I dehydrate my herbs with the stems. It’s much easier to get the leaves off when they’re dry. Don’t bother to make sure them stems are bone dry, as long as the leaves are done I peel them off and put them (the leaves) in a jar.

Your smiles are contagious Love y'all 🥰

I did your marigold sauve last year and it works so good for cuts and burns. I had some pre cancer spots frozen and put the sauce on 4 out of 5 spots and the sauve healed them and the untreated spot got infected. I love when you show us your magic.

Wow 88 would be a dream Florida is so hot always in the 90s or more lol

😆 love that you started with Everclear, then went to Svedka haha big jump!

I'm in herb heaven! I love hanging herbs when possible. My indoor herb garden is small enough that I can just use them as I go without saving them.

I'm going to make some next year. So, in the mean time I just ordered some from your etsy store. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. 😘 Ps. I'm a new follower and I'm really enjoying y'all.

I'm with you, gotta clean up the clutter before you proceed. Herbs!!

I noticed in my yard i have Chamomile growing EVERYWHERE! Going to dig it up and move it to a designated spot im so tickled!

I dry herbs with my HippieCraft 5000... a wire hanger and embroidery thread on the shower rod. LOL

LOL...I dry mine on the stems, and them break them off before storing. Takes seconds. ;)

Jen is so beautiful!! I love her!

"Good Job" that was so precious!!!! Love Raelyn's (sp?) outfit!!!! Paper bags in the car is free way to dehydrate. (just in case someone doesn't have a dehydrator, takes several days to a week) Thanks for the tips!!

"Good Job Mom!" Wyatt is just so sweet💚 RayRay so cute all dressed up with her outfit and purse ...Thank you both for taking the time to show us again how to preserve our herbs.. sending much love 💚🌱💚

That chammomile is stunning! This is my first year growing chocolate mint. It smells amazing!

Wait who’s birthday is July 11th? That’s mine too 😂 Yay! ❤

Hahaha I’m with Zack! You gotta charge for all your labor!

I can't stand and pick off each leaf...I just poke the stem through my colander and pull...easy peasy...stay safe kids...Cara in Indiana

Hey Jenn, do you ever harvest Plantain and make anything with it? I'm looking for a video on how to make a Plantain salve.

You should list your Etsy link in the description. ☺️

Jenn, thanks for the great information. I love herbs, but never really knew where to begin preserving them. I'm motivated now to get up and learn! I'm planting herbs today in my newly created 2020 garden. Thank you for the information. In the Atlanta Journal Constitution today there's a great article in the Food section about herbs and the UGAarden. For awhile the AJC is free to all online at AJC.com/epaper. Great info in article and great info, Jenn. You pushed me off the herbal fence! Thank you.

I love your little family.

Is there going to be a video on HOW to make the salves?

Great to know what to do with all my herbs instead of just for making tea, although I adore my tea, I have enough herbs for all and then some. Love ya Jen. Thank you so much. And Zach. God Bless.

❤️

Thank you for the teaching on preserving herbs. I am new to growing herbs.

If there are any other viewers near central VT, I'd love to share my chocolate mint! It wants to take over!

Jen, thank you so much for the demonstrations. What can you use instead of vodka for the first herbs you processed?

I just love watching y'all... And I can't wait to start my own herb garden ❤

You guys have such good energy. I always catch myself smiling while watching your videos.

Thank you for sharing, I started my first herb garden this year, I'm so excited about new ideas and information 😊

When I make tinctures for uses in lotions, lip balms, and salves, I have always dried the plant first to avoid having moisture in the tincture which causes bacteria to grow. Dried herbs take longer, but we'll worth it in the end because the things made with it do not go bad.

Best tec is currently unavailable and they do not know if it will be...I went and bought a Garden Master.....highly rated just over $100.... I’m putting mine up in my art studio so as not to heat my kitchen up.....thanks for the how to pleassseee do more...how do you dry tomatoes to make tomato powder if so show us how......I put out 50 plants and intend to dehydrate a lot of it for storage....I bought a vacuum sealer with a hand brake pump rather then the machine to seal it as per Rain Country technique...I’m also going to dry other veggies for food storage...🤞

I bought some mesh mats for the round trays to dehydrate tiny things. I love mine!

Newbie here. How do remove the teeny tiny bugs off of the chamomile flowers?

I’d love a video on all the ways you use the herbs! Thanks y’all

thought when u are taking leaves off herb could you not put the hole in colander and make it easier on u to de stem. I've done this on several herbs that needed destemmed

Thank you.

What is your Etsy store link please love ❤️ your videos

Just planted herbs yesterday. I am very interested in learning more from you, as to what the benefits and uses of the different herbs.

I do it on the stem, and cook the hell out of them. So rude!! (Id rather can! Lol.). I’m still learning what is “dry”.

Here is a link to Jenn's ETSY Store: www.etsy.com/shop/StiversHomestead?ref=search_shop_redirect

my aunt gave me starts of the chocolate mint that I shared with her years ago this year cause I had quit gardening. my problem is I can eat it all day long so I have to try and contain my urges

Thank you so much for sharing. I am a new grower and I was looking up ways to do my herbs. Great video. ❤️

Always lots of good information! Be safe and well!!

Hi y'all! I was wondering when is the best time to harvest white yarrow? And what parts are useful? Thanks.

Zack the barber!! Everything looks so nice after their haircuts!

Looking forward to your comparison conclusion!

Whoa I needed this information!! I got basil and cilantro coming out my ears