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Before the Freeze

© Pier Jones

It's not just the preservation of "food" that concerns me this time of year......my herb beds look better than ever, and I am hurriedly gathering what we will need for teas (beverage and medicinal) and seasonings. Of course, I am trying to harvest a little each day, so that I won't be taken unaware by the first frost; however, this is the usual scenario at our house, as the first Blue Norther heads this way.......

I'm snugly tucked into bed, watching the late-night news when I hear, "this will be the first night that the temperature will drop below 32 degrees; we hope you remembered to bring in your plants." At which point, I immediately throw a pair of scissors at my husband, along with his robe, and say, "quick, we've got to cut ALL the herbs tonight, and get them inside!" Dutifully, he runs out one door, as I run out another, heading for opposite ends of the property, to shear all my herbs. About 45 minutes later, we meet, with boxes full of freshly cut herbs, and proceed to "preserve" them.

O.K., now let's talk about preserving.....The best way to do this is to tie them in bundles with twine or raffia, and hang them upside down in a brown paper bag so that air can circulate, but they stay protected from dirt and bugs.. Be sure to label each bundle (easy to do, since you can just write on the outside of the bag)----they tend to look somewhat alike once they shrivel and darken! The ceiling of our mud porch is covered with cup-hooks, and that is where my herbs hang until dry. The scent is amazing, and if I open the backdoor, the fragrance fills the house. I live in a mild climate, Southwest Oklahoma, so as long as my plants are protected from the wind, they dry well, even though my porch is not heated. If you live where the weather is very humid, you need to check the plants often, and make sure they are drying, but not showing signs of mold.

Some culinary herbs freeze well, so you might want to save some that way rather than by drying. Rinse, pat dry, and chop, or just pop into freezer bags whole, herbs such as fennel, basil, chives, parsley, and salad burnet. If they are herbs that you know you will use in soups, you can chop them, put a tablespoon or so in each cube of an ice tray, cover with water, and freeze them. Empty the frozen cubes into a freezer bag, label, and toss it in the freezer.