Wow! We've had a bumper crop of basil, and we've been taking advantage of it all summer long. Unfortunately it has taken over the small herb bed so it was time for it to go. I had let it go to seed, some of which will be saved for planting next year. To save freezer space I usually dry our basil throughout the year in the food dryer. From there we keep it as whole as possible until we need to use it. I keep it in vac sealed glass jars in my herb cabinet to keep it for 6-8 months.
However, with as much as we've been blessed with this year....I am drying 3 whole bundles.
For this afternoon they will hang from the patio like wonderfully scented whirly gigs.....but they will have to be re-tied tonight as they dry so that we don't loose any stems.
With our heat, they shouldn't take long to dry since we have a gentle breeze. Then I will take each bundle and place them into a paper bag for crushing once dried. Since we're drying these for feed use, I didn't have to wash them, pick out seeds, or worry about any hiding bugs.
Once dried and crushed a bit I will put them into jars for adding to feed over the winter. Basil is high in Vit A and is also a good source of copper....as well as other trace minerals. Here's a link that explains many of it's benefits... http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/basil-herb.html
Any time God gives us an abundance of something, I know it's for a reason.
1 comment:
Oooo I did not knwo that about basil! Mine didnt do as well this year because of where I planted it got a little smothered.. I am hoping since I moved it that it will come back so I can get a little before this fall!
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