Taking Time Project – the hard part is coming…

This weekend I started to dry my lavender. It smells so sweet and delicate, it will make some lovely lavender satchels or teas.

This is another part of my Taking Time Project, though I fear that the hard part is coming up faster than I thought.  The hard part being what will I do with the herbs once I have dried them or grown them?

So, after some research, here is what I plan to do.

Thyme

- Use for sore throats and coughs. (dry thyme, grind into powder to later make infusions and teas).

Lavender

- Use to promote good sleep (with dried leaves in satchels, also, put lavender satchel in dryer to freshen clothes).

Mint

- Make both a mint extract with fresh leaves (and vodka) and dry some leaves to be used for teas for upset stomachs.

Sage

-Use for cooking, both fresh and dried

Rosemary

- Use fresh for cooking and dry some to make an infusion and use it as a cat repellent. (Maybe then the cat will stop jumping on the stove.)

For me, the hardest part to figure out is how to take this living and growing plant and turn it into teas, infusions, extracts and the like. Thankfully, after a lot of google searching, I found a good site that gives excellent instructions on making herbal remedies. These can be used for all types of herbs, those some lend themselves more to one kind or another.

Tonight, I will start by grinding my dried thyme into powder and hopefully getting some mint and rosemary ready to dry.

If there is anyone that has any hints, tips and suggestions for the uses of herbs or how to actually make a herbal remedy, I would be happy for your advice!