We use a lot of fresh herbs in the summer but our grand daughter asked me why we bother making our own mixed herbs. She pointed out that they don’t cost a lot to buy but take a lot of time and work to make. I like to be as independent as possible and avoid buying from supermarkets, it saves me money, but my real reason was that I started drying my own herbs when I found out what was in a jar of supermarket dried herbs. I read an article that really frightened me.
You would think that they would just be dried herbs in a jar, I did for years. Unfortunately I was naive to the fact there are lots of additives like anti caking agents, calcium silicate, and a lot of other long names that I have never heard of in the list of the ingredients. Some bottles don’t have these things listed and so I thought that they were ok but then read that pesticides will also probably be present from when they were grown, and often the herbs are fumigated or irradiated to get rid of bacteria. Because of this process some herbs have even been found to be carcinogenic.
It doesn’t cost me anything to make my own mixed herbs. I grow them in pots in my garden and they regrow themselves every year. I just water and feed (a couple of times a year). Most of my herbs are about 12 years old now. It does take time, though. I regularly trim the herbs and dry them on a sunny window sill, or in my conservatory on a silicone mat or kitchen paper on a hot day. I used to dry them on a tray on the back window of my car. They usually take a couple of days, may be three at the most. I then rub the herbs from the stalks and store them in a large jam jar until I have enough to grind in a coffee grinder. Before I had a coffee grinder I used to use a pestle and mortar. Herbs can also be dried in a dehydrator or hung up if you do not have a sunny place to dry them in the sunshine.
I put my dried herbs into recycled herb bottles that family give me. The mixed herbs are made out of which ever herbs I have at the time. This is usually marjoram, rosemary, thyme and sage. Sometimes I will add some lemon balm as it is nice when cooking chicken. Other times I will add basil if I have grown some from seed that year. Some times I add a few chives. 
We eat a lot of Mediterranean type food and enjoy mixed herbs in the tomato sauces that we make. We also dry individual herbs such as sage or rosemary which are nice to use in the winter when we are making sausage or stuffing. If you can not grow your own herbs I would recommend buying organic herbs. They cost more, but you can’t put a price on your health.
Do you dry your own herbs?
Once again you have inspired me Toni ❣️
I was allowing all my herbs to flower for extra nectar for my bees…but then buying in dried for winter use! 😱
I’ve filled every sunny windowsill and even claimed the unused family room as a food factory…😂😂😂
After hang drying lemon verbena -I have layered it in jars of sugar for fizzy festive treats to come….
You and I have so many things in common ( age/ethos/past history etc etc) I think of you often and just love how you spin positivity through your writing!
Thank you ❤️
Oh that Lemon Verbena thing sounds nice. Aww that is really nice of you to say. I still allow some of my herbs to flower for the bees and chop as much a I can before. Well done on taking action. I am glad that you are inspired. Thanks for sharing
Laurie, I love everything about your comment…..food factory, lemon verbena, fizzy festive treats! It all sounds wonderful! Maybe we could have a couple of posts about food preservation. I’m new to growing and have a lot of items that I cannot use immediately for my family- canning intimidates me as I’m afraid that I’ll make someone sick. Toni, your simple way of drying herbs is so much more achievable than the videos that recommend buying a dehydrator. I love to learn other people’s tips and tricks, especially when they are economical and they work just as well as expensive tools. Keep teaching us, we are lapping it up!
I am still a bit scared about some preserving. I have made water bathed pasta sauces for a couple of years that has worked, though I don’t feel confident yet to share the recipe on here yet. Thanks for your kind comments
I’ve picked a load of oregano, thyme, rosemary,mint yesterday and cleaned out my little jars on a spice/ herb rack which have gone off as no smell. I don’t bother with the sage and rosemary as they continue to grow during the winter I recall. I may make up a bigger jar with all mixed herbs to and use on my homemade wedges which we have frequently and add smoked paprika. They are lovely. Thanks for sharing Toni and making me aware of the nasties in those shop bought herb’s.
I just keep a bit of dried rosemary etc so that I don’t have to venture into the garden on a cold, rainy or snowy day. No worries. The wedges would be a good idea. Mr S makes us a spice and herb mix for them