Dehydrating Herbs Using A Dehydrator Can Be Simple & Inexpensive!

Do you grow your own fresh herbs? Do you know someone who does and always has lots to give away? Why not dehydrate them for use during the spring, fall and winter?

Initially you will have to spend some money on a few key pieces of equipment, however over time this investment will pay off!

What you will want to purchase:

• Food dehydrator - Walmart & Canadian Tire carry a nice one similar to what I use for around $60

• Herb scissors - you can buy these at places like Walmart but some dollar stores also carry them and they are a fraction of the price and work fine

• Scissors - regular household scissors work fine. Having a dedicated pair for food is always a good idea to have in the kitchen

• Storage containers, freezer bags (zip seal work best) or mason jars will all do the job. Thrift stores and dollar stores are a great place to find these for cheap

• Salad spinner - Walmart, Giant Tiger, Ikea, etc all carry a wide range of spinners with different price points, some dollar stores also carry these. For the thrifters out there, I have seen many spinners at various thrift stores

• Herbs - if you don't grow your own placing an add on social media is a great way to find some for FREE

If you add it all up: food dehydrator $55, herb scissors $2, scissors $1, storage containers $1, salad spinner $7, fresh herbs $0 = total investment of around $66 + tax

For best results you will want to dehydrate the herbs soon after harvesting. Only choose herbs in good condition, remove any dead or dying leaves/herbs and discard. 

Always wash before using and place in the salad spinner to dry. You want to remove as much moisture as possible or the drying time will take longer!

The following herbs are best dehydrated as full leaves (stems removed): dill weed, parsley, oregano, sage, mint, thyme and basil. 

Dill Weed

Dill Weed

Chives are best cut up using the herb scissors prior to dehydrating.

Chives

Once you have your herb ready, place onto the dehydrator tray, thinner layers will require less drying time, while thicker layers will require a longer drying time. Each herb's drying time varies, so it is best to record the length of drying time in a notebook for future reference.

****Note - only place 1 herb per tray as each herbs drying time varies****

The herbs are done when they are completely dehydrated (if rubbed between your fingers they will crumble. It is important to ensure they are completely dehydrated, otherwise the herbs will mold and all of your work will be for nothing.

Once the herbs are dry, simply store them in individual air tight containers, place in a dark, dry place.

Dried herbs are great on fish, chicken, beef, pork or in stews, soups, the possibilities are endless!

Enjoy

~McWicky's Wife

Thrift Store Find Of The Year (2015)

Thrift store shopping is nothing new to Mouse or I, so heading to the local thrift store in whatever town or city we happen upon is not out of the ordinary. We are always on the hunt for an amazing find and yesterday, August 12, 2015, was no different. 

There is a trick to thrift store shopping, you have to have some understanding of what items are worth in a retail setting, why, you may ask...prices on items at a thrift store are set by the employees/volunteers and sometimes they price items for more than what you would pay retail. It's important to be aware of this, so you can ensure your really getting a great deal. Other key information you should gather when entering a thrift store is what "sales" they currently have. Some stores have 50% off days (usually about once a month), some have stamp cards (fill the card with stamps and receive a % off your next purchase), others have items they will put on sale for a great price.

Yesterday the sale at the particular store we where at was all pants (not jeans) $0.10. Of course we made sure to stop at the pant rack and go through the items available. Often times you don't spot anything you desire, but yesterday was different (for me at least). I spotted wedged in between 2 pairs of black dress pants and slightly hidden a pair of grey yoga pants, I love wearing yoga pants around the house and particularly camping, boating and when canning. So needless to say I grabbed the grey yoga pants and proceeded to inspect them for wear. This is very important when purchasing second hand items for 2 reasons; first, sellers are usually pretty good at only selling items in good condition but some times items slip through the cracks. Second, most thrift stores have a "all sales final" rule, so checking condition prior to purchasing ensures you are buying a quality item and not just wasting money on garbage. 

As I inspected the yoga pants I noticed a very distinct logo on the back of one of the legs, if you haven't guessed already it was the lululemon symbol. Retail these pants would cost around $80 and up and even purchasing them second hand through social media or kijiji they would likely still cost you $40 and up. My cost from the thrift store.....$0.10 no tax! What a deal! 

Needless to say, this is my thrift store find of the year for 2015, but there are still 4 more months to go to top that....stay tuned to see if I find something even better.

Happy Thrift Store Hunting!

~ McWicky's Wife