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Show see th . : . colors 1 ; k: ,rf-v 5i, I . s; . . 4 ; . outside in the mid-afternoon sunshine. It seems you cajr see the mountains change colors right before your eyes If you do your own picking remember to pick only in dry ; weather. Annuals, plants that complete their growth cycle in one season, such as basil, should be cut off to the ground Biennials, which require two growing seasons in which to mature from seed to seed, such as parsnips and anise, should be cut halfway down. Perennials, like la-, yender, will grow back from their original growth, or part of it, and should also be cut halfway down. Cut off the herbs from the stem or plant, . strip off flowering part, smaller leaves and extra stems. Dry them by tying with string in a small bunch arid hang upside down in a dry place. To add a little aesthetic attraction, tie them with fine satin ribbon and hang in a doorway or closet. Within a few days, the herbs will be dry and they can be bottled. ; To collect leaves, morning time, just before noon is the right time to collect them while they still contain most ; w '- i; - 1 - - ' ' " ' '-V, ' . . ' , . ' of their aromatic oils. Some herbal leaves to collect are raspberry, wintergreen and mint, as they are easily recognizable; Never pick these herbs alongside the road or in areas which have ? been sprayed with insecticides insecti-cides as these poisons are transferred to you through the tea. The leaves can be dried v by hanging them in cheesecloth, muslin or a brown, paper bag which should be shaken occasionally. occasion-ally. The greenest leaves, or those which retain most of -their natural color are the V ones to keep. Leaves may take up to two weeks to dry. Flowers such as roses, lavender, elderberry, chamomile, chamo-mile, clover, marigold, pennyroyal, orange blossoms . or any that you like, are best when picked the same time . . of day as leaves and are most potent when they have just opened. Remove any brown, petals and stems and dry them in-a cheesecloth wrap in a dry airy place. The best way to store all herbs is in a dark' place away from sunlight sun-light and in an v airtight , container for long term, storage. If you buy the herbs By Mary Barrena Autumn harvest is as varied as the crops we grow. Different methods for each harvest are given to us as we. need to know them as each . variety matures this crop will become the topic of conversation in, many com- . munities who depend on these foods for winter survival. Have you ; thought to harvest herbs for winter sachets, potpourris and me-dicinals? me-dicinals? Here are some guides for harvesting and x storing botanicals for future uses . You don t need special equipment to make teas and dried scents . You can purchase pur-chase essences, natural oils, to add to sachets to enhance what you have collected. You can also purchase the same herbs you collect, but yoU lose the chance to get out and. observe the annual change of seasons from summer to fall. Perhaps you too will find this the most invigorating climate to . be ''yJ' Y':'-' A-' Y v :V. "'Y' ''y'YY in a cardboard box, then transfer them to an airtight jar as soon as possible; but not one that you can still detect the pickles and vinegar of last week's cook out. It has been the pursuit of people everywhere since , time began to bring the scent of . flowers into their homes and to perfume their bodies. You can make your own-home own-home sweetly scented. jA . sachet is a ground up-r or , pulverized potpourri. To make a potpourri, all you need is a container with a wide mouth opening. Some ; extra utensils for a more s sophisticated operation - would be a small hanging postal or diet scale, a large plastic bag, cheesecloth, a ' large airtight container, plus any small airtight containers : for gifts. Potpourri needs to . age, usually several weeks is adequate. A fixitive, such as tincture of benzoin, or other nautral.oils or perfumes are often added to bring out the herbal scents and make them , last, longer. Spices such as cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg are also con-" : sidered "valuable ingredients for a mixture and should be ground up or. powdered.. . Sachets are sometimes used under a pillow to encourage . sleep and dreams, or to ease a headache or stiff muscles and joints. Here is a long-lasting scented potpourri pot-pourri which you can make, perhaps with your own improvisations, from ingredients ingre-dients easily obtained: FLOWERS OF MOUNTAIN SACHET 4 oz. lavender 4 oz. rose leaf 2 oz, caraway seed i 2 oz. spearmint 1 oz. rosemary : , 1 oz. scented geranium 4 oz. calamus V2 oz. woodruff 2 oz. thyme ,1 2 oz. marjoram 1 oz. sweet basil ; ; Vi oz. powdered clove . i : y.; '. .. . ... . . .. , . '.'--.y, " ' "The ability to create what ; did not exist before. js what t sets man apart." OrvilIe Wright. ' |