Here's the basic method of making infused oils. NOT FOR INTERNAL USE!! Pack a jar with fresh herb and pour in enough olive oil to completely cover. Leave on a sunny window sill for 2-6 weeks. Strain liquid into another jar through a fine cloth or coffee filter, seal and label bottles. Use as a massage oil or add to creams and lotions. Heat about 280g dried herb or 840g fresh herb in about 700ml oil in a double boiler for 2-3 hours. Strain off the solid matter. Add 25-50 drops of essential oil to 100ml of oil.

I have a different questions that relates to the safety questions here. I have a jar of artichoke hearts in the fridge, a big jar from Costco. I've had it for months. It contains both oil and vinegar, and the oil sits in a pretty thick layer on top of the artichokes and brine. Should I be worried about safety, because the oil is creating an anaerobic environment underneath? I've been eating these sporadically in uncooked pasta sauce with no ill effect. Now I want to bake them inside some turnovers to bring to the ALS fundraising walk in my city. Of course I don't want to put strangers at risk, especially not sick strangers. Should I throw out the artichokes and stop buying big jars? If I buy new artichokes, can I assume a newly opened commercial jar is safe, or should I forget the artichokes for this potentially immune-compromised population? Melissa

Im new to canning and food preservation. So much information..".to trust or not to trust." Yet even though I hear the bottom line is to trust only the approved testing, I find that I still have questions and have a hard time trusting my end product simply because of the possibility of human error. I read that there is a field test similar to a home pregnancy test that they use to detect botulinum in 20 minutes. Has this been made available to the public and if not, why? It's a great business plan if someone can come up with the science behind it. And Ill buy it. Home testing might also make it possible for others to continue testing since the government quit. But while we're waiting for that, I would like for someone to clarify some information. I know botulinum is the bacteria which produce the toxin (gases) that can hurt us. The bacteria die at a certain temp for a certain time. I have heard some people suggest to boil a home-canned product thoroughly after opening/before eating it to kill the bacteria, but this seems insufficient as the toxins would still be present. It is not the live bacteria that are toxic but the gases that they produce. Also the bacteria die when exposed to oxygen. Does boiling somehow neutralize toxins? Or is this just false information? Lastly, since bacteria produce gases, is it safe to conclude that jars tainted with bacteria would definitely have some outward visible signs of contamination? I know that other bacteria can infect food, but in my short studies I have been led to believe that botulinum is the hardest to kill. But do all bacteria produce gases and therefore provide some indication that food isn't safe?

With not much experience growing herbs i agree it is best to pot the mint. And keep the 'runners' that reach out of your pot from touching the ground...they will grab the soil and put out roots in a mater of days. Just cut or pinch off and use those cuttings. The basil could be potted as well. It needs all day sun or at least the most sunny spot you have. It likes a sandy, well drained soil. Does not like to be too wet or slogged. Potting it will allow you to move it if needed as the sun moves toward winter and makes it easier to bring it indoors...it likes full all day southern exposure and will thrive in a window. Oregano is very tolerant and will grow easily once established. Like sage it will keep contained all on its own and become a small shrub. Mine come up every year without talking to it. (both freeze well) And drying is an option. I use my food saver for most thick-leaf herbs. pureed with olive oil and frozen in cubes for tender-leaf ones. My gardens are not tamed per-say. I like a bit rustic, but i have been organic gardening for many years and know individual needs by experience. I've made plenty of garden 'fouls' but some happy accidents. My mints are running wild but in spots that i don't mind...and when they miss-behave and start to crawl, i mow them back. They have become a companion to my groundcovers in heavy clay soil. The GW herb forum is a fun place to stop by. Especially if you get the gardening 'bug'. : ) -herbs are much different fresh. Use less, experiment. They can overpower and make a sauce taste like a bottle of perfume. Yet so good in summer italian dishes when used sparingly.