I ALWAYS use it fresh!

If you NEED to dry it, instructions are here:http://www.richters.com/newdisplay.cgi?page=./QandA/Growing/20020313-3.html&cart_id=7956.29336

But really, fresh offers the most flavor and the least effort. Clip off a stem, strip the leaves, and add them to your dish.

Hi There,
After you have grown an abundance of herbs, you'll want to put it up for the season, and give to your friends and family, and might even want to sell some. But these are the ways that I harvest and dry herbs. Basically, twice a year, I trim the herb plants. And I have a real nice pair of kitchen scissors, or I can use garden snips. And I trim the herbs, and I either- depending on the quantity- I either lay it out on a big piece of fabric to dry, or I put it in a bowl like this and turn it periodically. You can see this side is dry and now this is green. And so, I just keep turning it so that it keeps drying on all sides

Here is a link that might be useful: How to dry herbs

I always use them green or not at all.... I HATE getting those hard pieces of Rosemary needles in my mouth. But then we live in California where I have the luxury of year around "fresh".

Rosemary is a culinary herb with a long history. In ancient Rome, it was believed to strengthen the memory and it has long since been associated with remembrance and fidelity. In Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote "ThereÂs rosemary, thatÂs for remembrance." In England a spring of rosemary was often included in bridal bouquets to symbolize fidelity.

Fresh rosemary, best right from the garden, can be added to red meats, pork and chicken for its unique flavor. Top a roast with large sprigs of it, or stuff a roast chicken with several handfuls of it. Discard the sprigs after cooking  the flavor will have already been imparted to the dish, and rosemaryÂs needle-like leaves are a bit tough and chewy.

To grow rosemary at home, itÂs easiest to start with small, nursery-grown plants. There are many different varieties, some growing tall and upright, others low and bushy. There are even prostrate varieties that will weep over the edges of a pot or retaining wall. All varieties are evergreen and most will bear tiny white or blue flowers intermittently. Rosemary is a tender perennial that will survive mild winters; further north it can be planted each spring and grown as an annual. Like most mediterannean plants, it needs good drainage and a hot, sunny site.

To dry fresh rosemary, cut several sprigs and hang them upside down in a spot with good air circulation. The dried needles can be used in cooking or added to potpourris. They can also be added to a log fire for a burst of fragrance.

In mediterranean countries, laundry was often spread out to dry on large rosemary shrubs. A fresh, mild scent was then transferred to clothing and bedding. If you have a rosemary plant of some size, try drying your pillowcases on it.

To make rosemary tea, crush or chop a handful of leaves and pour two cups of boiling water over it. Let it steep for at least ten minutes, then strain it. The resulting infusion can be drunken, or can be used as a final rinse that will bring a lustrous shine to clean hair.

If you live in a very cold climate, you can try bringing your potted rosemary inside for the winter, though it often will not do well. To maximize your chances of success, keep it in a cool, but very bright spot and mist it every day

Here is a link that might be useful: How To herbs