I've been growing and using herbs for more than 35 years. Annie's Alternative Drying and Freezing Methods Drying Basil (including leaves of many other leafy herbs) **** It's best to do small batches at a time **** 1. Lay plain white paper towels on cookie sheets; 2. Remove Basil leaves from stems for optimal drying; 3. Lay leaves on paper towels - don't overlap them. 4. place another paper towel over the leaves; 5. Place in warm, dark, dry place for two days (I use my oven - do not turn it on. There is no need to do so) 6. In a couple of days, check the leaves for dryness. They should be crunchy enough to crumble. Some will dry faster than others. Turn them over if they are not completely dry. This method does not require my attention. Leaves stay clean and I don't have to do anything to them. Nature takes care of it all by herself. When they are completely dry, store in clean, dry ZipLoc-type bags or in recycled spice bottles. Mark the bags or containers with the name of the herb and the date using a permanent ink marker. You may not remember what's in them later or when you dried them. I keep mine in plastic zip bags stored in a big plastic tubs with lids in my kitchen pantry, just like I do all my spices. With this method, the herbs retain more of their oils and colour. (It is the oils in herbs and spices that makes them so good and valuable) I use this method for all my edible, and medicinal herbs. Some of the Edibles include: Parsley, Basil, Sage, Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Chives, Lavender, Rosemary, Mint, Dill Weed, French Tarragon, Lemon Balm, Bay Leaves, Lemon Grass, and etc., as well as herbs seeds, such as Dill, Cumin, Caraway, Coriander, and Fennel. It's a good way to dry hot peppers too. They usually dry in a day or two unless it is humid or there is rainy weather. * Drying them insures that in case the power goes out and your freezer stuff thaws and ruins, you will still have fresh dried herbs to use. For Herb crafting, I secure small bunches of herbs with small rubber bands and hang then upside down in a cool, dim lit place to dry where they get plenty of air circulation. If I am saving the seeds I tie a paper sack over each bunch until they drop all their seeds (like Breadseed Poppy, Coriander, Dill, & etc. seeds), and then remove the bags. Store herbs for crafting in bags away from direct sunlight where they will stay cool and dry until ready to use. Plastic tubs with lids make great storage containers for brittle, fragile dried herbs. Store seeds as per the edible leaves. Annie's Frozen Basil: Place whole basil leaves (Sage, Cilantro, etc.) in a plastic zipper bag. Add a few drops of Olive Oil, enough to coat the leaves. Gently message the bag to coat all the leaves. Spread them on a pie tin or cookie sheet covered with waxed paper or plastic wrap and freeze; Remove from the tin and place in bags and put back into the freezer. (Be sure to mark them with the date and name of contents.) Freezing them this way alllows for each leaf to be removed intact whenever you need them and they won't stick together, so you can have whole leaves if you need them whole. I usually just freeze them in the oiling bag like they are. I don't care if they come out whole or in pieces when I cook with them. Again, make sure you mark them with a permanent ink marker. Don't rely on your memory to know what's in the bags. They won't look like Basil much after they are frozen. :) I also make Pestos with my Basils and Sages, freeze them in ice cube trays and then bag them up for later use. This way I have fresh tasting herbs to enjoy all winter long. ~ sweetannie4u

Here's what Tammy, the queen of dehydrating, has to say about herbs. "Dehydrate2store" "Prior to dehydrating, never chop or cut any parts of the herb that you will be dehydrating (leaves, petals, etc.). This will release oils and reduce the flavor of your finished product. Instead, dry the plant as a whole and then break or crush after fully dehydrated. Keep your dehydrator between 90-100�F when dehydrating herbs. If you wash your herbs first, dry any excess water (hang upside down to air dry or fold between a paper towel) from your herbs before placing them in your dehydrator." From me, Basil does have oil in it, and it can take longer to dry. BUT 12 hours is way too long so I would guess it's either the oil, or maybe too wet when put in? Also, the larger the leaf, the longer it takes. I would also bet that humidity may be a factor too. All in all, Good luck! Hey, all that oil will mean some great tasting basil though!

Parsley with green seed pods? Maybe it's just a vocabulary issue but parsley really doesn't have pods per se. The seeds are formed where the umbrel (meaning umbrella-like) flower head was. If you know what dill seed heads look like, that is what the parsley seed heads should look similar to. I found a picture of parsley blooming for you: http://earlysnowdrop.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html The dry seeds are collected directly from the plant. Dill and the other flower/seed umbrel plants are some of the easiest ones to harvest seeds from. Save the seeds and plant them next spring. As far as the annuals, let them grow until they give up the ghost. Sometimes it is surprising how long they can hang on. If you are a new herb gardener, go to your local book store and look at the books they have on growing herbs. Find a book that resonates with you. It will help you immensely in planning, harvesting, and growing the plants in your garden. FataMorgana

Man...I can't imagine a pot of potato soup with 10 pounds of potatoes...was that a mistake? One of the best potato soups I've ever had was made with a bag of the square cut frozen hash browns. But I can't remember the recipe. If I can find it I add it here. patti