We stopped at a privately owned Mennonite produce store recently on our travels and I found fresh lavender! I couldn't believe it! My lavender didn't make it this year so I was on the lookout for some to purchase; I thought I would have to settle for already dried, if I could find that! So, imagine my delight when I found a 1 gallon size ice cream tub with 6 freshly cut bundles in it!!!
I looked at the price … $1 per bunch … what!!! I couldn't believe the low price! I snatched up 5 of the bundles, I confess that I wish I had snatched up all 6 of them! I made my way to the area where they had dried herbs and found dried lavender bundles for $2.50 each. You will be happy to know that I left those on the shelf for someone else to purchase!
Now, I had a dilemma, I was 12 hours from home with 5 bundles of fresh lavender and several more days of traveling ahead of us. What was I going to do, I was determined to get my prized lavender home in good condition!
I knew that I needed to dry it so off I went to the Dollar Tree where I purchased this basket …
I placed my 5 bundles in it and carted it around with me everywhere we went. It sat in the vehicle, in my mom's house and in my friend's house. Every time we moved locations, my basket of fresh lavender went with me! When we got home I spread it out in this box top to finish drying. (It was already almost dried!) Where there is a will, there is a way!
After it was completely dried it was time to break/cut it up into storable size pieces.
Here it is chopped/broken up! I sure enjoyed the smell of it, every touch, every break and every chop released it's beautiful smell.
And here it is stored in a jar and sitting on one of my pantry shelves!
The reason I wanted fresh lavender verses already dried lavender is that I know I'm not getting old lavender when buying fresh. If it's fresh, it's at it's peak and therefore more potent. If it's already dried, I don't know how long it's been dried or how old the lavender is. Does that make sense?
Here's how I'll use it … I'll use it to make sachets, to make lavender oil, for soap making and in other herbal remedies.
Here's how I'll use it … I'll use it to make sachets, to make lavender oil, for soap making and in other herbal remedies.
patsi
She looketh well to the ways of her household … Proverbs 31:27
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What do you use your dried lavender for? I have a lovely plant outside that I should really harvest and dry. I tried last year, but did not get much in the way of aroma. I used a dehydrator and I wonder if that made a difference.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Jackie, good question! I should have included that in the post. I'll use it to make sachets, to make lavender oil, for soap making and in other herbal remedies.
DeleteJackie, I went ahead and added the info to the post! Thanks for asking the question!
DeletePatsy just a word about adding lavender to your soap. I did this and was so disappointed as the lavender buds looked like mouse droppings. The soap did smell amazing but it looked dreadful.
ReplyDeleteMy lavender is looking pretty good. I put it in vases around the house, without water. The lavender gradually dries out easily. I add this to olive oil and place in a jar in the sunshine. I use the oil for soap making.
Jane, thank you for the tip on the lavender buds looking like mouse droppings in a soap bar, I wouldn't have thought of that until it was too late!!! I wouldn't care for that at all!!!
Delete