Harvest & process

Chamomile

Matricaria chamomilla

When

Fully open heads, dry morning, every few days through the flush.

Part

Flower heads

In the field

Pinch the head; leave the plant. A second flush often follows a midsummer cut.

Cure

Single layer on a screen in the dark until the cone is crisp.

Store

Tin, whole heads, a year if the apple smell is still there.

A bed can fill a winter tin if you pick as they open.

Peppermint

Mentha × piperita

When

Just as flower buds form, after dew dries. Two or three cuts a season.

Part

Aerial parts · Leaf

In the field

Cut stems a hand above the ground so it comes again.

Cure

Hang small bunches. Strip when the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole leaf in a tin. Crumble at the cup.

Ginger

Zingiber officinale

When

Baby ginger at 4–5 months; mature knobs when leaves yellow.

Part

Rhizome

In the field

A pot you can dump. Wash, don’t peel until you use it.

Cure

Fresh in the fridge; or slice and dry at low heat until it snaps.

Store

Fresh weeks; dried coins a year in a tin.

Turmeric

Curcuma longa

When

When the leaves die back, late season.

Part

Rhizome

In the field

Fingers snap from the mother. Gloves — it stains.

Cure

Boil briefly if you want the traditional yellow, then slice and dry — or freeze fresh.

Store

Dried coins or frozen knobs. Always with fat in the kitchen cup.

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

When

Flowering tops in bloom; root in autumn of year 3–4 from a plant you grew.

Part

Root · Flowering tops

In the field

Do not dig wild stands. Garden root only.

Cure

Slice root. Dry until snap. Tops can hang.

Store

Root tin or a folk jar. Short courses are the old use.

Lavender

Lavandula angustifolia

When

Spikes with the first flowers open, dry morning.

Part

Flower spikes

In the field

Cut long stems. Keep a few for the bees.

Cure

Hang in the dark. Rub buds off the spike when dry.

Store

Buds in a tin. The oil is not a tea.

Culinary bud is the cup. Essential oil is not a beverage.

Valerian

Valeriana officinalis

When

Lift roots in the second autumn after frost blackens the tops.

Part

Root

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Lemon balm

Melissa officinalis

When

Just as it flowers, morning, several cuts.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Cut generously; it wants to be a hedge.

Cure

Hang fast — balm browns if it sits in a pile.

Store

Whole leaf. A quiet evening cup.

Elderberry

Sambucus nigra

When

Flowers fully open; berries fully black and cooked only.

Part

Ripe berries (cooked) · Flowers

In the field

Cut umbels. Leave plenty for birds. Flowers dry; berries cook.

Cure

Flower screens. Berries simmered and strained — not a raw handful.

Store

Dried blossom; cooked syrup in the fridge or a proper jar.

Leaves, bark, and raw berries are the wrong harvest.

Garlic

Allium sativum

When

Scapes when they curl; bulbs when leaves yellow and fall.

Part

Bulb

In the field

Lift, cure in shade with tops on until the wrappers rustle.

Cure

A barn or porch, airy, two to three weeks.

Store

Cool, dry, not the fridge. Honey is a kitchen preserve.

Aloe

Aloe vera

When

Cut outer mature leaves at the base as needed.

Part

Inner leaf gel · Latex (not recommended for self-care)

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Calendula

Calendula officinalis

When

Petals or whole heads as they open, every day or two.

Part

Flower heads

In the field

The more you pick, the more it flowers.

Cure

Screen-dry until the resinous center is crisp.

Store

Whole heads for oil; petals for a gentle tea.

St. John's wort

Hypericum perforatum

When

Tops as flowers open, around St. John's Day (late June) in the north.

Part

Flowering tops

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Milk thistle

Silybum marianum

When

Cut heads when purple fades and white pappus shows; dry in paper bags.

Part

Ripe seed

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Ashwagandha

Withania somnifera

When

Dig roots after berries form, before frost, about 150–180 days.

Part

Root · Occasionally berry (traditional)

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Holy basil

Ocimum tenuiflorum

When

Tops as they flower, repeated cuts.

Part

Leaf and flowering tops

In the field

Pinch like sweet basil. Krishna types run hotter.

Cure

Hang covered from sun. The clove scent should survive.

Store

Whole tops. Afternoon cup, not a midnight pot if it brightens you.

Yarrow

Achillea millefolium

When

Tops in full flower. Leaves any time.

Part

Aerial parts · Leaf

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Nettle

Urtica dioica

When

Young tops in spring, before it flowers. Gloves.

Part

Young leaf · Root

In the field

Pinch the top four inches. A second flush after a cut.

Cure

Hang or freeze. The sting dies with heat or dry.

Store

Dried leaf a year. This is a food tea.

Skip roadside and dog-walk patches.

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

When

Young leaf in spring; root in autumn of a known unsprayed plant.

Part

Leaf · Root

In the field

A long taproot. Wash well. Leaf for bitter greens; root for a dark roast.

Cure

Slice root thin. Dry until snap. Leaf as a green or a dry tin.

Store

Root a year; leaf less.

Lawns that were sprayed are not a harvest.

Feverfew

Tanacetum parthenium

When

Leaves before full bloom, all summer.

Part

Leaf

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

White willow

Salix alba

When

Young twigs in spring; peel bark from prunings, never girdle a trunk.

Part

Young bark

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Passionflower

Passiflora incarnata

When

Leafy flowering stems in summer. Dry in shade.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Hawthorn

Crataegus monogyna

When

Blossoms just open; berries when fully red/dark after first frost.

Part

Flowering tops · Berry

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Licorice

Glycyrrhiza glabra

When

Autumn of year three or four. Leave plenty to regrow.

Part

Root

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Kava

Piper methysticum

When

Rhizomes after 3–5 years in the tropics.

Part

Peeled rhizome of noble cultivars

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Grow only noble cultivars. Do not prepare solvent extracts. Check your country's food-safety rules before serving others.

Goldenseal

Hydrastis canadensis

When

After 5–7 years, and only from a planted bed.

Part

Root and rhizome (cultivated only)

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Wild collection is restricted or illegal in many states. Grow from nursery stock; leave wild populations alone.

Reishi

Ganoderma lucidum

When

When the varnish cap has colored and the white margin has slowed, from a log or block you grew.

Part

Fruiting body · Sometimes mycelium (weaker triterpene profile)

In the field

Cut with a knife. Wild old conks can be bitter dust.

Cure

Slice thin. Dehydrate until wood-hard.

Store

Slices in a jar. Simmer, do not tea-bag.

Lion's mane

Hericium erinaceus

When

Needles long, still white, before they yellow and weep.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Cut clean. A second flush may follow.

Cure

Eat as food, or slice and dry.

Store

Dried chunks for broth. Fresh in the fridge a few days.

Turkey tail

Trametes versicolor

When

Young, pliable fans. Dry immediately.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps militaris

When

When clubs are orange and before they sporulate heavily.

Part

Cultivated fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Shiitake

Lentinula edodes

When

Caps still slightly convex, before they flatten and drop heavy spore.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist from the block. Don’t tear the bark of a log.

Cure

Eat fresh, or dehydrate until leathery-to-cracker.

Store

Dried caps a year. Soak, then cook — soaking water is broth.

Rosemary

Salvia rosmarinus

When

Year-round in frost-free yards; a morning snip before a long cook.

Part

Leaf · Flowering tips

In the field

Take tips, not the old wood. A shrub is a pantry.

Cure

Hang short sprigs, or freeze whole.

Store

Dried needles a year; fresh in a glass of water for a week.

Garden sage

Salvia officinalis

When

Before bloom for the sweetest leaf; a second cut after.

Part

Leaf

In the field

Cut stems, leave the woody frame.

Cure

Hang. Sage dries fast and keeps its camphor.

Store

Whole leaf. A gargle is a small cup, not a quart.

Thyme

Thymus vulgaris

When

As flowers open — flavor peaks then.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Shear the mound like a hedge. Leave green wood.

Cure

Hang or screen. Strip tiny leaves from dry stems.

Store

Tin. Honey after a thyme cup is food, not a drug.

Fennel

Foeniculum vulgare

When

Seed heads when they tan; bulb when tennis-ball plump.

Part

Ripe seed · Bulb and frond as food

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Marshmallow

Althaea officinalis

When

Leaf in summer; root in autumn of year two.

Part

Root · Leaf · Flower

In the field

A deep, mucilaginous taproot. Wash, slice.

Cure

Cold infusion wants dried chopped root. Dry until snap.

Store

Root tin. Cold water, not a rolling boil, for the slime.

Plantain

Plantago major

When

Young leaves anytime; seed when spikes brown.

Part

Leaf · Seed

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Mullein

Verbascum thapsus

When

Second-year flower, dry; leaf before the stalk, also dry.

Part

Leaf · Flower

In the field

Wear gloves if the hairs bother you. Cloth-strain any tea twice.

Cure

Hang leaf. Screen the flowers.

Store

Leaf tin. Unstrained hairs scratch a throat.

Rhodiola

Rhodiola rosea

When

Roots after year 3–4.

Part

Root

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba

When

Green leaves in late summer before they gold.

Part

Leaf (standardized or dried)

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Witch hazel

Hamamelis virginiana

When

Leaf in summer; bark from prunings in autumn — never girdle.

Part

Bark · Leaf · Twig

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Skullcap

Scutellaria lateriflora

When

Tops in full flower.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Red clover

Trifolium pratense

When

Young heads just opening, dry fast.

Part

Flower heads

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Maitake

Grifola frondosa

When

When fronds are still tender, before they toughen.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Snow fungus

Tremella fuciformis

When

When the lobes are full and still white.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Oyster mushroom

Pleurotus ostreatus

When

Caps still curled at the edge, clusters before they sporate the room.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist the whole bouquet from the block.

Cure

Cook fresh. Dry the overflow.

Store

Dried, then soup.

Sweet basil

Ocimum basilicum

When

Pinch tips before flower for the sweetest leaf, all summer.

Part

Leaf · Flowering tops

In the field

Never strip a stem to bare wood. Keep two leaf pairs.

Cure

Freeze in oil. Hang-dry is a paler, hayier basil.

Store

Frozen cubes through winter. Pesto is the put-up.

Oregano

Origanum vulgare

When

Cut as flowers open; flavor peaks then.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Hops

Humulus lupulus

When

Cones when they feel papery and smell loud, late summer.

Part

Female cones (strobiles)

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Burdock

Arctium lappa

When

Root in autumn of year 1, before the frost heaves it.

Part

First-year root · Young leaf (food, bitter) · Seed (traditional, stronger)

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Meadowsweet

Filipendula ulmaria

When

Open plumes in midsummer, dry fast.

Part

Flowering tops · Leaf

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Dog rose

Rosa canina

When

Petals as they open; hips after frost, still firm and red.

Part

Ripe hip · Unsprayed petal

In the field

Hips: split and scoop the itchy hairs, or buy them cleaned.

Cure

Petals screen-dry. Hips simmer and strain.

Store

Dried petal; strained hip put-up.

Roselle

Hibiscus sabdariffa

When

Calyces fleshy, a few days after the flower drops.

Part

Fleshy calyx

In the field

Twist the red calyx. Leave the seed pod if you want more plants.

Cure

Screen or a low dehydrator until leathery-dry.

Store

A jar of calyces. The color is the plant.

Catnip

Nepeta cataria

When

Tops as flowers open.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Enoki

Flammulina velutipes

When

When needles are long and caps still tiny, before they splay.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Wood ear

Auricularia auricula-judae

When

When ears are full and still elastic, before they dry to crumbs on the log.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Lemon verbena

Aloysia citrodora

When

Leaf through the warm season. Dry fast to keep the lemon.

Part

Leaf

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Spearmint

Mentha spicata

When

Before full bloom, repeatedly.

Part

Leaf · Flowering tops

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Gotu kola

Centella asiatica

When

Young leaves anytime the plant is growing.

Part

Leaf · Whole herb

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Astragalus

Astragalus mongholicus

When

Roots in autumn of year 3–4.

Part

Root

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Motherwort

Leonurus cardiaca

When

Tops as the first whorls open.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Black cohosh

Actaea racemosa

When

Rhizome after year 3–4 from cultivated plants only.

Part

Rhizome

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Chaste tree

Vitex agnus-castus

When

Ripe dark berries in autumn.

Part

Ripe berry

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Raspberry leaf

Rubus idaeus

When

Young leaf in spring; fruit in summer.

Part

Leaf · Fruit as food

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Linden

Tilia cordata

When

Blossom as it opens, dry in the shade at once.

Part

Flower with bract

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Lemongrass

Cymbopogon citratus

When

Stalks when the clump is thick; cut at soil.

Part

Stalk · Leaf

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Evening primrose

Oenothera biennis

When

Seed in year 2 when capsules dry; root in year 1 if you eat it.

Part

Seed oil · Young root as food

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Self-heal

Prunella vulgaris

When

Spikes as they purple.

Part

Flowering tops

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Oregon grape

Mahonia aquifolium

When

Root from a mature cultivated clump in autumn — never strip a wild hillside.

Part

Root and rhizome · Berry as food

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Wash, slice thin, dry until the center snaps.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Chickweed

Stellaria media

When

Tips before it mats and yellows in heat.

Part

Aerial parts

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Cinnamon

Cinnamomum verum

When

Bark from coppiced stems in the tropics after several years — not a first-season crop.

Part

Inner bark

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Hyssop

Hyssopus officinalis

When

Spikes as they blue.

Part

Flowering tops

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

King oyster

Pleurotus eryngii

When

When the cap is still small and the stem is fat.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Almond mushroom

Agaricus subrufescens

When

While the veil is still mostly intact, like a button.

Part

Fruiting body

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Poria

Wolfiporia extensa

When

Sclerotia after 1–2 years underground in specialist culture.

Part

Sclerotium (inner white)

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Morel

Morchella esculenta

When

When caps are still firm and the pits distinct. Cook the same day.

Part

Fruiting body, cooked

In the field

Twist or cut from a block or log you grew. Wild fungi are not this bench.

Cure

Slice and dehydrate at 110–125°F until the piece snaps.

Store

Cool, dry, truly dry. A jar with a lid that seals.

Parsley

Petroselinum crispum

When

Outer stems, cut-and-come, through the cool season.

Part

Leaf · Stem

In the field

Never take the heart. A July sowing pays in fall.

Cure

Freeze chopped. Dry is a lesser parsley.

Store

Frozen bags. Fresh in a jar of water for a week.

Bay laurel

Laurus nobilis

When

Mature leaves year-round. Dry a week in the dark.

Part

Leaf

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Dill

Anethum graveolens

When

Leaf before bloom; seed when umbels brown.

Part

Leaf · Ripe seed

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Chives

Allium schoenoprasum

When

Cut 2 inches above the crown. Never scalp the clump.

Part

Leaf · Flower

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

French tarragon

Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa

When

Cut young tips through summer. Freeze or vinegar the glut.

Part

Leaf

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Sweet marjoram

Origanum majorana

When

Cut as the knots of flower form — flavor peaks then.

Part

Leaf · Flowering tops

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Single layer on a screen, dark, until crisp.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.

Green cardamom

Elettaria cardamomum

When

Pods when just green-ripe. Most cooks buy them dried.

Part

Ripe seed (inside the green pod)

In the field

Cut on a dry morning after dew lifts, from a plant you grew or a site you have a right to pick.

Cure

Hang small bunches out of sun until the leaf shatters.

Store

Whole, dark, labeled with the year. Crumble at use.