Preparing Fresh Herbs
Many herbal preparations are made with live herbs. Especially, cold and hot infusions of the mint family. Echinacea, too, is processed and prepared fresh, live.
Example1: I enjoy a cold infusion of a variety of Labiatae species. I have a one gallon jar with a spigot on it. I walk the garden with a knife or scissors and cut tops of peppermint, mountain mint, balm melissa, and fennel. Sometimes i throw in several new growth white pine needles. Once inside I rinse the herbs in cold water. Then cover them with pure cool water. I squeeze the juice of a lime or lemon into the infusion and cool in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours. The result is a clear aromatic tea, delicious, anti-infective, carminative, energizing, immune stimulating.
Example 2: Echinacea flowers and roots are processed fresh. Flowers are cut in the morning and processed on the spot for details go to Echinacea Tincture.
Example 3: Most culinary herbs like Rosemary, Lovage, Chives, Peppers, etc. are used fresh and live. They are simply added to the soup, stew, meat, salad or other dish they are intended to flavor.