Short shelf life.

To: herb.franklin.oit.unc.edu
Subject: [herb] Re: infusing
From: Henriette Kress <hetta.saunalahti.fi>
Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 08:32:58 +0200

<snip> ... I do _all_ my herb oils (including SJW) in a waterbath. (The SJW has to be done fresh, and after straining the oil it gets to sit in the sun and turn red for four days - after that I decant the clear oil off the bottom muck). <snip>

From: Herbmednurse.aol.com

if I try to use - dried - sjw for a salve - won't that work? Or am I losing to much of its qualities when dried?

From: Henriette Kress <hetta.saunalahti.fi>

It's practically inert about three months after you dried it. Unless you put it in the freezer the minute it was bone dry... [well... perhaps 6 months. -Henriette]

From: "H.A.C. Le Poole" <hlepoole.planet.nl>

This is pretty shocking to me. May be I haven't paid attention enough during my lurking, but I han't realised that the shelf life is that short. Does this apply specifically to SJW or to many other dried herbs as well. If i think how much trading is being done in dried herbs and how long they might have been stocked by some supplier.... Could you give some other examples of commonly used dried herbs with such a short shelf life.

Rik Le Poole

From: Henriette Kress <hetta.saunalahti.fi>

> Does this apply specifically to SJW

Yes.

> or to many other dried herbs as well.

Very few others. Melissa and Capsella spring to mind.