Make your own seasoning

Though the color did not come through in the photo, believe me that the product is a lovely shade of green.

What we have here is veggie and herb foliage from this summer's solar drying campaign. When we don't have tomatoes and apples in the dryers, we cut leaves from whatever and dry those. This year's mix is mostly collard greens with kale, red cabbage, green cabbage, chard, broccoli leaves, cauliflower leaves, beet greens, spinach, bok choi, nasturtiums, mint, garlic and onion leaves, basil, lettuce, dandelions, chickweed, lambs-quarters, marjoram, rosemary, sage, thyme, cilantro, celery, parsley (not necessarily in descending order). 2009 featured most of the above, except turnip greens in the place of collards.

The leaves, when onion-skin dry, are then manually crumbled with the veins and midribs picked out, then stored in airtight jars. They can be used in breads, soups, and such as is, and any excess can be mixed with the poultry's winter feed as a supplement.

To make the seasoning, simply run it all through the grinder as shown. If the moisture content is higher than you thought, this is when you will notice, as the grinder will clog. But otherwise it is easy. The result tastes great, and a pinch of it sprinkled over your breakfast eggs, or added to mashed or baked potatoes and so on, gives meals a certain sophistication -- or anyway Risa thinks so ...