question about shelf life

[Guest guest]

Chris,

How long can I keep lavender, calendula, and rose buds in the fridge

before they lose their umpf? And the sweet almond oil I bought from

you last year, it's been in the fridge too. Think it's ok?

 

warmly,

*~terri~*

 

Mama to 2 beautiful girls and little one EDD 4-10-2002

http://www.fullmoonbabygear.com

sales rep for Hemptraders, http://www.fullmoonbabygear.com/hemp/index.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

> Chris,

 

Hi Terri,

 

> How long can I keep lavender, calendula, and rose buds in the fridge

> before they lose their umpf? And the sweet almond oil I bought from

> you last year, it's been in the fridge too. Think it's ok?

 

Hmmm, those are all tricky ones ... do the lavender, calendula and rose buds

still have color and any kind of scent?

 

Also ... to me it is VERY obvious when oils have gone rancid .. they taste

and/or smell - STALE .....

But sometimes the oil crust on the rim can smell funny but the oil in the

bottle be fine ..so my vote is to taste it .. if it tastes like nothing ..

good .. if its tastes " stale " it is not good.

 

>

> warmly,

> *~terri~*

>

> Mama to 2 beautiful girls and little one EDD 4-10-2002

> http://www.fullmoonbabygear.com

> sales rep for Hemptraders, http://www.fullmoonbabygear.com/hemp/index.html

 

*Smile*

Chris

 

(I need more dipes this week woman

[Guest guest]

Terri wrote:

> How long can I keep lavender, calendula, and rose buds in the fridge

> before they lose their umpf?

 

Don't keep herbs in the fridge! It is not warm and dry enough to keep

them dry and it is not cold enough to suspend mold and rot.

 

Either have them dry and in a cool, very dry place or in the freezer.

The fridge will kill herbs and spices in a matter of weeks.

 

Florists keep roses in fridges because they are delivered fresh each

week and then put in water treated with a retardant for mold and a lot

of color preservatives. Then we do what is called processing the flowers

when they are taken out as they go into an arrangement. We rip off the

outside layer of petals (which are brown and have started to mold and

rot) and re-bloom the flowers by pushing the buds open. We also strip

the stems and dip them in a sealant so they stay green and strong.

 

When the roses have been in for a week, they are processed, the good

petals tossed into the dryer and made into potpourri. Usually most

places just dump them.

 

Buckets are cleaned twice a day and stems are sprayed off.

 

But anyways, if you keep your herbs in the freezer, place them in a

freezer bag and get out as much air as possible. If you can blanch them

before bagging (depends on the type of plant, lavender does not blanch,

while calendula does). Then wrap the freezer bag in a layer of old

newspaper or paper towels. Something to serve as insurance against

excess moisture. Put that whole thing inside another freezer bag, or

three regular bags. Get as much air out as possible. Change the paper

every three months, and every month the first three.

 

Roses, especially, are very susceptible to many molds that grow deep in

the buds where it is hard to see. The organically grown ones don't fair

so well in our fridges. Rose petals freeze well, and if thawed carefully

(slowly and evenly, not in the microwave) they will still be soft and

supple.

 

Blessings,

Soseneda

 

Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum videtur.

ICQ# 47264444

AIM: SosenedaA

: Soseneda_Arianrhod

 

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