Alfalfa Drying
So I got you growing alfalfa in your backyard. You just cut it down and holding it in your arms. Then you realize, “Anna, you totally forgot to tell me what to do next.” Oops! I guess I was so caught up explaining how to plant it and harvest it in my previous post that I forgot about the last steps.
(Also, Anna, why am I growing alfalfa? Oops again, I am really writing this whole alfalfa series backwards. I should have started with the health benefits. Blame it on my dyslexia. Next post, promise.)
Okay, okay, put the alfalfa down somewhere and read on. I lay it in a protected non-sunny room to dry it. This time, I put in on a bunch of towels around my laundry room. (I used about 6 towels.) Don’t crowd the stems. Let them have room to breath.
How to Harvest the Leaves
Watch the below video to see how I harvest the leaves.
For those Ninga Gardening warriors, it is no different than taking oregano leaves off of its stems once it is dry. Then store it in a glass jar away from the sunlight.
And now you have alfalfa for your smoothies! Or perhaps you want alfalfa tea? I plan to use it in my smoothies.
I am not going to kid you. It smells like grass when you first harvest it. But when it dries, the smell isn’t as strong.
Okay, Anna. Love the Alfalfa Idea but Not Growing it.
Just in case you are intrigued about alfalfa but think I am totally nuts, you can buy alfalfa powder or tea . (By the way, hubby would agree with you. He thinks growing two beds of alfalfa is just nuts.)
Certified organic Alfalfa Leaf Powder* can be purchased here. It is also available in Alfalfa Leaf Tea* as well.
Again, Anna, why are we buying alfalfa? I am getting to the health benefits. Hold your horses. Next Post. Next Post.
Join the Conversation:
- Do you grow alfalfa? If so, any problems?
- Would you consider growing alfalfa?
- Does your significant other or relatives think you have a gardening screw loose? If so, why?
Deanna Kwiatkowski says
Okay let me start by saying loved reading this and I feel very much like you out in the garden! Farmer’s grow alfalfa and I tried asking about the crops (having purchased the seed already) I wanted to know have you seen it go to seed? If so would you mind posting some pictures? It’s in the legume family is it a pod?
Anna@Green Talk says
Deanna, yes I have saw it go to seed but they are so tiny you can miss it. In fact, they will germinate outside of the bed all over the place but not around your crop. Alfalfa won’t allow new seed near it. It is a tiny brown seed so small you could miss it. Little purple flowers. Anna
Sean says
How long will i need to Dehydrate Alfalfa in a Dehydrator at home ,I want to Powder it,to give to my Birds.
Anna says
Sean, probably about 24 hours. You have to strip the stems and you might want to use something to lay the leaves on. They are small and will fall through the cracks of a dehydrator shelf. Anna
Brendan says
I just purchase organic alfalfa seed and plan on growing it in my unheated high tunnels on upstate NY from fall through the winter.
My goals is to make tea, juice it and dry it.
Any advice?
Anna says
Brendan, I don’t know how it will do. It generally likes colder weather since is part of the pea family. I find it gets tall and big around May in NJ.
One thing about alfalfa–You can’t overseed it. It hates its own seeds. It is a perennial with a long tap root.
I dry it but it has a tremendous amount of sticks since the leaves once dry are quite small.
I like the idea of juicing it.
Brendan says
Should have written in upstate NY not on upstate ny