This amazing patch of parsley has grown throughout the winter in my Square Foot Garden. It sulked a bit in the freezing temperatures of the winter months, but always maintained a green appearance. Although it did not grow much during the cold weather, it endured, and once the warmth of the sun intensified it began to exuberantly leaf out again.

I must harvest the parsley before it sends up a seed stalk and turns bitter. A good article can be found here about why lettuce and herbs bolt: Why plants bolt

One of the ways I am going to preserve the parsley is by freezing it in ice cube trays. The resulting herbal ice will be perfect for adding to soups and stews and crockpot recipes.

Another way I preserve herbs is to hang them upside down in a dark closet. In a week or two, the leaves will be ready to crumple and store in jars or ziplock sandwich bags. I use parsley processed this way in lasagna and other dishes that call for dried or fresh herbs.

I will also try to quickly dehydrate the parsley in my turkey roaster. This is my least reliable way of drying the herb. With this amount of parsley available, it is the right time to give the roaster another try.