Dill, Herb of the Year

Some folks count on the yellow blooms of witch hazel to let them know that spring is on the way. I planted this last year so I can let you know in a few years how true a harbinger of spring it is. For now, my harbinger of spring is the conference held each March by the Michigan Herb Associates on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing. And like each conference that has preceded this one, I have returned home just geared up to go in garden. Not to mention with a few new plants, one of them being dill, the herb of the year.




Now I don’t need any more dill in my garden. Dill is such a reliable herb I can always count on it to return for me, year after year after year. It pops up in surprising places, some a nice surprise, others not so, but it always returns. I could not, however, resist the lure of a variety of dill that grows almost as tall as I am. Long Island dill is supposed to do just that—growing to 5 feet tall. I also bought a variegated sage, stevia, a Mexican sage and a Vicks plant. Now the task is to keep the cat away from them.

Stevia can be used to replace sugar as a sweetener. The Vicks plant has a minty smell (not surprising considering it is in the mint family) and variegated sage will be a nice touch near the other sages I already have.

Tina Marie Wilcox and Susan Belsinger were the keynote speakers at the conference. We were able to sample many of the fine recipes Susan prepared for us and laugh when Tina’s wry wit was on display. They talked about herbs in cooking, healing and household cleaning so I was able to bring home many tips to use in the future. I have been using vinegar to clean for years now. This next year I plan to add a bit of lavender to it as suggested.




I also learned how to make cheese and am anxious to try it myself. I have made paneer before (an Indian type of cheese). Now I am ready to try some other recipes. And believe it or not, it isn’t that hard to do. More and more folks are returning to the tried and true of a previous century. No more factory farm products for me! I either buy what I need from someone I trust or I try to do it myself from now on. I don’t care to eat vegetables that have been sprayed with DDT which is what happens in countries that do not regulate against it. So, the best advice I can give folks at the grocery store, read the label, know what you are eating! It really does make a difference.

Mary Birkam’s Dill Weed Dip Recipe

1 pint yogurt
1 ½ cup salad dressing
1 Tablespoon dill weed
1 Tablespoon instant onion
3 Tablespoons parsley flakes
1 Tablespoon chives
1 Tablespoon Lawrey’s salt
Mix all ingredients. Chill several hours