Hutt Valley Herb Society

14/05/2026

Lavender is one of those plants that feels extra special when you grow it yourself 🌿 Taking cuttings is such a fun way to make new plants for free.

21/04/2026

Shrink your grocery bill and preserve your entire garden harvest for free using only the heat of the summer sun.

Having a big garden is great until everything gets ripe at the exact same time and starts to rot on your counter. Electric dehydrators take up a lot of space in your kitchen and make your house feel hot while they run for many hours. You end up paying for a lot of expensive electricity just to save the food you already spent time growing.

This wooden solar box uses the natural power of the sun to dry out your snacks without using a single plug. You can fit way more food in this outdoor cabinet than you can in a small plastic machine that sits on your counter. It keeps the sticky smells and heat out of your house while turning extra fruit into snacks that last all year. You get to enjoy the taste of summer even in the middle of a cold winter without adding a penny to your monthly bills.

Build a tall wooden cabinet using cedar boards and cut a steep angle on the front so it faces the bright sun. Screw sheets of clear plexiglass to the front and the sides to let the light inside while trapping the warm air. Cut large rectangular holes in the bottom and cover them with metal hardware cloth to let fresh air enter the box. Drill several small holes at the very top of the side walls to let the damp air escape. Attach a large wooden door to the back using metal hinges so you can easily reach all the drying trays. Drive several small screws or nails into the side walls to act as simple ledges for your wooden trays to sit on.

Use a specific food safe mesh for your trays so the wind can blow through the Gala apple slices and Roma tomatoes. Make sure your hardware cloth is a very fine mesh so that hungry flies cannot get inside to touch your food. Face the clear front of your box toward the south to catch the most heat during the middle of the day. You can also dry bunches of Italian basil or sprigs of Rosemary to make your own free spices for the pantry.

Wipe down the inside of the plexiglass with a soft cloth once a week to keep the dust off so the sun can shine through perfectly.

17/04/2026

Plant once, and let nature gift you for seasons beyond imagination.

Few things in life offer such perpetual reward as these evergreen heroes—herbs that promise not just survival but thriving abundance year after year.

Rosemary stands as a testament to resilience. Imagine a single plant flourishing over decades, enhancing your kitchen and home with its robust presence.

Thyme invites you to explore a world of diversity, each variety tougher and more appealing than the last, proving its place among the hardiest of herbs.

Chives don't ask for much. They simply return every year, bringing with them a burst of freshness that renews itself effortlessly.

Consider Oregano, a symbol of ease, spreading its vivacious spirit naturally, requiring little to no persuasion from you.

Sage carries with its leaves the weight of years, steadfast and vigorous, unfaltering through time's tests.

Mint, however, is a sprinter—fast-growing and spirited. It thrives best within boundaries, contained yet constantly invigorating.

Tarragon offers a unique challenge and triumph, flourishing not from seeds but from cuttings. It's a small adventure for your green thumb.

Lemon Balm sweeps through your garden with gentle tenacity, self-spreading but never overwhelming, a manageable delight.

And then there's Savory, always green, always ready, a constant companion that can be harvested at whim, the seasons' evergreen confidant.

No more buying herbs again and again. Plant once, and let your garden become a sanctuary of enduring flavor and endless possibilities.

Begin your herb garden today. Embrace a world where fresh flavors are but a step away, offering joy endlessly.

17/04/2026

Huge thank you to Louise who shared her knowledge and let us have a go at dyeing wool using nature to produce the colours.

Kowhai seeds, onion skins and lichen.

Our next gathering is on the 15th of May and the topic is herbs for pets.

30/03/2026

Thank you everyone for joining us and sharing knowledge relating to all things herbs. We've had a fantastic week both at the Mangaroa Harvest Festival and tempting your taste buds at Golders Cottage. One of our Sages (Glynda) provided sage advice regarding uses for pineapple sage 😁.

Congratulations to Kay of Lower Hutt who won the raffle which has been delivered.

You are welcome to join us every 3rd Fri of the month at 1pm. Most of the time we are at King Lion Hall. Every now and then its a field trip.

25/03/2026

Building a solar food dehydrator stops your harvest from going to waste and eliminates the high cost of running an electric oven for hours to dry your garden snacks.

Trying to dry fruit and herbs inside often leads to sticky messes on your counters and uses a massive amount of electricity that heats up your whole house. A solar dehydrator fixes this by using the free power of the sun and natural moving air to gently remove moisture while keeping your food safe from bugs and birds. It solves the problem of having way too many Big Boy tomatoes or Gala apples at once by turning them into lightweight snacks that stay good in your pantry for months.

You will save so much money on your grocery bill because you can make your own dried mangoes, jerky, and kale chips without any chemical preservatives. The screened walls let the wind carry away the dampness while the wooden frame keeps the heat inside to speed up the process. It also gives you a dedicated spot in your yard to process your harvest so your kitchen stays clean and organized.

Start by building a tall wooden box using rot resistant cedar or pine boards that are about one inch thick for strength. Cut a door for the front and use small metal hinges and a simple latch to keep it closed tight against hungry squirrels. Cover all four sides and the roof with a fine metal screen like aluminum window screening and use a heavy duty staple gun to secure it every two inches so no flies can get inside.

Build several sliding trays using thin wood strips and more metal screening so air can move up through the bottom of the food. For the best results, place a piece of clear plexiglass over the south facing side or the roof to trap even more heat from the sun while the mesh sides let the moisture out. Place your dehydrator on a level bed of crushed limestone gravel to keep it steady and away from damp grass.

Slice your fruits and vegetables into thin, even pieces and lay them in a single layer on the trays so they dry at the same time. You can dry herbs like Common Sage and Munstead Lavender very quickly by placing them on the top shelves where the air is the warmest. Adding a dark piece of metal at the very bottom of the box will act like a heater by soaking up the sun and warming the air as it rises through your food.

Wipe down the wooden trays with a bit of white vinegar and water after every use to keep the wood clean and safe for your next batch of food. Store the dehydrator in your shed or under a porch during the winter to keep the wood from getting too wet and to make sure the screen stays tight and strong.

25/02/2026

Look out for us during food week. We have Sages with Sage advice and maybe even some affordable sage amongst other herbs to sell along with samples to taste and a raffle.

We will be at Golders Cottage and at the Harvest Festival

30/01/2026

More details in due course.

The Hutt Valley Herb Society is
joining Food Week.
Saturday 21 March
Harvest Festival – Mangaroa Farms
Find the Herb Society stall and attend a short workshop session introducing the Society and the Herb Federation of New Zealand, and what they offer locally.
Saturday 28 March
Open day at Golders Cottage 1.30 - 4pm

18/09/2025

Reminder today at 1pm at King Lion Hall

We have a guest speaker. A member of the
Pest Plants section of the Greater
Wellington Regional Council will be
giving an illustrated presentation of the
work carried out by them. It should prove
to be very informative and I'm sure we
will all learn something new.

06/05/2025

🌱 The soil under your feet is not dirt — it’s a living universe that feeds the world.

Beneath every step you take lies a hidden world: billions of microorganisms, hardworking earthworms, and tiny insects all playing their part in the great cycle of life. 🌍

Healthy soil isn’t just "nice to have" — it’s the foundation of our food, our forests, and our future. Without it, there are no flowers, no fruits, no bees, no life.

So next time you’re in your garden, take a moment to honor the ground beneath you. Compost, mulch, avoid pesticides — and let nature thrive below the surface.

🪱 Because real change starts where we least see it.