Gail Thomas, owner of the Bunny Farm, specializes in sweet corn, fresh produce, jams and jellies. An award-winner, she offers her food at a variety of local farmers markets.

“Basil is the easiest to grow,” Thomas said. “Sage, rosemary, thyme and oregano grow really well around here. There’s multiple kinds of each one. Try them. Thai basil in my strawberry lemonade jam is very different from using a lemon basil. It has a brighter taste. If you use the lemon basil, it’s too much lemon.”

Her raspberry-peach-ginger jam offers a complex flavor.

“Ginger adds some warmth,” she said. “It’s an entirely different flavor profile with the multiple layers.”

T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ
Dried basil, foreground, should be stored in a cool, dark place. Cut fresh basil, which is more flavorful, can be stored in the fridge for about two weeks.

Thomas said jams and jellies are not just for spreading on toast in the mornings.

• Replace one cup of sugar with 7/8 cup of honey or jam in baked goods.

• Use fruit butters in place of 3/4 of the fat in recipes.

• Lemon ginger, elderberry and mulberry are good for the immune system.

• Jams can replace syrups on pancakes and waffles and ice cream dishes.

• Jam adds flavor to yogurt.

• Thin jam with water to make a fruit or meat glaze.

• Add vinegar to jam to make a unique salad dressing.

Low calorie and low carb, herbs are a great substitute for adding oil, salt or butter to a recipe.

Bev Oxley of Bev’s Beehive likes to add herbs to her jams. However, she also sells special herb breads, such as onion dill and tomato basil.

“For the onion dill, one customer always made grilled cheese sandwiches with it,” Oxley said.

Myrna Nuese of KatzRUs, grows herbs in her garden, selling them fresh or dried. She said basil pairs well with fried tomatoes and is also tasty in salsas. Basil leaves can be packed into the bottom of a glass of lemonade or other beverages.

Sage, one of her more popular herbs, can be used as a rub on meat – ideal for seasoning chicken on the grill.

“At Thanksgiving I like to put sage in stuffing,” she said.

Her mint leaves are often used for tea and incorporated into salads.

She dries her herbs in a 200 degree oven.

“You turn the oven off and then it dries itself,” Nuese said. “I crumble it and sell it in an envelope. After you dry herbs, keep them in the dark. Their ambience and flavor is allergic to the sun.”

Nuese generally keeps freshly cut herbs in her fridge for up to two weeks. She said if you buy potted herbs you can grow them in your home during the winter.

“That way you always have fresh herbs,” she said.

Fresh herbs are always going to have a stronger flavor over the dried variety.

She said basil can be kept out as a natural air freshener. Lavender can be used as a sleep aid.

Kelly Mason of Appleberry Farm grows a variety of items including rosemary, chives, dill and mint.

“Herbs make food taste so fresh,” Mason said. “I also just love how they smell.”

She grows chocolate, pineapple and apple-flavored mint, which are ideal for putting in tea and for jazzing up water.

June Squire of Country Squire said she has large oregano bushes on her property. She loves to use the leaves, finely chopped, in soups.

The Cartwright Downtown Farmers Market, 108 N. Second Ave., is held Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. The Marshalltown Farmers Market, 709 S. Center St., is held Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.