Please be as considerate when field-gathering as you are when harvesting in your own garden. Don’t pull plants out by their roots and don’t leave a mess behind you. Always leave several plants of a given species to insure sufficient growth for future harvests. When gathering leaves and blossoms only, snip them off between your fingernails to minimize damage to the plant. Pinching is preferable to cutting because the pinch acts to close the broken stem and helps seal in the plant’s vital juices. You may, when necessary, scissor tough stems when gathering the entire herb, but leave at least one strong growing stem so the plant can heal itself. If you are gathering roots, please dig them out carefully. When possible, divide the root clump and replant a portion of it to insure future growth. (more…)