Members of a herb and spice company liked their new dryer so much that they ordered another one.
The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute designed and built the bulk dryer for the Northern Lights Herb Corp.
The seven herb and spice growers from the Prince Albert, Sask., area who formed the corporation in 1998 were looking for a better way to dry their products.
“Basically, we wanted transportable bins,” said Larry Marshall, a Northern Lights director who has been growing herbs on his Shellbrook farm for 10 years. “Bins that could be taken to the field, filled with herbs, and the material dried.”
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The corporation originally wanted a machine that would wash and dry material, but that was eventually rejected because such a process could wash active materials off foliage. Root crops are typically washed by soaking and agitating, which did not work well in a drying machine.
Instead, PAMI designed bins that allowed foliage to be rinsed on screens prior to drying. Marshall said roots still have to washed separately, but there are machines available for this.
Because the herbs and spices are used as food, the bins’ interiors needed a food-grade coating.
The dryer was built on a triple axle flatbed trailer, with a fan and heater mounted on the hitch. Two propane tanks were also mounted on the hitch, but they were too small to last more than a day or two. The design was modified to include a separate 1,000-gallon propane tank.
The unit has been tested on a variety of plants, including fireweed, feverfew, comfry, motherwort and St. John’s wort.
“And we’re definitely pleased with the result,” Marshall said.
“It is especially good for roots, such as echinacea, and we are really impressed by the even air distribution.”
A copy of the final report, called No. 19980267, Development of a Farm Scale Herb and Spice Washer-Dryer, may be obtained by telephoning 306-787-5929, or by visiting Saskatchewan Agriculture’s website.
