gardens, especially veggie and herb

[Claire]

I saw that someone wanted to get something started on this subject but doesn't appear to have. Since most of the upper Midwest and New England have had such rainy weather we haven't been able to start our gardens yet, everyone chime in. My herb garden is about half perrenials or biannuals, so they're back in force. I did manage to take a few sunny hours last week and put in my lettuce bed (a mix of lettuces, spinach and mustard greens), but that's it. I bought my tomato and pepper plants, but gardening in the cold rain isn't my idea of a way to spend the day. I haven't even been to the greenhouse yet this year.

Not only what do you plant -- I think we've already gone there -- but what do you do with the bounty at the end of the season? Innovative ideas about what to do to keep my herb supply going through the winter appreciated.