Wondering how to use Home-Grown Stevia

Found some good info via Google! I have only one plant in the herb garden, but it's a second year plant and is growing well. Reading all about using stevia makes me want to experiment with the leaves available. If I get good results I'll plan for increased yield in the future.

Harvesting
Use fresh leaves for tea or eat a few right off the plant. They taste great with mint leaves. Sweetness (Stevioside content) is greatest just before flowering, which is triggered by short day lengths (Brandle et al., 1998). The onset of blossoming ranges from mid summer to late fall. Plants should be harvested before the first frost or as soon as blossoming begins, whichever comes first. Cut entire plants just above ground level. When growing Stevia as a perennial or for early harvests, clip the plants 6 inches from the ground so they will survive and re-grow (Shock, 1982). Harvest in the morning, after dew has evaporated.

Plants are easily dried by hanging upside down in a dry, warm, drafty location. Bunch a few plants together and bind at the stem end with a rubber band, then slip a paper clip bent into an "S" shape under the rubber band. Hang by the other end of the paperclip. If you have lots of plants, hang them from strings or wires strung across the ceiling. After a few days, rake leaves from the stems with your fingers and gather for storage in a clean container such as a glass jar. They keep well for years. Stems are less sweet, so toss them on the compost pile. An alternative method is to strip fresh leaves from stems and spread on elevated screens in the sunshine, on a day with low relative humidity (less than 60%). If drying takes 8 hours or less, according to Steve Marsden, very little Stevioside will be lost. A food dehydrator on low heat (100 F to 110 F) will do an excellent job as well. Leaves are crisp, crumbly, and bright green when fully dry.

While whole leaves are great for making tea, it's easy to turn them into Green Stevia Powder with a kitchen blender, food processor, or coffee grinder with metal blades. With the blender bowl half full, process dry leaves at high speed for a few seconds. Collect the fine powder for use in recipes calling for Green Stevia Powder. Use a clean glass jar for long-term storage. From: http://www.stevia.com/stevia_article/growing_your_own_stevia/8077 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/stevia-plant-zm0z13fmzkin.aspx?PageId=2#ArticleContent

http://www.commonsensehome.com/stevia-grow-your-own-sweetener/

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/use-stevia-leaves-6944.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/286554-how-to-use-fresh-stevia-leaves/