Sept. 13 Column: Preserving the Harvest
All of a sudden, I’m starting to experience a bit of garden overwhelm. There are so many things to harvest and preserve for yummy fall and winter eating. Since there are a lot of new gardeners this year and increased interest in preserving the harvest, I thought that would be a perfect topic for today’s garden column and video. You can read my column in The Spokesman-Review: Multiple ways to preserve the harvest to enjoy later. (or you can read the text of it below the video)
There are a lot of ways to enjoy what you grew in the off-season: storing, freezing, water-bath canning, pressure-canning and dehydrating. But if you’re new to all of this, how do you know which method to use? And which equipment do you need? My goal was to demystify each one so preserving the harvest is enjoyable and you are successful at it.
And as I mentioned at the end of my video, I really want you to do 3 things:
- Use reliable recipes that are designed for the method you’ve chosen.
- Don’t take shortcuts!
- Handle food safely in order to keep yourself and your family safe.
The very best source you can use (IMHO) is the National Center for Home Food Preservation so be sure to check out that link. It’s an amazing resource! And you will want to check out the Ball Blue Book, which is pretty easy to find at stores that sell canning supplies. You won’t be able to buy the book at that link but you can learn more about it.
Don’t forget that I have a Preserving the Harvest guide on my website, which also includes my recipe for oven-roasted tomato sauce. This is a sauce that you freeze and it is soooo easy! One of these days, I will add to that section but it’s a start for now.
I should also mention that some supplies might be hard to come by this year, due to shipping issues some companies and stores are experiencing and also as a result of the increased interest in home food preservation. Hang in there!
And here’s my column:
by Susan Mulvihill
As we near the end of the growing season, this is a time of great abundance. If you have more produce than you can consume, there are plenty of ways to preserve it so you can savor it later.
To help you choose the best method, here is a quick overview of the many options available. Remember to preserve produce safely by using reliable recipes and closely following each step. The information box contains two excellent resources to guide you through the specifics of each process.
Store it _ This is the easiest method and applies to onions, shallots, garlic, winter squash and pumpkins. Place onions, shallots or garlic on a tarp in a sheltered, dry area until the stalks are completely dry. Store them in a dark, cool area such as a basement. The skins of winter squash and pumpkins should be tough before you cut them off the vines. Leave two inches of stem attached to each and move them to a bright area that is protected from the weather for two weeks. This hardens them off so they’ll keep in storage for a long time in a basement or dark closet.
Refrigerate it _ You don’t need special equipment to make refrigerator pickles. Find a recipe that suits you, keep the pickles in the fridge and use them up within the time frame listed on the recipe.
Freeze it _ I use a few methods for freezing produce. The first involves placing whole berries or tomatoes on a cookie sheet, letting them freeze until they’re solid, and putting them in a freezer bag. I also chop onions, celery, spinach or Swiss chard leaves and freeze them to add to soups and stews later. For all other vegetables, I use the blanching method prior to freezing them. This involves bringing a large kettle of water to a boil, adding vegetables such as beans or broccoli for a few minutes, draining them and cooling them down in a sink of ice-cold water. Drain them again, dry them off and place in freezer bags. The first website in the information box contains a chart listing how long to boil different types of vegetables.
Can it _ Because fruits and pickled foods are very acidic, you can follow the water-bath canning method to preserve them. You must use canning jars and two-piece canning lids for this process. Look for a specialized kettle with a wire rack in the bottom. Follow canning recipes to the letter.
Pressure-can it _ Vegetables, meats and fish are low in acid so they must be pressure-canned. Otherwise, you risk exposing yourself and your family to the deadly botulism toxin. Pressure canners are similar to pressure cookers but more precise. You will also need canning jars and lids for pressure-canning.
Dry it _ This method allows you to dehydrate fruits, vegetables and herbs; dry sunflower and pumpkin seeds; and make fruit leathers. It requires drying them for several hours at a steady temperature of about 140 degrees F. Commercial food dehydrators are your best option since most ovens don’t go that low.
If you’re short on time, consider donating your excess produce to a local food pantry so others can also enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Learn more about preservation techniques in this week’s video on youtube.com/susansinthegarden.
Susan Mulvihill is author of “The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook.” She can be reached at Susan@susansinthegarden.com.
Food Preservation Resources
- National Center for Home Food Preservation: nchfp.uga.edu
- Ball Blue Book Preserving Guide: available at variety stores and hardware stores that carry canning supplies; learn more at freshpreserving.com.