How Do You Handle Your Fall Harvest
As winter approaches, our gardens are producing a last burst of fruit and veggies. I’ve got raspberries and tomatoes coming out my ears, tons of annual herbs that need to be dried and the last of the potatoes and carrots getting enormous in the ground. I’m tired of canning, but I can’t waste these last delicious, organic foods. So, what to do?
I stayed up til midnight last night and hopefully solved most of my produce dilemma. I built a solar dehydrator using cardboard boxes, plastic wrap and other stuff around the house. If it works, I’ll tell you all about it. (Yes, I could have gone to the store and purchased an electronic dehydrator, but that’s not as thrifty. Plus, building your own solar equipment makes a super science lesson for homeschoolers.)
Have you tried dehydrating your excess produce? Are you strictly a canner? Maybe you prefer to give it away to your local food bank. Share your ideas. And for an added incentive…
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POSTED IN: Frugal Gourmet, Frugal Homeschooling
38 opinions for How Do You Handle Your Fall Harvest
Kellie
Oct 8, 2008 at 7:39 am
Canning is one thing I have not yet conquered and want to start, on a regular basis!!! This is the time of year to do it so thanks for the encouragement. Also, if your homebuilt dehydrator works would you be willing to share your creation, I don’t want to spend the big bucks to purchase one either but want to dehydrate fruits too, in a Simply Thrifty kinda way, of course :)
Jenni
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:01 am
My mom, who learned from the women before her, the art of using a two rocks from the river, shaped like they fit, one the handle to small the berries, the other was like the plate or bowl. So I grew up doing that, but over the years have not, but will renew that venture, with times being as they are.
And I didn’t know your email, but their is a place on clorox’s website, where you can nominate a teacher, when school’s are hurting for money these days, this would be great, anyway, she could win so much money. Which would help her out a lot, and her class too.
Shasha
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:37 am
Ya know, I’ve never tried a dehydrator but I was gifted one for my bridal shower and CAN’T wait to use it.
Justine
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:47 am
I’ve been shredding my zucchini and freezing it in storage bags so I can make zucchini bread all winter long.
alianora
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:54 am
I want to can! I know how to make jelly, but with the fact we were moving through most of summer and didnt get settled until it was almost too late to plant anything, plus the fact that we have no yard at all, I didnt get a chance to can anything of my own.
I did make blueberry freezer jam, though, so that was fun. :) I hope to get a little more of a garden going next year.
Huguette E.
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:55 am
I’m a canner :) Although my garden wasn’t big this year I did make mustard pickles and salsa .. yummy!
Lindley
Oct 8, 2008 at 9:10 am
I don’t do any canning, but we go to a local farm every year with friends to do our harvest and then I go around and give m extra veggies away to neighbors. It’s a nice way to catch up with people, too! Thanks!
Cami
Oct 8, 2008 at 10:09 am
I love dehydrated food!
loralie
Oct 8, 2008 at 10:36 am
I can & freeze.
Aimee
Oct 8, 2008 at 10:48 am
I love to freeze foods. I always seem to run out of space though!
Kelsey M
Oct 8, 2008 at 11:31 am
I had a friend once who used to take the berries, partially mash them and then freeze them so that she could use them in sauces.
CanCan (Mom Most Traveled)
Oct 8, 2008 at 11:34 am
I want to try dehydrating one day, but it is hard for me to do the “delayed gratification” thing. :)
Kristen M.
Oct 8, 2008 at 11:49 am
I have a canner and LOVE canned foods, but I also freeze a LOT — especially fruits. Nothing beats making smoothies with frozen “fresh” goodies — so quick, simple, and delicious. Also, if you’re ambitious, whip up some great meals with the potatoes, carrots and herbs and freeze them into individual portions and you’ve got perfect meals-on-the-go (or on-the-quick). It might take up a day of cooking, but in the end it’s worth it!
reeva
Oct 8, 2008 at 12:10 pm
i can my figs - learned that from my mom years ago and its so tasty and sweet - just YUMMY!
I have a dehydrator and will try to do dried fruit from my pear and peach trees next year
Heather
Oct 8, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Well, this past week, I’ve been taking savory items (tomatos, peppers, zuchini, basil) rough chopping them, freezing them together in containers, and then poppig them ut of the container into bags to use later this winter as soup base, or pasta sauce base. I am so burned out on canning!!
Also, the week before, I roasted a bunch of stuff together and bagged it and froze it.
Fruity stuff is going in smoothies. Lots and LOTS of smoothies. :)
Lalycairn at gmail.com
Tabitha
Oct 8, 2008 at 1:03 pm
One of our neighbors takes his extra veggies and such and sets up a small table out front and sells the home grown goodies at a very cheap price, saves people lots of money at the store and puts a little change back in his pocket
Andrea
Oct 8, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I have always wanted to can and feel intimidated by it. My garden didn’t do as well this year, so I don’t think it would be worth it, but I love the dehydrating idea–if you aren’t ready to share your plans, do you have any thoughts on good websites to find ideas for this? Thanks!
Carrie
Oct 8, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I mostly freeze things. Haven’t had much luck dehydrating.
Theresa Shafer
Oct 8, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I donate away. The need is now.
arcana bernard
Oct 8, 2008 at 7:10 pm
My parents can and I’m learning a little along the way!
Jess
Oct 8, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I freeze anything leftover, given that I’m basically volunteering for a year.
LeeAnn P.
Oct 8, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Since moving into an apartment I haven’t been able to have my usual garden and I miss it so much! Canning was always my intention when we had a bountiful harvest but I never got around to it…Someday!!
Jillish
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:04 pm
I’m a freezing type of gal.. I’ve got 3 bags of blueberries, 3 bags of pressure cooked pumpkin puree, and 1 bag of cherries all stacked up in the freezer.
ikkinlala
Oct 8, 2008 at 8:48 pm
We dehydrate some things and freeze a lot. We’ve canned a few things like peaches, but we’ve found we don’t really like most canned vegetables.
Cindi
Oct 8, 2008 at 9:27 pm
We only get tomatoes and green peppers from my dad. We make lots of salsa. Thanks, Cindi
Laurel
Oct 8, 2008 at 10:09 pm
I always jsut gave it away but I would love an alternative to benefit from it..
evi
Oct 9, 2008 at 1:57 am
I do it all - I got a dehydrator and started using it this year, I am all into tomatoes! ;-) And I want to can tomato-sauce this coming weekend. I’d love to freeze though my freezer is rather small. So I think I will stick to canning.
I really enjoy your blog, thank you for your work and insights!
Bebemiqui
Oct 9, 2008 at 7:31 am
We usually spread the wealth around to friends and neighbors.
bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com
Elizabeth M.
Oct 9, 2008 at 5:03 pm
I tend to just freeze things. I’ve never tried canning or dehydrating.
Lauren M.
Oct 9, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I don’t can or dehydrate, but when i’ve moved out of my condo i can’t wait to grow my own veggies!
Katie
Oct 9, 2008 at 9:53 pm
That’s an interesting idea. You’ll have to let us know how it works out. How about cooking your veggies than freezing them for later use? I wouldn’t take as long as canning…
Noreen
Oct 9, 2008 at 10:31 pm
nothing grew this year, I got one yellow squash, 10 strawberries and two green tomatoes
Jessi A
Oct 10, 2008 at 7:58 am
I love to can. I am still canning jalapeno jelly.
Karen
Oct 10, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I used to can a lot more, but this year all I canned was pickles, and put blueberries in the freezer.
Diana Corlett
Oct 10, 2008 at 8:02 pm
My mother used to do a lot of canning, but I’m more of a freezer kind of person.
dlcwin[at]gmail[dot]com
chris swanson
Oct 11, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I am a little scared of canning with the proper temps … I am afraid of bacteria…
But I do freeze some veggies.
Tracy Devrick
Oct 11, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Ill try anything once.
Jill
Oct 13, 2008 at 10:27 am
I do some freezing. I sure do miss the space to plant a “real” garden though, and be able to do a lot of canning. I prefer canning over freezing :)
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