Top Methods to Preserve Your Fall Harvest

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Much of the harvest is coming in now and it’s time to preserve it. Many fruits and vegetables are ripening. They need to be processed to be consumed later in the winter or next spring before the new garden harvest starts.

Years ago, canning was the primary method of food preservation. However, with the advent of new techniques for freezing and dehydrating, preserving produce has become much more convenient. These methods prevent fruits and vegetables from decomposing, a common issue under usual circumstances.

Freezing

Freezing is a great way to preserve produce for later consumption, reducing the need to purchase out-of-season vegetables from the grocery store. When processed correctly, frozen food can be safely consumed indefinitely. While the texture and taste of the produce may change over time, vegetables can be kept for up to a year. Fruits are best if used within nine months.

Freeze Drying

Freeze drying has become popular as a way to preserve fruits and vegetables. The produce is harvested, washed to remove soil or other foreign substances and then arranged on trays to be placed in the machine that first freezes the produce. The machine then removes the water content of the foods. The freeze-dried fruits can be consumed immediately, but most are stored in air-tight containers for later consumption.

Dehydrating

Dehydrating is a similar method but does not use the freezing process. Drying racks or drying machines remove moisture from produce. You can use this process to make apple leather and give it to visitors or family. The fruit leather is stored in an airtight container to avoid moldiness.

Pickling

Pickling is a popular way to preserve some vegetables. Cucumbers are the most common vegetable, but other types of produce are great for pickling, such as beans, peppers (hot and bell), asparagus, cherries, onions and tomatoes. Pickling is quick and easy because you only need salt, vinegar, water and spices to make a brine. By changing the spices, you can vary the taste of the preserved vegetables.

With all the methods available for preserving vegetables and fruits, it is nice to enjoy the yields of the orchards and gardens that we enjoy throughout the summer.