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Dehydrating weeds and herbs all spring and summer time lengthy is an annual process a lot appreciated when the recent provide of them is gone. Gallons of sealed glass jars are stashed away with stinging nettle, dandelion greens, tulsi, oregano, thyme, rose petals, bee balm, yarrow, elderberry flowers, and peppermint.
When an plentiful stand of mushrooms is discovered, attempt dehydrating the surplus. When harvesting wild meals, at all times make sure that correct identification is confirmed by an skilled supply and at all times label the contents of these jars with identify and date.
Some mushrooms will dehydrate properly if merely left in a paper bag within the fridge. As soon as the water is eliminated, the dehydrated materials could also be saved in a sealed jar for a 12 months or extra, a best technique of storage.
Ideas for Harvesting: Dehydrating & Utilizing Crops
Within the fall, after the plant power has migrated to the roots for the winter, Joan and I put up root crops for the next 12 months. We chop and dehydrate roots of dandelion, burdock, marshmallow, elecampane, astragals, ashwaganda, and yarrow. Or we make tinctures utilizing natural vodka.
Tinctures, tonics, elixirs, syrups, and shrubs are all storage instruments which can be enjoyable to make, style nice, and can continuously remind us of the hotter days of summer time in the course of the chilly months across the nook. It’s powerful to beat the flavour of selfmade hearth cider. That elderberry syrup will assist stop any chilly or flu from coming into a family.
Preservation: Canning and Jarring
Canning tomatoes must be a nationwide pastime—maybe it as soon as was! Is there something higher than selfmade tomato sauce within the useless of winter?
Berries are frozen on cookie sheets, then transferred to glass jars and put into the freezer. Blueberries, raspberries, peaches, and black currantsare normal breakfast fare all year long. Consuming high-quality berries—grown with out the usage of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or every other chemical components—all 12 months lengthy brings a satisfaction that’s troublesome to elucidate.
We dehydrate pears and apples as a result of they’ve a decrease water content material. Jams and jellies require so many sugar that we have a tendency to not go that route, however they positive do style good.
Storing Crops: Garlic, Potatoes, and Carrots
After the garlic is harvested, we remedy it within the well-ventilated backyard shed till September, after which clear and trim the bulbs, setting the most important apart for planting in October. The remainder are put into canvas luggage to be saved within the coldest closet in the home.
Potatoes could keep within the floor till the time is offered to dig them up and retailer them. The longer they’re left within the floor, nonetheless, the larger the specter of insect or vole strain, so get to this chore when potential.
Potatoes prefer it chilly. A chilly storage space is an efficient factor to have, simply above freezing. Not like a freezer, root cellars supply glorious storage at no extra price than the preliminary building supplies and time.
After which there are carrots simply left within the floor, mulched for the winter for us to steal when the bottom permits, or savored within the spring after the bottom thaws.
Preserving What the Backyard Gives
Regardless of the backyard supplies, you should definitely protect the surplus. An excessive amount of work has already been expended to let these alternatives go by. Strive multiple storage technique on the identical time, to see which works higher for a particular crop sort. The rewards of consuming clear meals with little extra effort than opening the freezer or opening a jar are properly well worth the whereas.
Really helpful Reads
Ideas & Tips for Harvesting and Drying Herbs
Harvesting and Storing Cucumbers: Capturing the Crunch
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