Preserving Your Organic Harvest
Want to enjoy the most healthy food—like local, organic fruits and vegetables—year round? Preserving the bounty you’ve grown yourself or purchased from your local food co-op or farmer’s market makes it possible. And for those who live where the growing season is relatively short, it’s great way to extend the season. Simple food preservation techniques can lock in flavor, help maximize your food dollars, support local agriculture, and give you a chance to really get to know the food you eat and serve to your family.
Produce Possibilities
Check out the list of what’s in season in your area on our home page to jump-start your imagination. If it’s June, that could mean local strawberries are plentiful–and ripe for freezing. In July or August, a big bubbling batch of tomato sauce or salsa could be just the thing. Of course, a walk through your garden or local co-op to see what’s fresh and abundant is also a great way to identify preservation possibilities.
It’s Not Just Grandma’s Pantry
Putting up jewel-toned jars of pickled beets and brandied peaches may be what comes to mind when you think “food preservation,” and canning has become popular across generations, with plenty of unique recipes that appeal to a range palettes. But canning isn’t all there is. Other simple ways to preserve local and seasonal foods include:
• Drying or dehydrating
• Freezing
• Curing
• Pickling
• Cellaring (well, grandma DID know best, didn’t she?)
For beginners, dehydrating and freezing foods are a snap–and no special equipment is required. Fresh herbs, like basil, thyme, mint, and chives, can be snipped into measured teaspoons or tablespoons and frozen in ice-cube trays topped up with water. Stored in a bag in your freezer, they’re recipe-ready almost instantly. And all you need to dry your own herbs is a piece of household string or ribbon and a dry area with good air circulation where you can hang your herbs.