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What do you (Or have in the past)?

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Markgh
Joined: 12/07/2006
Location: Zone 3a
Posts: 62
Posted: Feb/13/2007 2:41 AM PST

Excuse the curiosity, but just what do the members preserve and why? I include freezing, canning, drying, pickling, et al.

I have frozen vegetables (mostly mine), fruits (some mine). I can a lot of tomato products (salsas, soups (yum), ketchup, etc)

In the next year I will be freezing and canning way more fruits. I will be planting more tomato plants this year - maybe I can make the soups last until the next harvest.

What do you all preserve? And how?
MamaBearBSA photos
Joined: 8/14/2002
Location: Altoona, Iowa (near Des Moines)
Posts: 4971
Moderator
Posted: Feb/13/2007 3:39 AM PST

I have tried dehydrating but was not impressed. I prefer to freeze what I I do preserve.

I have also done flower drying and pressing for craft projects too.
RandyCobb
Joined: 4/04/2002
Location: Yamhill County, Oregon
Posts: 1078
Posted: Feb/13/2007 3:39 AM PST

I don't do much in the way of freezing except berries. I freeze some of them so I have them available for making jam or in the case of blueberries, I like to use them in pancakes or on waffles. We make applesauce, apple butter, and pie filling from our apples. And we can pears from the pear tree. I make salsa from the tomatoes and peppers and can green beans. That covers at least most of it.
MamaBearBSA photos
Joined: 8/14/2002
Location: Altoona, Iowa (near Des Moines)
Posts: 4971
Moderator
Posted: Feb/13/2007 3:43 AM PST

Randy, early July will be to early for fresh apples and pears. Won't it?
ladyhawthorne
Joined: 2/17/2003
Location: Porter, TX north of Houston zone 9
Posts: 120
Posted: Feb/13/2007 7:55 AM PST

I mostly can things, but freeze on occasion. I also was not impressed with the results of dehydrating, so I mostly use that for herbs. I can tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, purple hull peas, carrots, peaches, pears, apples, made and canned pear butter, some jellies, made bread & butter pickles, chow chow and green tomato mincemeat. One year I made homemade V8 juice-that was back before juicers and food processors and was way too much work, but it did taste great. My Mom used to also can cherries and one year canned grape juice from the grapes we had on the fence. I have frozen berries of all kinds. I have also frozen tomatoes.
RKayne blog photos
Joined: 11/09/2006
Location:
Posts: 4090
Moderator
Posted: Feb/13/2007 4:20 PM PST

I love to take fresh basil, chop it up rather a bit. Mix it thick with water and put in ice trays, freeze, and stow in freezer bags. All winter I have the freshest basil, just a cube here, a cube there in anything I would have cooked it in...
WhiteRedPoinsettia photos
Joined: 8/16/2004
Location: The Midlands, England
Posts: 607
Posted: Feb/13/2007 5:14 PM PST

I've got Blackberries in the Freezer.... They'll go in an Apple and Blackberry Pie..... YUMMY
RandyCobb
Joined: 4/04/2002
Location: Yamhill County, Oregon
Posts: 1078
Posted: Feb/14/2007 4:10 AM PST

Quote:
Originally posted by MamaBearBSA
Randy, early July will be to early for fresh apples and pears. Won't it?

Yes, but there should be berries.
wan2hav blog photos
Joined: 8/13/2006
Location: east coast..Connecticut at the sound !
Posts: 509
Posted: Feb/14/2007 8:53 AM PST

Freezing..Drying.canning..Pickling ??

I freeze berries..but I've had good success canning them also.

My favorite items are PICKLES...and I play around with the recipes and think about them all winter long.

I have dehydraters.....and rarely to never use them. I like to put what ever I'm drying between paper towels and lay 'em near a place that gets air and dry them naturally. Usually thats herbs from the garden......especially towards the end of the growing season.

If I had more gardening area.I plant larger areas of corn and freeze or can.
or more bush growing berries.
Jade
Joined: 6/06/2002
Location: southwestern Ontario
Posts: 374
Posted: Feb/14/2007 12:15 PM PST

I have canned and frozen a ton of stuff over the years. I have cut down because my eyes are always bigger than my stomach. Last year I canned Peaches and pears combined, whole tomatoes, salsa and blackberry-peach jam. I froze green beans, assorted herbs, berries, peaches, melon, broccoli and swiss chard. I hope to do a little more this year. We will see.
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