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Farm Kitchen:  De-hydrators  |
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lovingewe
True Blue Farmgirl
212 Posts
marlyn-neleh
norwood
Ontario
Canada
212 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 23 2010 : 09:04:53 AM
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I have been looking to purchase one for over a year now, but I'm not so sure I will use it that much. I need some assurance that it would be a good purchase.
Marlyn
http://sweetlocuslane.blogspot.com |
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karla
True Blue Farmgirl
1308 Posts
karla
Pella
Iowa
USA
1308 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2010 : 09:08:02 AM
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I have had one for 10 years & use it every year for some of my garden produce. It is great for drying teas if you harvest for that or onions or carrots or fruit leathers or beef jerky etc---I could list more. Mine is just a "Ronco" I believe but to me it is priceless!
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. |
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beadbabe
True Blue Farmgirl
148 Posts
Therese
Valencia
California
USA
148 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2010 : 1:44:21 PM
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I have had an inexpensive dehydrator for about 20 years, and I think I wore it out! It was taking way longer to dry than before and I wanted something that would be energy efficient, even if I was only drying small amounts of food. I have become a prepper this year and have a lot of work ahead of me! My husband agreed to the purchase of an Excaliber dehydrator, and it is amazing. What a difference having a thermostat and timer has made. There is a great website, www.dehydrate2store.com The gal is really knows her stuff. She has how to videos on Youtube also. With food prices soaring, it is a wise purchase, IMHO. It's a great way to preserve your garden harvest with less time and energy than canning. And more nutrients are kept in when drying food. I could go on and on, I am a strong supporter of this method of food preservation!
Therese
Farmgirl Sister #1217
If you ask me what I came into this world to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud. ~Emile Zola |
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vegetarian farmer
True Blue Farmgirl
249 Posts
Jane
Freedom
pa
USA
249 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2010 : 3:12:11 PM
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A dehydrator is not something you use everyday, but when you use it you are glad you have it. I agree with Therese the Excaliber is a wonderful machine and I love mine. It cost a lot upfront but what I can do with it compared to a cheaper model is night and day. For example, I have tons of kale in the greenhouse and am getting tired of it in my meals. So I am going to make kale chips in the excaliber and they are better than any junk food chip around. I make a sauce,mix in kale, and dehydrate 6 hours. I also didn't know what to do with all the cherry tomatoes last year, so I split them in two, deydrated them, and I have had the best tasting dried tomatoes ever. These are times when I sure am glad I have the dehydrator.
Jane
http://hardworkhomestead.blogspot.com/ |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2010 : 06:40:41 AM
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My husband wants to get a Snackmaster because he's read that he can use it to dry old audio recording tape that's started to deteriorate. He swears up and down that I could use the same machine for drying food, but I'm not sure I believe him.
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OneCraftyBugger
True Blue Farmgirl
626 Posts
R
USA
626 Posts |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2010 : 5:28:07 PM
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I would love an Excalibur or at least Cabela's version of one :) I was able to borrow one last summer and it was so nice, the drying was even :)
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
Edited by - Calicogirl on Apr 24 2010 5:45:41 PM |
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quiltin mama
True Blue Farmgirl
436 Posts
Heather
Crescent City
CA
USA
436 Posts |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13641 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13641 Posts |
Posted - Apr 25 2010 : 8:46:46 PM
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We have two American Harvest Snackmaster dehydrators, each with several trays. They have worked very hard and very well for us every year when we have lots to dry. We dry all sorts of things in them, but they REALLY get a workout with our tomatoes. We love our dried tomatoes and I'll never can a tomato again!!
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665
From my Heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
From my Hands - www.cjscreations-ceejay.blogspot.com
From my Hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
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Rea231
True Blue Farmgirl
139 Posts
139 Posts |
Posted - Apr 26 2010 : 05:32:39 AM
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You will be suprised how much you will use one when you have one!
The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery. |
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LakeOntarioFarmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
933 Posts
Brenda
North Rose
NY
USA
933 Posts |
Posted - Apr 28 2010 : 02:59:48 AM
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Husband bought ours last year, without my input, at that point I wasn't crazy about the idea of him spending so much for one, but because we live on an apple farm, he wanted to make dried apple slices to eat.....
I know it's a Nesco, with 5 trays.
Let me tell you, when I saw how much the grand kids and their moms loved the apple slices, and discovered how much basil I could dry at one time, and that I could make my own garlic powder, I was hooked! It took a lot for me not to go right out to the grocery store to buy things to dry! :)
I am very patiently waiting harvest season in my garden to do that. I have started lots of extra basil this year, so that I can dry a bunch. I also have other herbs started to use.
I plan on making potpourri this year. And, like CJ, I plan on drying lots and lots of tomatoes!
One of the recipes I can't wait to try is the recipe for the dried apple pie in Mary Janes Ideabook, it looks delicious!
Brenda
FarmGirl # 711
Nothing we achieve in this world is achieved alone. It is always achieved with others teaching us along the way. Lee J. Colan
http://theviewfromhere-brenda.blogspot.com/ |
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PilgrimSoul
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
Jessie
NJ
USA
61 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2010 : 10:03:33 AM
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| I just bought a Nesco dehydrator, but haven't used it yet. I looked at the Excalibur, but was hesitant to spend so much without knowing if it would be something I'd use often. So, I opted for the Nesco. I want to try to make fruit leathers soon, and also start to dehydrate various fruits and vegetables throughout the season. |
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delicia
True Blue Farmgirl
917 Posts
delicia
cincinnati
ohio
USA
917 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2010 : 11:14:22 AM
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When you make the dried tomatoes how do you use them? Is it just like canned tomatoes?
delicia |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13641 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13641 Posts |
Posted - May 03 2010 : 1:35:12 PM
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We use dried tomatoes in everything!!! And if you want them less dry upi can soak them a little bit in water. I guess pretty much like canned. The flavor is much more intense . . concentrated I guess. In soups, stews, etc. you would need to add more water or other liquid.
Hope that helps!!!
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665
From my Heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
From my Hands - www.cjscreations-ceejay.blogspot.com
From my Hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
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delicia
True Blue Farmgirl
917 Posts
delicia
cincinnati
ohio
USA
917 Posts |
Posted - May 04 2010 : 09:46:52 AM
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Thanks Ceejay. I am so excited after reading these post I went around the office and ask if anyone had one they wanted to sale or saw one to let me know. One lady in my office said that she had a brand new one that she was given for Christmas a few years ago and if she can find it I can have it. I am so excited I hope she can find it...
delicia |
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Ric Rac and Polka Dots
True Blue Farmgirl
87 Posts
Julie
Pleasant Prairie
WI
USA
87 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2010 : 09:57:26 AM
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Hi everyone, I am really excited now after reading these posts. I do have an old dehydrator, and I dry spices with it mostly. I never thought about tomatoes, I always have so many extra. Can you all tell me exactly what you do? the cherry tomatoes someone said you just cut in half and dry? do you pull the seeds out? Also do you just cut the big ones in slices and dry? What about the seeds in those? I would love to do this, save a little room in the freezer for all the stuff I freeze all summer. Thanks in advance for any recipes or ideas!
Julie
Ric Rac and Polka Dots
Farmgirl #1127
"No matter where you go . . . there you are." |
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Lindsay C
True Blue Farmgirl
117 Posts
Lindsay
Rogersville
AL
USA
117 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2010 : 3:13:20 PM
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We have one and have used it a pretty good bit. I believe it was the Nesco with five trays. It was a pretty cheap one, so I feel like we've definitely got our money's worth. We have dehydrated figs, seasoned tomatoes, peppers, etc. This year I plan on dehydrating some of the excess herbs in my herb garden and being able to store them. The only problem was that last year I ended up using most of my herbs fresh! There's really no limit to what you can try, but some things definitely turned out better than others. :)
Lindsay
Farmgirl Sister #1452 |
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vintage saver
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
oleta
wheelersburg
ohio
USA
323 Posts |
Posted - May 11 2010 : 9:32:24 PM
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| I just bought one at ayard sale for $4. I have no book and don't know if it really works. Floyd got the fan to go. It has several plastic trays that I finally got clean after hours of standing at the sink with a brush and muttering to myself. I hope it works. I'll have to find instructions on it. I'll try to look on it all over to see what kind it is. |
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delicia
True Blue Farmgirl
917 Posts
delicia
cincinnati
ohio
USA
917 Posts |
Posted - May 12 2010 : 06:55:45 AM
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That is a great buy Oleta I hope you get it going. Did you try to look it up on line for directions?
delicia |
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vintage saver
True Blue Farmgirl
323 Posts
oleta
wheelersburg
ohio
USA
323 Posts |
Posted - May 17 2010 : 02:38:37 AM
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| My $4 dehydrator says it's a snackmaster jr. on the bottom of it. I've never used one, but hope to dry some grape tomatoes or other tomatoes with it and orange slices and apple slices. I don't grow a lot of food, but buy locally, espically from the Amish. I'll find a book on how to operate it or go online. |
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Rivergirl_2007
True Blue Farmgirl
332 Posts
Shirley
Karnak
IL
USA
332 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2010 : 2:14:36 PM
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| I have used my dehydrator since 1980 and it is still going strong. It is a large one with 8 shelves and has given us loads of produce throughout the winter months, as well as fruit rolls, etc. I have also made instant soup mixes. Mine is a Montgomery Ward appliance. |
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DebbieSue
True Blue Farmgirl
199 Posts
Debbie
TX
USA
199 Posts |
Posted - May 29 2010 : 11:09:56 AM
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| Well, that does it, I am going to get a dehydrator!! Never thought about drying the tomatoes! Great ideas! |
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Farm Kitchen: De-hydrators |
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De-hydrators
