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Farm Kitchen:  Best way to conserve harvest if you don't can  |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 12:08:12 PM
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I'm not much into canned vegetables, though I understand the need to have things on hand in the case of emergency...but I'm really more of a fresh-flash freeze kind of gal. I will happily can tomatoes, though it looks like a lot of people were murdered in my kitchen after I'm finished, but since I've joined a CSA this year, I want to make sure I'm doing the best by my dollar and our health.
Have any of you utilized those bags that you suck the air out of? Then do you freeze them? What's the concept/idea behind them?
What about dehydration? Is that mainly for tomatoes, onions, celery, etc...and then do you just make soup?
Since I mainly cook with fresh SEASONAL produce, I'm having a little trouble wrapping my mind around the OTHER ways to preserve other than canning.
Our CSA is really cool in that they are teaching a class for this very purpose, but it also falls on the day of the St. Patrick's Day parade and I wanted to take our little one to that...I realize my priorities might come into question should the world end this summer and I don't have anything conserved but all that I do have is a green plastic hat or whatever,but....it's a risk I'll have to take with not taking the class. 
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Cibola
True Blue Farmgirl
50 Posts
Remi
Ellensburg
Washington
USA
50 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 12:36:42 PM
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My husband swears by his machine that sucks the air out and we can put the bags into the freezer. I would like to experiment with dehydration and plan to do that this season.
Farmgirl: Cibola |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 12:43:54 PM
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Where did you get that machine that sucks the air out (and the bags to go along with)? I think that's more my style.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 1:08:22 PM
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You all are giving me a giggle. I thought my daughter was the only one who used funny names. My oldest daughter liked my vacuum FoodSaver so much that she asked for a "suckerthing" for Christmas. So that is now what it is called in our homes. You can find FoodSaver brand vacuum machines at Walmart or online at FoodSaver.com You can also find them at Bass Pro Shop but they are more expensive. I have seen them on Ebay as well. Look for one that has the port for a hose that allows you to vacuum canning jars too. It is wonderful. If you are interested in this process, you can go to my blog for a tutorial on vacuum food processing at http://www.oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog/?p=2685 Also, you will find a 4 pt piece on dehydrating and how to use your dehydrated veggies at http://www.oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog/?p=2578. I will be doing another post on dehydrating meats in the near future. Hope this is of some help to you all and that you find a "suckerthing" of your own!!
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 1:14:29 PM
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Oh, lots of things have funny names, Mary Beth!!! Almost everything in my house ends with a "thingee" so my husband has become most adept in basically, reading my mind  His personal favorite? When I say, "hoodgiefudget" when I really mean "lid".
You are MOST amazing, and I'm so happy I posted this question. A blog tutorial, even? I might just have the vapors! Seriously, this helps me so much, make my plans, figure out "what" I'm going to do this summer. I do love canning, but as I said, I'm just not much into canned corn or whatever. Child of the 70's, I guess...if it comes out of a box or a can, I'm not super excited to eat it.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Mar 07 2011 : 1:39:33 PM
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Cute, Jonni!! I am known for "whatchmacallit" and "thingamajig" quite frequently. Just as an aside, the place where I live used to be a little town that is now gone. The town's name was "Who'dathoughtit". :-)
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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Farm Kitchen: Best way to conserve harvest if you don't can |
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Best way to conserve harvest if you don't can
