Preserving Your Harvest

[Sally PB]

So I guess I don't have to be picky which ones to dehydrate.

When I tested a bunch, I found that some peeled more easily and some were "mushier," which made them harder to work with. I can't remember which kinds they were, so they weren't any that I bought regularly.

Love Honeycrisp for the sweetness. Love Empire for the tang.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

When I tested a bunch, I found that some peeled more easily and some were "mushier," which made them harder to work with. I can't remember which kinds they were, so they weren't any that I bought regularly.

Love Honeycrisp for the sweetness. Love Empire for the tang.

The Golden Delicious did slice better...

 

[Birdsonghill]

I have heirloom apples for the south (and elsewhere for most) Black Twig, Grimes Golden, Aunt Rachel, Joseph, Old Fashion Winesap and one unknown variety. It is very difficult to grow pretty apples here due to the hot , humid climate and the insects and fungus disease pressure, from a long warm season( 8 to 9 months likely freeze safe ) that the pest thrive in. Organic is not easy or inexpensive here, so I try, but most of my apples are less than pretty or don't make it without bad spots or damage. Most of these were selected for their natural resistance to cedar apple rust and a history of doing well in the south. I use stockings over the developing fruit, and spray organic controls, copper soap, pyrethrin, dormant oil and neem. I think I would have to spray them with pesticides weekly to control organically, here, all the problems and that is too expensive and time consuming. When I used chemical non organic approved pesticides, 35 years ago, I was able to have lots of pretty apples, but they practically glowed in the dark from the Carbaryl. malathion, and fungicides, I used in those days. I used a six to eight sprays control program back then. I had to be careful of not killing the honey bees or myself with the chemicals dripping off the trees. Very early morning (at sunrise on cool mornings) to spray, as to prevent killing my honey bees, during the warm springs and summer applications. I do enjoy the wonderful organic apples I manage to harvest that are bug and rot free. The deer love them all!

 

[BReeder!]

Been an off week here of preserving because we have been out of town visiting my in-laws. Heading back home tomorrow (or today really since it's after midnight). I'm sure I'll return to some tomatoes and the peppers I need to can.

I did get something in the way of preserving though while out of town. We drove my MIL to visit her sister (DW's aunt), and while there I was gifted a pressure canner and about 2 dozen 1/2 pint jars. Then my MIL gifted us 50+ quart jars. I also shared a quart of pickles, pint of bell peppers in spicy tomato sauce, and 1/2 pint of chipotles in adobo with my in-laws. FIL is particularly excited about the chipotles in adobo for his burritos and wraps.

 

[Sally PB]

while there I was gifted a pressure canner and about 2 dozen 1/2 pint jars. Then my MIL gifted us 50+ quart jars.

How wonderful! I have a lot of jars that were my mom's. Maybe even some were her mom's...

 

[muddy75]

I need to see if I can salvage enough red tomatoes for one more batch. We’ve already used up all of what we canned this year I need to plant more next year

 

[wyoDreamer]

@BReeder! Would you be willing to share your recipe for canning Chipotles in Adobo Sauce? that sounds womderful!

 

[BReeder!]

@BReeder! Would you be willing to share your recipe for canning Chipotles in Adobo Sauce? that sounds womderful!

I followed the recipe linked below, but made my own chipotles by smoking jalepenos at 200F or less with maple wood (what I have in hand) for two days (note: the smoker cooked down overnight and during the day when I ran errands for a few hours).

https://keviniscooking.com/how-to-make-adobo-sauce/

 

[WthrLady]

getting pasta ready for the dehydrator and brought up 5 pounds of tomatoes from the basement ripening boxes

 

[BReeder!]

Roasted and mashed pumpkins yesterday. 6 sugar pumpkins made 7 quarts of pumpkin puree. All frozen neatly in the stand up freezer.