Preserving what we produce

phacelia is growing fine, lucky to have had a bit of rain. I am going to hoe it down tomorrow and quickly turn the soil over. My leeks are on their way

Its a good catch crop, I am going to sprinkle some seeds along the edge of a trug tomorrow, there is an empty space and I don`t need more lettuce or radish, its quite shallow along the edge

How is the harvesting going?

I have enough green beans in the freezer for winter also frozen potatoes, blueberries are finished apart from stragglers, maybe 6-7kg in the freezer. I have frozen parsley, have a crock full of nice shallots. Picked the first years blackcurrants and frozen them, bottled gooseberries and rhubarb

Strawberries are developing very fast now, I made small pots of rhubarb and strawberry compote to freeze. Cannot pick any more rhubarb as they are new plants. Strawberries next, I`ll mush and freeze in small pots, what I cannot eat. I made and froze some small tubs of beetroot juice

I am almost done this year, very pleasantly surprised at how productive my first year new garden has been. I am eating fresh green beans, small courgettes, lettuce, cucs and radishes. For winter freshness I have purple sprouting and various hardy cabbages and kale

I think that is it for my preserving this year

I’m picking and freezing Japanese wineberries at the moment- lots of small fruit on very thorny canes! I’ll mix them with other fruit and make “summer jelly”. Like bramble jelly, but gooseberries, raspberries, blackcurrants, apples etc. Popular with those who don’t like seeds.

We’ve lots of apples so some years ago I got a press and started making cider. However, none of the family is very keen on it so this year I’ll stick to juice. I’ll add some of my frozen fruit with apples to make combinations- eg apple and raspberry. I tried pasteurising juice in bottles so I could preserve, but it was a bit “hit and miss” - some fermented and nearly exploded?. Now I just freeze- re-using plastic bottles and milk cartons.

Last year I got a great hint for making it easier to press juice from apples- freeze them first! food52.com/blog/20841-easy-way-to-juice-apples
video.cookist.com/video/an/WhP2zuSwNYC8qdHZ

I forgot the apples and tomatoes, I think I will make crabapple and blackcurrant jelly, should be nice in sauces and with meals.

Farmor, I presume you also store your apples. I have a tall beech apple store with lots of slatted drawers. I used it when I had the allotment but I was really fussy about how I picked my fruit and only put perfect fruits in. They on the whole lasted until february. I think I have quite a few codling holes this year, being the first year here I never bothered with greasebands but I will next year and I took a lot of apples off

Tomatoes, I want to freeze as much as possible, just whole in bags, they last a year. I`ll have to eat faster to make freezer space

Yes, I store apples too. We have a dark shed we use for potatoes and apples go in there too.

I used to freeze tomatoes but now bottle them. Mostly roast first, with a little olive oil and salt, then put through sieve (I have an old Mouli one- turn handle to push through). I put the hot purée into jars - any type with good seal, such as old mayonnaise jars, but lids left loose. I then use a pressure cooker- about 5 minutes at pressure, and screw lids on tightly as soon as pressure drops. As jar cools, the lid will click as vacuum forms and dimple in middle is sucked down. I can keep these for more than a year and still perfect.

I think you can preserve tomatoes like this by immersing jars in boiling water for about 20 min, if no pressure cooker. No risk of botulism from tomatoes as too acidic.

We have a tree bowed down with damsons this year. As I am a reversed diabetic, I don’t want to make loads of jam. Just some for DH and DD. Any ideas with what to do with the remainder? Can you make chutney?

I was gifted 4 bags of organic windfalls lat night, I cleaned up many, cut out much and have now got 20 small pots of frozen puree, perfect for winter. I preserve my own grown apples by storing in my wooden apple store, not yet this year as it is year one, will start next year. Prep will start this winter by using grease bands to try and prevent codling moth, every stake and trunk and keeping any vegetation cut back so it does not touch the trees. Thinning also helps a lot especially apples that are touching, earwigs do a lot of damage and hide in these dark spaces. All the apples that I put into my wooden store are hand plucked and get picked over and handled very carefully. They can and do last to feb/march. The many slatted drawers were full with just 3 M26 trees

I could have preserved more but ran out of enthusiasm, I would have bottled some puree but instead, the hotbins are well fed. He will be bringing plums soon, I will be bottling some. One of my best bottling projects in the past, was bottled plum puree, it was gorgeous over winter

I used to do rumtopf to preserve berries but gave that large pot away. It needs lots of strong alcohol

I am going to rescue more outdoor tomatoes today, this is blight weather, humid and warm. The ones I have wrapped indoors are ripening nicely and I am feasting on lush red tomatoes. Latest method was a large egg box filled with egg sized tomatoes, lid on and in the kitchen, ripening is happening and these are destined to freeze whole

The green beans are only producing enough for daily use now, which suits me as I have ample stored in the freezer for winter, no blanching btw. There are flower buds, and the plants look healthy, I expect beans for quite a while yet

We have lots of apples. I shall purée some, but thought I might have a go at apple wine

Craftyone, do you freeze potatoes raw or do you have to blanch them first?

yes they need to be blanched. I did my charlottes, which are waxy and don`t fall apart. I blanched for just 4 minutes and peeled all the potatoes, then cut to roasting size. I would have lots more ice in the freezer next time, to cool quickly. I froze in single layer on trays and then bagged, they look amazing

Freezers already crammed full of cauli, broccoli, peas and French beans, so no room to freeze potatoes too. I just store them in paper sacks in garage. They'll keep for ages there.

This week I've pickled beetroot and onions and made caramelised red onion chutney.

A question re blanching:

I have frozen runner beans blanched and unblanched over the years but found unblanched beans did seem more dry.
Do you open freeze on trays then pack into bags or boxes or freeze in individual portion sizes?
I've never tried open freezing.

And French beans. Blanched or not?

Callistemon I blanch French beans, as well as most other vegetables except peas. I just drain everything on kitchen roll until fairly dry and freeze in bulk bags. I might regret not open freezing when it's all stuck together when I try to use it ?

Many thanks Craftyone

I keep potatoes in the fridge. They keep very well and don't sprout.

I must admit, I am not a gardener in any way shape or form. Unlike my greenfingered sister, everyting I plant usually fails!

I have found this thread interesting though and am quite envious. (Should try better)

My grandmother used to preserve runner beans by salting them, in those salt glazed jars.

They stored well, but took a heck of a lot of rinsing!

A branch broke off under the weight of our little pear tree so we had plenty of slightly under ripe pears. I could have made chutney but then we wouldn’t eat it so I have spent the afternoon poaching them in red wine. Now they are bottled.
I hope they taste as good as they look in a few months time.

'Scuse me, scuse me!

Tomatoes...blighted out again this year, so disappointing. I won't spray with chemicals. Can anyone recommend any way of dealing with this? Any seeds that really do ward off blight I could try next year?

BBevan what about damson gin? Very nice

Thank for the tips re tomatoes. I have now made Passata. Also some figs in syrup. The surplus syrup is gorgeous over Greek yogurt.

Beauregard

Callistemon I blanch French beans, as well as most other vegetables except peas. I just drain everything on kitchen roll until fairly dry and freeze in bulk bags. I might regret not open freezing when it's all stuck together when I try to use it ?

That's how I used to do them but we haven't had such a glut for years. Probably that's the best way I think.
I had a blanching basket but it got thrown out ages ago.

My mother used to salt them down in jars, phoenix

I've picked more produce today than we've ever had. Now to do something with it.

Has anyone watched Nona Gina on the Abundance of Tomatoes thread? There is a link by another poster.
She's a joy!

Craftygran. Yes, damson gin on the way, 9 jars of Damson jam made ( 5 given away). Two large Tupperware boxes of damsons at the bottom of the freezer until I need them Apples to sort now .