Winter vegetable storage

originally posted by: AaarghZombies
a reply to: Ravenwatcher

Asparagus is a luxury crop, better to pick something that you can get two or three crops a year out of, and which has more substance to it.

We're looking to survive, not to start a French bistro.

Bad advice. Asparagus can survive 100 years. It's a perennial.
I still see old farmhouses with asparagus in the ditches. It can be pickled and kept a long time. It is also very nutritionally dense, some say a superfood.

You can buy 2 year crowns and have asparagus the following year and never have to plant again. If you have the space do it. I have a patch and had shoots the first season, but I didn't pick so they would be stronger the following year.

Potatoes, don't wash them. Dig them up and stash them dirty. I've heard putting them in sand is good. Look it up.

Tomatoes ... dehydrate. I just dehydrated tomatoes on the roof of my kitchen. I cut them thin and laid them out on a dark colored baking sheet in the sun. They were perfect. If you can't do that, indoor dehydration is the next best thing, either with an electric device or in your oven at low temps.

Actually, lots of vegetables - even meat - can be dehydrated. Onions thinly sliced are a another great one. That way, if the grid goes down you are not dependent on your freezer.

Seriously, study up on dehydration!

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

I took some pics to show you the difference between tubers kept all winter with soil vs. without. Both were kept in the same temp, same lighting, both protected. BIG difference!

a reply to: incoserv

I do Jerky and fruits amongst others in the dehydrater, Would love to learn how to keep a tomato nice and crisp, I've learned with peppers that even if you freeze them they turn mushy and can't stand the texture of canned tomatoes. I'm looking into solar and wind turbines to power LED for year around plants at this point its the dirt that seems to be a long term ongoing cost with growing indoors and raised beds outdoors .

originally posted by: Ravenwatcher
a reply to: rickymouse

Doesn't asparagus take forever to grow from seed ?

Asparagus takes a few years to get established. But once it's established, it's kind of there forever. You don't really have to do much to it. That's why there is so much wild asparagus growing all over in the USA. It propagates and grows itself. It's an awesome crop to have but it also takes a lot to feed a small family if you really like it.

I just acquired a freeze drier. Going into the side business of selling freeze-dried candy and eventually MRE's. I was already planning dehydrated foods. The list of foods that do not freeze-dry is small so this should be fun.

a reply to: staple

Holy crap those are not cheap !

originally posted by: Ravenwatcher
With all that is going on in today's world this year I plan to grow enough veggies to last through winter so I would like to pick some of you old timers brains ..

Potatoes - What the best storage method and for how long

carrots seems to last forever are no matter how they stored

Green beans is the only way to keep them canning ?

How long will some veggies last if the roots are kept in water like celery ?

tomatoes don't like canned so pick green ? I always grow more then I eat hate wasting them

Whats some of your guys methods and advice ?

Long time grower here,
I used to do a lot of canning which takes an
incredible lot of work,space,equipment.
Now, I've settled to dehydrating and freezing in
which I find more convenient.
As soon as a batch of veggies, fruit is ripe,
they get cleaned,washed,diced, chopped,steamed,blanched . . .
made into sauce, stew whichever then
portioned into meals, freezer bagged,
labeled and dated. DONE
Enjoyed for the winter months.
As soon as herbs are ripe, (including celery)
they get cleaned,washed,trimmed,shaved . . .
then put on a cookie-sheet lined with parchment;
set in the convection oven at the LOWEST temp.
till fully dried.
Stored in jars in the pantry. DONE
No fuss, simple and easy.

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

This is the best way to preserve ripe tomatoes if you have a decent sized freezer:

Wash, cut out the stem/core.
Freeze individually (I use a cookie sheet)
Bag them in gallon-sized freezer bags.

You can take out as many as you need to use for your recipe. When you run the frozen tomato under cool water, the skin just sloughs off. They taste delicious... like they are fresh. The only down-side is they aren't great for tomato sandwiches. You CAN slice and drain on a paper towel, if you're craving one bad, lol.

The last couple years, I did not waste a single tomato. I froze what I couldn't use and labeled each bag with the date I froze them and used them in order. I had delicious spaghetti, soups, stews all thru winter with that fresh tomato taste! And it's way easier than canning them.

originally posted by: staple
I just acquired a freeze drier. Going into the side business of selling freeze-dried candy and eventually MRE's. I was already planning dehydrated foods. The list of foods that do not freeze-dry is small so this should be fun.

A FREEZE drier????? Whoah. Do tell info on it please. I would love one but they are pretty spendy.

a reply to: Ravenwatcher

What Got the Irish through a Famine Bro ? ...Potatoes . Dried Corn is Also a Top Priority IMO .