At High Rocks, our Ruby Grow Garden has an abundant amount of produce coming out of the gardens at this time of year, and with having our Grow Appalachia Preserving Workshop in August, we thought it would be a good idea to discuss ways of preserving produce.

The most common way of preserving, is canning. High Rocks Class is focused on teaching USDA approved canning methods. During the workshop, we worked closely with members of the community on how to can tomatoes. The process of canning tomatoes consists of a quick blanching, followed by a cold bath (this makes the skins easier to peal), stuffing tomatoes into a jar (packing them tightly), being processed in a pressure canner, and then letting the jars cools and seals to set. USDA recommends storing in a cool dry room with a shelf life of up to a year.

Fermenting is another way to preserve produce. The Local Foods Team at High Rocks, fermented cucumbers (pickles), as a demonstration for the Preserving Workshop. Participants got to sample the delectable pickles, and also canned some up. Fermenting is a process that changes bad bacteria to good bacteria, by letting various produce sit in liquid brine to soak and reconstruct the flavors. We also passed out pickle and sauerkraut recipes. It is recommended to store fermented goods in a cool dry place, with the shelf life varying from 3 months to a year depending on the food.

Another way to preserve is drying, this can be done by air, dehydrator, or freeze drying. At High Rocks we have dehydrated ramps and garlic scapes to be used as seasonings. At our Class we discussed the different drying techniques, several participants already had experience in drying foods. Dried foods have a recommended shelf life of 4 months to a year, the cooler the temperature they are stored in the longer they last.

Preserving Foods is a great way to enjoy your harvest year-round.