Food Preservation
Once the food has been grown, it is important to know what to do with it. Proper harvesting and post-harvesting procedures are important in order to keep food fresh, able to be sold, or kept around for later. This list includes information on how to can, dehydrate, ferment, freeze, and store food. This list also includes ways to add value to what is produced such as turning tomatoes into salsa (which can be sold for profit or eaten as a tasty snack).
Post Harvest Practices
Beyond Fresh: A Food Processing Guide
Overview of the Decision Process, Self-Assessment (Is Value-Added Right for Me?), Product Development, Recipes, & Production, Storage & Distribution, Can I Make Money?, Regulations, Labels & Packaging, Selling, Market Trends, Running Your Business, and Funding
Roxbury Farm Harvest Manual
Gives a short overview of harvesting common plants including procedures, quality, and more.
A Planning Guide for Postharvest Handling Workshops
A presentation about how to set up workshops on postharvest handling
Wholesale and Retail Product Specifications: Guidance and Best Practices for Fresh Produce
The grade standards system is a key tool used in fresh produce marketing to simplify transactions in the marketplace. This guide is intended to be a resource for the day-to-day handling of fresh produce and as a training guide for small to mid-sized producers and food hubs.
Adding Value
Adding Value to Farm Products
Capturing Value and Creating Value, Starting a Food Business, Farm and Food Business Profile, Non-Food Options, Keys to Success
Canning
The Basics of Canning Foods At Home
Basic principles and typical steps in home canning
The USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning
Selecting, Preparing, and Canning: Fruit and Fruit Products, Tomatoes and Tomato Products, Vegetables and Vegetable Products, Poultry, Red Meats, and Seafood, Fermented Foods and Pickled Vegetables, and Jams and Jellies
Dehydrating
Food Dehydration Options
Types of dehydration, Added value strategy, Product development and marketing, and assorted resources.
Allegheny Mountain Institute – Dehydrating 101
Why dehydrate, Steps for drying produce, and dehydration chart
Fermentation
How to make and sell Fermented Vegetables
What are they, How to stop fermentation, How to monitor PH during fermentation, Guidelines, How to sell, and Additional Resources
Freezing
Allegheny Mountain Institute – Freezing 101
All about Freezing, Steps for Freezing, Chart on Freezing, Freezing Fruit, and assorted resources
Storage
Food Preservation Basics
Recipies including Freezing, Blanching, Canning, Pickling, Sauce, Canning, Sauerkraut
Produce Storage Guide for Common foods
Storage Temperatures for Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetable Preservation Chart