Two Great Ways To Store Your Berries
If you have
any type of fruit bearing trees, or bushes then you know how large of a
selection you can get of food during the harvest season. However, you
will also probably be familiar with the amount of fresh fruit that goes
bad during this period as well. Now if you are like some of us that
purchase our fresh fruit from an orchard or directly from the vineyard
that are local to you which helps support your own local economy. Here
are a couple of great ideas that can help you manage to preserve and
enjoy the harvest during the entire year.
The first great idea
that you can have for saving your own harvest or that which you
purchase in bulk is something that I have done in the past and that is
to go through the batches that I have harvested and get rid of any that
is mushy, or that I do not believe would make it through the season
without going bad. I then wash off the berries or other items that I am
going to be storing. After they have been washed I take the produce
that is left and put them in a bag that I make using my food saver and
get all the air out of the bag. Once all the air is out of the bag I
place them into a freezer and get them frozen so that they will keep
for a long period of time and as long as I use them within a year and
check them over each time before I use them I normally do okay.
The
second great idea that I have found for my fresh fruit is to turn them
into freezer jams. Now this might seem like it is kind of odd to do
this because jams are so readily available in the store without them
requiring the use of your own freezer. I know that I love being able to
go to my own freezer to get my own jams out. I know that this is a
great feeling being able to do this and know that the berries that are
in the jam came from either my own yard or from the farm down the
street from me which supported the local economy.
Storing your
own berries is always a great thing to do. I know that many people
think because of the readily available produce at the store you do not
need to store your own, but which would you rather pay the lower in
season price for the produce or the higher cost for the produce in the
winter? If you're like me I am sure you will prefer to pay the lower
price and enjoy the produce from your freezer in the form of a berry or
a jam either of which is a great taste.
