Easy Ways to Start Preserving Your Harvest

At Merry Meadows Farm, we take pride in growing fresh, high-quality produce, but we also know that not everything can be eaten right away. Preserving food allows us to extend the harvest and enjoy farm-fresh flavors throughout the year. Whether you have a small backyard garden or a working homestead, food preservation is an essential skill that ensures nothing goes to waste.

There are three primary methods for preserving food: canning, dehydrating, and freezing. Each method has its own benefits and best practices. And choosing the right one depends on the type of food being preserved and how long it needs to last. In this guide, we’ll explore these methods in detail, providing step-by-step insights, safety tips, and practical advice based on our own experience at Merry Meadows Farm.

Canning: Preserving Your Harvest for Long-Term Storage

Canning is one of the oldest and most reliable methods for preserving your harvest. It works by sealing food in airtight jars to prevent bacteria from growing, making it an excellent option for long-term storage. There are two main types of canning, and understanding when to use each is essential for safety and quality.

preserving cucumber pickles in jars

Water Bath Canning for High-Acid Foods

Water bath canning is a simple and effective method for preserving high-acid foods such as fruits, tomatoes, jams, pickles, and salsas. The high acidity prevents the growth of harmful bacteria like botulism, so boiling the jars in hot water is enough to create a safe seal. To successfully water bath can, it’s important to use clean, sterilized jars and new lids to ensure a proper seal. Processing jars in boiling water for the recommended time based on the food type and jar size helps eliminate bacteria and ensures a secure vacuum seal. After processing, the jars should cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before being checked for proper sealing.

Pressure Canning for Low-Acid Foods

Unlike high-acid foods, vegetables, meats, poultry, and dairy require pressure canning because they lack the acidity needed to inhibit bacterial growth. A pressure canner reaches temperatures above 240°F, which effectively destroys bacteria that boiling water alone cannot. Pressure canning requires strict adherence to USDA-approved recipes and processing times to ensure food safety. Using a dedicated pressure canner, rather than a pressure cooker, ensures that food is processed at the correct pressure levels. Once the processing time is complete, the pressure must be allowed to return to zero naturally before the canner is opened to prevent jar breakage.

Pressure Cooker for Canning

Canning Safety Tips

To ensure safe storage, all jars should be checked for proper sealing by pressing down on the lids. If they pop back up, the seal did not form properly and the jar should be refrigerated or reprocessed. Storing jars in a cool, dark place prevents degradation of quality, while proper labeling with dates ensures that older canned goods are used first. With the right techniques, canned food can last from one to five years, making it one of the best long-term preservation methods.

Canning supplies

Dehydrating: A Simple Way to Preserve Your Harvest

Dehydrating is one of the easiest ways to preserving your harvest with minimal equipment. By removing moisture, dehydrated food becomes lightweight, shelf-stable, and resistant to spoilage. This method is especially useful for fruits, vegetables, herbs, and meats like jerky.

How Dehydration Works

When food is dried, moisture is removed, preventing the growth of bacteria, yeast, and mold. Proper dehydration maintains 80 to 90 percent of a food’s nutrients, making it one of the most nutritious preservation methods.

Methods of Dehydrating Food

Using an electric food dehydrator provides consistent temperatures and airflow, ensuring even drying. Oven drying can also be effective if the oven is set to its lowest temperature, usually around 140°F, though it requires careful monitoring to prevent overheating. Air drying is another option, particularly for herbs and certain vegetables, and works best in a warm, dry place with good airflow.

Best Foods for Dehydrating

Fruits such as apples, bananas, strawberries, mangoes, and peaches dry well and make excellent snacks. Vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and zucchini store well when dehydrated and can be easily rehydrated for cooking. Herbs including basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and mint dry quickly and retain their strong flavors, making them ideal for seasoning dishes. Meat, particularly beef, turkey, or venison, can be dehydrated into homemade jerky for a protein-rich snack.

Storage and Safety Tips

Dehydrated foods should be stored in airtight containers to prevent moisture from re-entering and causing spoilage. Checking for complete dryness before storing is crucial, as any remaining moisture can lead to mold growth. Storing dried foods in a cool, dark place helps maintain their freshness for up to a year.

Preserving your okra harvest

Freezing: Quick and Convenient Preservation

Freezing is one of the easiest and most accessible methods to preserving your harvest. It locks in flavor, nutrients, and texture with minimal prep work. Proper freezing techniques help maintain the integrity of food and prevent freezer burn.

How to Properly Freeze Foods

Not all foods freeze the same way. Some vegetables require blanching to stop enzyme activity, while fruits benefit from being frozen individually before storage. Blanching involves briefly boiling vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, and green beans. Followed by rapid cooling in ice water to preserve color, texture, and nutrients. Flash freezing is useful for fruits, such as berries, sliced apples, or peaches, by spreading them out on a baking sheet. Then freezing before transferring them to storage bags, preventing them from clumping together. Using freezer-safe bags and airtight containers helps to keep food fresh and protects against freezer burn.

Best Foods for Freezing

Fruits such as berries, apples, peaches, and grapes freeze well and can be used later for smoothies or baking. Vegetables like corn, beans, carrots, and leafy greens hold up well after blanching. Dairy products, including cheese, butter, and even milk, can be frozen if stored properly, though texture changes may occur. Meats benefit greatly from freezing, preserving their freshness for months and making meal preparation easier.

Freezer Storage Tips

Proper labeling of frozen food with dates and contents ensures nothing gets forgotten or wasted. Maintaining a freezer temperature of 0°F or below ensures food remains safe for long-term storage. Avoiding the freezing of high-water content foods, such as cucumbers and lettuce, prevents the issue of sogginess when thawed.

Final Thoughts on Preserving Your Harvest

Canning, dehydrating, and freezing each offer unique benefits for storing food long-term and preserving your harvest. By learning these techniques, you can reduce waste, save money, and enjoy your homegrown food year-round.

At Merry Meadows Farm, we use these same preservation techniques. This ensures our fresh produce lasts well beyond the harvest season. Whether you’re making canned salsa, dried herbs, or frozen farm-fresh berries, these simple methods help you make the most of your food supply. Need help starting your garden to have a successful harvest? You should check out our article I’ll Take Your Garden and Raise You a Bed.

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