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Storing Local Produce for Winter
Posted by chinagal9 • 6/26/10
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Fresh produce is available to us at local roadside stands and farms. Our local Strawberry season is coming to an end. During the past week I've frozen the fresh berries and made Strawberry Freezer Jam. Do you prepare and store the locally grown veggies/fruits for winter?
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No. But what you've done so far is pretty cool. Can you tell us how you did it please?-
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Freezer jam is made using fresh fruit, sugar, Sure-Jell Certo Fruit Pectin (liquid pectin), lemon juice and 1-cup freezer containers. Certo is located in the pudding/gelatin section of the grocery store. Directions are found in each box of Certo. After the prep, the filled covered labelled/dated containers are left on a table undisturbed for 24 hours. Then, they are placed into the freezer. Clean bowls, utensils and containers are needed and one batch is made at a time. It's fun and easy to make!
For extra hints: bit.ly/bcvd0z
When freezing Strawberries, I remove the tops and double wash the berries, drain. After cutting in half, about 2 cups of berries are placed in a Ziploc Freezer bag. I add about 1 Tablespoon Sugar (as desired) to each bag. After sugar dissolves, label/date and freeze bags. Defrosted Strawberries taste great on Oatmeal Pancakes, yogurt or ice cream in the winter.
Blueberry season starts in about 3 weeks. Yum!
Growing up my mom, sister & I always made stir over the stove jam each summer. I keep the tradition, just found an easier way to prepare the jam.
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This is excellent advice! keep more tips coming our way. You could start a discussion about these kinds of hint and tips.
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Thanks! While growing up my family had two gardens. We either canned or froze our fruits/veggies for the year. My hubby & I do not have a garden, but the local produce in our area (Western MA) is available, so it is worth the effort to prep some and freeze it. Nothing is better than Butternut Squash in January that has been steamed, packed in bags and frozen in the Fall. No spices nor sugar needed as flavorings.
Strawberries come first from the local patch. It's all part of summer!
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Thanks. The more you share the more we learn. I like your ideas!
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I love the thought of learning how to freeze more stuff -- especially vegetables and fruit.
Food is too expensive to waste and today I threw away 2 quarts of moldy strawberries. I forgot they were here.
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I feel so guilty when I do this.
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Me too. I am thinking of putting notes on the front of the fridge. So I don't forgot OTHER stuff :).
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Really good Idea. I'll do it too and use those magnets for some good.
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I love freezing and drying. I have a book I'm working on for review - I'll share it here when I'm done!-
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What a lovely idea.
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Very cool!
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Many years ago I canned a lot of veggies. Then, started to freeze them and no more canning. Never have dried any. Will be interesting to learn about drying them.
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Freezing veggies makes more sense than canning them, because they will taste fresh and not mushy. Fruit is good both ways.
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I intend to purchase strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries and freeze them individually first, before placing them into small freezer bags. Thanks for this great idea.
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You will certainly enjoy them during the winter months. Never have frozen fruits individually - takes too much freezer space before packaging later and I work with large quantities. I cut the Strawberries in half, measure, add a little sugar, then freeze in Ziploc Freezer Bags. I posted it on my blog last month.
Still remember a few years ago when my bags of frozen unsweetened Blueberries contained less than I believed I had frozen. My sons enjoyed snacking on a few frozen Blueberries. It was a healthy treat.
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Okay so I bought some strawberries and blueberries and cherries. I'm gonna try it your way.
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I only freeze the Strawberries & Blueberries. Not sure how other fruits would work. Years ago I froze Canteloupe & also Peaches, but in a light sugar syrup with Fruit Fresh, so they would not discolor. Tasted good, but make syrup, cool down, prepare fruit, so more prep time was needed. Grapes were a trial - but were not good. That was all BC - "Before Children". Now it's Strawberries & Blueberries.
Blueberry season is starting here in the Pioneer Valley of MA. Yes! I see Blueberry Muffins on the horizon, too! -
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Oh! Muffins! Blueberry!
I'll send you my address in a private shout :).
(kidding, of course).
LOL. -
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I adore blueberry muffins, too!
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Are you placing an order, too? I'll have to start a catering business!
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With all of our hot humid weather Blueberry season came a bit earlier this year. Over the weekend the Blueberries were prepped, placed in Ziploc Freezer bags and into the freezer they went. The weekend of juicy, blue, sweet berries - Blueberry Freezer Jam made and stored in the freezer, too.
Bought many fresh veggies from the farm stand to last the week. Have not have fresh beets in a long time. Another heat wave over the weekend, but the local fruits/veggies sure taste good. -
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Ah, our local Green Peppers are now in abundance here in the Pioneer Valley of MA. Earlier this week I froze strips of Green Peppers. The small amount of time spent prepping the veggies was well worth it. During the colder months, I do not purchase the imported veggie, but use defrosted Peppers from my freezer.
To freeze: Wash the Green Peppers in cold water and dry them. Then, the Peppers are cut into strips. The seeds and tops are discarded. A handful of Green Pepper strips are placed into sandwich bags (that fold). The sandwich bags are rolled and placed in Gallon sized Ziploc Freezer bags. About 7 - 8 sandwich bags are placed in the larger Freezer bags. Label, date & place in freezer.
The day before the Green Pepper strips are needed, defrost. A sandwich bag is placed inside a covered container and refrigerated overnight. Green pepper strips are a tasty addition to a meal while preparing dinner. -
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Wonderful instructions! How long do the last stored this way. I suppose freezer shelf-life?
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Thanks Theresa! I've been using this method for years. By spring time my supply has been used, so by the time the new local harvest is ready I am ready to start again. Cannot beat the price per lb. when they are in season.
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Thanks. So they will last six months?
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There's a squirrel outside gathering acorns and carrying them back to his place. Must be for winter storage.
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That is one smart squirrel.
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Summer is passing quickly with schools opening shortly in the northeast. The local orchards are harvesting the last of the peach crop. Last week it was the perfect time to prepare & freeze Peach Freezer Jam. Once again like during strawberry & blueberry seasons, Sure-Jell Certo Fruit Pectin was used in making the Freezer Jam. The directions are included in the package. The jams are all stored away ready to be enjoyed! Yummy!
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I'm coming over to check out these recipes of yours. Why not add a few here, too.
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As soon as it cools down a little more, I am going to visit Butler's Orchard for a bushel of apples. Then I am going to use my dining room table as a worktable and make lots of small individual apple pies, wrap them and freeze them. They are good for four weeks or more. They never lasted that long at the hotel. This way whenever we want pie we just pop them into the hot oven for 40 minutes.
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Time to prep & freeze the Butternut Squash! Yum!
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Sounds scrumptious. How about coming here and showing some photos of how to do this process? 6PM Sat nite.
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What are you storing up this month?
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I bet squirrels store up nuts. I know bears eat loads of honey and salmon. I use my fridge and pantry. Thanks goodness for grocery stores!
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A year has gone by ... This summer Strawberries & Blueberries are now packed away in the freezer along with the Freezer Jam. Last week Peach Freezer Jam decorated our dining room table for 24 hours before being placed in our large freezer. Summer is great!
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I am going to so the same this week! Thank you so much for the reminder.
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We put up what we grow and what we buy. The okra by far is the simplist. Just put it in a freezer bag. Do not wash it or any thing. When you get ready for it just take out what you need and wash it and slice it up. We put up apple pie in a jar, tomatoes, corn, black eyed peas and all types of other stuff. In jars and in the freezer. -
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You all will love this method!
www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/ingredients-vegetables/the-easiest-way-to-prese...-
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I'll have to try this! I use so many canned tomatoes in entrees when they are out of season.
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This is a great time of year to purchase the local fresh Green Peppers and freeze them in strips to add to dishes when cooking. Prepping is simple - wash Green Peppers in cold water, dry, cut in strips. Discard seeds & tops. Place handful of strips in sandwich bags & close. Then, place sandwich bags in a Ziploc Freezer bag. Label & freeze. Every year I freeze these and they are a tasty addition to an entree whenever it calls for Green Peppers!
