Food Preservation by the Season

Over the past month, we’ve talked about planning and growing a sustainable garden. Today, we’re shifting focus to food preservation—what I put up for the winter and when I harvest different foods throughout the year. My goal is to give you insight into when things are ready and what you can incorporate into your own garden and homestead!

Growing your own food is a skill that needs to be learned and exercised. If you’re just starting out, don’t feel overwhelmed by the list of foods I preserve! Instead, consider what you already buy from the store or farmers' markets and start growing those. Pick just a couple of things and build on them each year.

Key Points:

Spring: Planning & Fresh Eating

Spring is a season for planning, planting, and eating fresh. I don’t do a lot of preserving this time of year, but I do blanch and freeze a few early crops.

• Lettuce (for short-term use)

• Radishes

• Broccoli

• Peas (though I don’t often grow them)

• Beets (I recently learned I can plant them earlier!)

• Asparagus

• Strawberries

• Rhubarb

• Cherries

Summer: The Busiest Time for Preserving

Summer is when most of my preservation happens, with canning, freezing, and dehydrating in full swing.
Vegetables:

• Peppers

• Beets

• Spinach

• Carrots

• Green Beans

• Zucchini

• Tomatoes

• Cucumbers

Fruits:

• Blueberries

• Raspberries

• Watermelon

• Cantaloupe

Fall: Harvest & Storage Season

Fall is all about root crops, storage veggies, and fruit preservation.
Vegetables:

• Sweet corn

• Dry beans

• Cabbage

• Carrots

• Potatoes

• Squash

Fruits:

• Apples

• Peaches

• Pears

Winter: Processing Leftovers

During winter, I focus on preserving anything I didn’t get to earlier. Sometimes, I freeze produce until I have time to can or dehydrate it later.

Resources:

That’s it for today’s episode on food preservation throughout the year! Remember, if you’re just starting out, pick a few foods your family already enjoys and build from there. Preserving food is a skill that takes time to learn, and each season is another opportunity to grow in it.

Next week, we’ll be switching gears a bit and talking about Gathering the Family Together for the Evening Meal. Be sure to tune in!

Join the Conversation! What are you preserving this season? Leave a comment below and share your canning adventures!

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Email: connect@SimplyLivingHomestead.com
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