As fall approaches, the garden is a very busy place. Harvest season is in full swing and as fast as you collect the bounty, the next round comes ripe. On top of trying to reap all the benefits of your labor, you also have to start thinking about storing the excess as well as planting the next round for your fall and winter garden. That means pulling out dead plants, adding compost to feed your depleted soil, and sowing the next round of seeds. Did I mention I’m exhausted?
At this point, many gardeners find we can’t even give away tomatoes and often notice loved ones running in the other direction when they see us coming, lest we accost them with an armful of produce. Harvest time calls for ingenuity and using all your resources to save what you worked so hard to grow. Excess tomatoes used to fill me with guilt as they sometimes rotted while waiting for a place in another recipe. I resorted to freezing them. This turned out to be a good idea. When we yearned for fresh salsa in January, I simply pulled out a bag of these summer beauties. When they defrost, they relinquish a good amount of water. When poured off, it makes for a thicker salsa or sauce. Also, the skins come off quite easily, if your recipe calls for peeled tomato.
When they are abundant, I usually freeze herbs too. Basil, cilantro, parsley, and mint all have a place in my freezer, where I can quickly find them to add to a winter dish. The flavors help recall warm days on a cold night.
Other produce that I freeze include eggplant, zucchini, and green beans. For eggplant, I peel and cube it for a nice addition to stew. I also use eggplant to thicken tomato sauce in a baked ziti. Remove it from the freezer, steam it, then run it through the food processor. Add the eggplant mash to the sauce and combine with the ricotta. My family really enjoys this recipe.
We’ve all been overwhelmed by a zucchini that should be registered as a deadly weapon. It seems this vegetable grows by inches every time you turn your back. And the taste of these giant baseball bats is definitely lacking if you’re trying to grill or saute. However, if you run it through the food processor with the grating blade and then freeze in one or two cup increments, they make a perfect zucchini bread that will be a welcome addition at any holiday table.
Green beans require a little more prep work initially, but yield a product as easy to prepare as any store bought frozen vegetable. Wash, cut, blanch and drain the beans before freezing. I once found a bag of these in the bottom of my freezer that had made it through a winter, spring and summer without being used. They were no worse for the wear and accompanied several fall dinners.
Obviously, I have a lot of freezer space. But what if you don’t? It’s one of the reasons that canning has never truly gone out of style. Rendering items shelf stable is a tremendous advantage. Canned goods can be stored on a basement shelf or in another out-of-the-way area until needed. Many fresh items can be cooked and canned for your winter pantry.
Another great preserving technique is dehydrating. Removing the liquid from foods allows them the same shelf storing ability as canned goods. My family dehydrates peppers, peaches, apples, tomatoes, and medicinal flowers and roots. I’m hoping this year to try drying zucchini and potato (sliced thin and salted) for a chip like snack.
The easiest way to put up some of your harvest is to choose items that store well for long periods of time with little to no work. Dry beans are great for storage and easier than their green brethren to find at harvest time. I often struggle with green beans as they blend so well into the plant. Dry beans don’t get collected until they are brown and dried up. At this point, simply shuck them and store in a mason jar or other airtight container.
Potatoes will keep for a couple of months if they are kept in a ventilated, cool, dark environment. Carrots, parsnips, winter radishes, beets and rutabaga can be put in a bucket with clean, damp sand and stored in a basement or other cool place. Winter squash can keep for months in 55 to 60 degree temperatures.
When planning your garden, try to keep storage in mind. Within each of these vegetable types, there are different varieties that keep better than others. A little forethought can keep you eating from your own garden long into the dark winter. And when the dark and cold are overbearing, try baking the zucchini bread I mentioned earlier. It will make the house smell fabulous and is a great comfort food.
Zucchini Bread: makes 2 loaves
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil (olive, sunflower, coconut, etc.)
2 cups raw sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups white whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease and sugar (instead of flour) two 8×4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, and salt; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until done.
I’ve seen children battling over the last slice of this bread. It’s moist and sweet and perfect for the winter blahs. What item from your harvest do you think stores best? Let me know at laurie@riverheadlocal.com.
Laurie Nigro is a mother of two, wife of a gardener, and co-founder of River and Roots Community Garden. Laurie resides downtown and though she came to gardening by accident, has welcomed it into her life.
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