Making the most of your CSA or Garden

BountySmall-scale harvest

preservation

Presented by: Sandi Smith ● Home Cook● Fermenter● Beekeeper● Local Food Enthusiast● Founder Paleo Greenville● Wife of a Gardener● Mother of 3

Making the Most of Your Bounty Cooking and Eating from your CSA or Garden

Making the Most of Your CSA● Identify what is in your box

● Prioritize what needs to be used first

● Research recipes for unfamiliar ingredients

● Plan your meals so nothing goes to waste

● Share with friends if you can’t get to all of it

The CSA shares shown here are from our friends at Crescent Farm in Clinton, SC.The top picture is from May and the bottom from July. Note how much the contents change with the season.

Garden Produce● Much of your garden produce is

determined in the planning stage.

● How many cabbages will your family eat in a 2 week period drives your succession planting plan.

● Some weeks you will only have a portion or 2 of green beans, some weeks you will have a 36 gallon tote full and more zucchini than you can give away.

● Plan your garden with your meals and preserving in mind

○ Eat as much as you can fresh○ Don’t plant food you don’t like!

Selecting a Recipe● What is the main ingredient you’re

working with?

● What are your pantry items?

● Select recipe

○ Vegan recipes great for vegetables

○ Recipes should be specific

○ Offer visual or sensory cues; not just time

○ Read the comments

● Keep your own notes of what worked, what didn’t and if your family liked the dish.

Tips for finding a good recipe are available on The Kitchin http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-writers-tell-us-how-to-spot-reliable-recipes-on-the-internet-218629

Putting it all together● You have your garden fresh or CSA

produce

● You’ve selected your recipes and pantry items

● You’ve planned your meals and done any necessary grocery shopping

● Now it’s time to cook and eat your local, delicious, food.

Preserving the Harvest

Freezing● Good for a variety of fruits, vegetables,

and herbs

● Doesn’t require any special equipment

● Blanching required for most vegetables

● Blanching stops enzyme actions which can cause loss of flavor, color and texture.

● http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/blanching.html

Methods

● Water Blanch (look for specific times)● Steam Blanch (Broccoli, mushrooms, squash)● Microwave Blanch (not recommended)● Cool ice bath or running water below 60०● Drain thoroughly

Examples of Blanching Times

● Asparagus (Med Stalk) 3 minutes● Okra 3 minutes● Peas 1.5 minutes● Greens 2 minutes● Collards 3 minutes

Blanching Wax Beans

Washed and stemmed

Blanching and ice bath

Cooling and draining

10lbs of wax beans yielded 9 qt freezer bags

Freezing HerbsHerbs can be frozen in water or oil.

Freeze in consistent volumes, e.g. 1 tsp or 1 tbl so you can easily use later

Freezing FruitFruit does not need to be blanched

Gather lots of fruit in season to have delicious, local fruit year round

Arrange on trays and freeze individual pieces then transfer to storage bags or containers.

CanningThere are two types of canningWater bath canning The presence of acid prevents the growth of toxic bacteria.

○ High Acid Foods, e.g. tomatoes, citrus○ Jams and Jellies○ Pie filling○ Salsa○ Pickles

Pressure canningTemperature must reach 240० to kill toxic bacteria

○ REQUIRED for low acid foods ○ Most vegetables○ Soups, Broth, Stews○ Sauces○ Meat, Fish, Poultry

Illustration from The United States Dept. of Agriculture

Water Bath Canning Bread & Butter PicklesSlice cucumber and onion

Brine in pickling salt

Water Bath Canning Bread & Butter Pickles● Pack pickles into hot jars ● Ladle the boiling vinegar sugar mix● Check head space ● Wipe jars before securing 2 piece lid

Water Bath Canning Bread & Butter Pickles

Process jars for the recommended amount of time from a trusted source (USDA, University Extension, Most Recent Ball Blue Book)

Allow jars to cool undisturbed. You will hear a “pop” as the lid seals.

Water Bath Canning TomatoesBlanch tomatoes to slip the skins

Seed and Chop to desired texture

Add lemon juice to ensure acidity

Salt is optional

Water Bath Canning Grape Jelly

Small Batch CanningThere are many benefits to small batch canning

● More variety ● Less to store● Make use of smaller quantities of produce

Small Batch Resources

Urban Preserving: Real Life Canning for Small Servings, by Marissa McClellan

The Complete Book of Small Batch Preserving, by Ellie Topp and Margaret Howard

www.foodinjars.com

Water Bath Products

Pressure Canning● Each pressure canner is a little different

read the manufacturer's instructions for your canner

● Pressure canners surround jars with superheated steam at 240 degrees

● When canner gets up to designated pressure start timing. When time is up wait for pressure to come down completely or water may be sucked out of jars.

● Leave jars undisturbed for 24 hours.

The length of time and pressure specified for canning is based on how long it takes for heat to fully penetrate a food in a particular size jar. If a mixture is being canned (e.g., stew) then the time is based on the ingredient with the longest time.

Pressure Canning Green Beans

Pressure Canning

Pressure Canning Products

DryingDrying or dehydrating removes 80-90% of the water in foods which helps prohibit microorganisms that cause spoilage

Several different methods● Smoking● Oven drying● Air-drying● Dehydrator

Good for portable snacks● Lightweight● No refrigeration required

Dehydrating: Beef Jerky

Dehydrating Sweet Potato Chips

http://detoxinista.com/2012/03/sweet-potato-chips-two-ways/

Fermenting● Microscopic organisms transform food

and extend its usefulness.

● Fermentation is found throughout human cultures.

● Fermentation makes foods more nutritious, as well as delicious.

● Hundreds of medical and scientific studies confirm what folklore has always known: Fermented foods help people stay healthy.

Many of your favorite foods and drinks are probably fermented. For instance:

● Bread● Cheese, ● Wine, Beer, Mead, Cider● Pickles● Sauerkraut● Kimchi● Salami● Miso● Tempeh● Soy Sauce● Vinegar● Yogurt● Kefir● Kombucha

Fermenting Fruits and Veggies

Apple Scrap Vinegar

Fermented Drinks Kombucha

Fermented Drinks Tepache

Questions?

Contact: Sandi SmithEmail: sandi@paleogreenville.comWebsite & Farm Search paleogreenville.comFacebook.com/PaleoGreenville