Gardening 2016

[padawan]

Anyone starting to put up sweet corn yet?

Grandma and Sons are doing some today. Boys are good at shucking and hauling out cobs.

 

[nate77]

Been picking sweet corn to eat since last Thursday, froze some on Monday.

 

[bwframe]

Three and a half dozen ears, we'll see how it dehydrates.

 

[bwframe]

Dehydrated down to right at one gallon:

 

[bwframe]

Couple more pics, while we're at it:

Mr frog had a bad day, when he landed on the downed electric fence wire. Bummer...:

Mr tomato worm is not gonna have the quick and easy way to the promised land as Mr frog:

 

[Leadeye]

I'm curious about the dehydrated corn, how do you prepare it?

 

[bwframe]

To qualify, I haven't reconstituted any of the dehydrated corn yet.

5 minute boil in salt water (the same as if I was to eat it off the cob.)
Ice water bath to cool down.
Kernels off the cob with electric knife into a stock pot to separate. Found out kernels stuck together do not dehydrate well.
+/- 16 hours in the Excalibur @ 125 degrees.

 

[Mog]

I'm experimenting with dehydrated foods for both long term storage and regular meals. I've found sources to buy dehydrated food but I'd rather preserve my own fresh produce. This looks great!

 

[Leadeye]

To qualify, I haven't reconstituted any of the dehydrated corn yet.

5 minute boil in salt water (the same as if I was to eat it off the cob.)
Ice water bath to cool down.
Kernels off the cob with electric knife into a stock pot to separate. Found out kernels stuck together do not dehydrate well.
+/- 16 hours in the Excalibur @ 125 degrees.

Thanks, I'll be interested in your opinions about it when you rehydrate and cook it. I learn something new every day here.

 

[Mog]

I've been working on food storage using dehydrated food for just about a year now. The idea is to use dehydrated foods in meals regularly, to rotate stocks and develop recipes that we all really LIKE using stored foods. LOVE the results so far! LOVE the recipes (and recipe books) available from Honeyville Farms. They have a lot of really good dehydrated foods, mostly #10 cans but you can break them down into the "Meals in a Jar", which are AWESOME for food storage, and quick meals when you need them! Use their recipes as a "springboard", and add things like soy sauce, honey, and seasonings from your pantry. I've got a lot of dehydrated staples (onions, garlic, peppers, etc) that I can keep on hand and have at the ready. The recipes will work just as well if you dehydrate your own or use theirs.

 

[bwframe]

Thanks, I'll be interested in your opinions about it when you rehydrate and cook it. I learn something new every day here.

I threw a handful of dehydrated corn in with some fresh green beans, seasoned with a bit of sausage and Hungarian peppers. This boiled, them simmered for a couple hours. The corn seemed to have the consistency of fresh.

Later I did corn by itself. Soaked in hot water for two 1/2 hours, then heated, it was still pretty chewy. An hour later, brought to a boil and it was fine. Would have likely benefited from further cooking (and some butter.) Note - Next time prepare and eat some when fresh off the cob for comparison.

I think this will work for me. I'm up in the air on the moisture content in the half gallon jugs. The kernels seem leathery rather than rock hard. Each has an O2 absorber and gets re-vacuumed with the Foodsaver after opening.

Now to decide whether to do more of the same vs freezing vs canning more? I let corn season seek by last year with very little put up.

 

[bwframe]

Dehydrated down to right at one gallon:

Done 3 dozen ears, same as above, last of the season sweet corn. This batch went to the freezer. 12 pounds.

 

[lcole1969]

Never got a garden out this year due to shoulder surgery awhile back, but did get enough grapes and berries for jelly and wine.

 

[bwframe]

Dehydrated down to right at one gallon:

Bummer. Failure...

 

[Mog]

First two pictures are beautiful! What's your favorite recipe for the dried corn?

What went wrong with the failure? I'm just starting to work with drying for storage.

Bummer. Failure...

 

[bwframe]

I normally add the dried corn as an addition to other dishes that will be stewing a while.

I believe I left too much moisture. To go along with that, another oxy packet in the bottom might have saved it. There was one on top. The lid was not sealed when I discovered the mold.

I ate most of the other half gallon. The remainder was transferred to a pint that is still fine.

A big question I have is if I should try to recover the top part of the moldy jar?

 

[Zoub]

Dehydrated is really not preserved. Thinly sliced fruits in smaller batches might keep longer, but once you get that much material together in container, it will mold. It still has to go in the freezer. Herbs don't tend to rehydrate, I think their ability to hold moisture is much reduced. Even so, the same basil but in a jar will stay dry compared to that in a bag or plastic container. But with veggies, in the freezer, no magic bullet with dehydrator. If you want it in a jar you have to can it.

 

[Zoub]

No don't try to recover any from the moldy jar. Not worth it.

 

[bwframe]

Pulled 1 1/2, maybe 2 bushels of potatoes out from the mulch today. It was frozen on top, but most of the potatoes were well below the surface. Time will tell if any are bad. I hope to can as much as possible. Canned potatoes are surprisingly yummy and versatile.

It was cccccold today. Stayed out too long in only nitrile gloves, trying to finish the wide row. Didn't make it the first time.

I drug these out last week, when it was balmy. No washing with the hose today:

 

[spencer rifle]

We got a bunch of sweet potatoes this year after not getting any last year. Still harvesting Brussels sprouts.