Bidding Farewell to the Bountiful Harvest

Reader Contribution by Crystal Stevens
Published on October 18, 2013
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Gardens that have been planted throughout the summer will be bountiful until mid November as long as the first frost doesn’t hit before then.   In seasons past, we have harvested herbs, sweet & hot peppers, green tomatoes, kale, chard, spinach, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, turnips, lettuce and a variety of other vegetables including bok choi and Napa cabbage just before Thanksgiving. It can be slightly overwhelming to bring in such an abundant harvest all at once, but the end product of preserving the harvest is certainly well worth the effort.  In addition to soups, stews, canning, drying & freezing, there are several easy ways to preserve your harvest to enjoy over a longer period of time, especially during the winter months when the garden is barren.

Here are three delicious value added recipes to try at home:

Lacto-Fermented Vegetables

Lacto-fermentation is the process of fermenting veggies in Lactic acid forming bacteria that are beneficial to the body and help build the immune system. Use your garden harvest to create preserved veggies in salt water brine. Sterilize mason jars. Chop veggies and herbs of your choice and add to mason jars. Dissolve 1 ½ tablespoons of Celtic Sea Salt in 2 cups of purified water. Pour the brine over your chopped veggies in the mason jars. Leave ½ inch of space at the top. Put a cabbage leaf on top to help with the fermentation process. Cover with a plastic lid. Leave on the counter for 1 week. Remove cabbage leaf and store in the fridge for up to 2 months. Be sure to label.

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