Seasonal food guide and food preservation methods to enjoy local food all year by canning, freezing, dehydrating, and more.
Enjoy Fresh Local Food: Seasonal Storage
Can you name three crops that will keep easily for months in a cool closet? (Try winter squash, sweet potatoes and garlic.) Or how about vegetables that stay fresh until well after Christmas when stashed in the refrigerator, or even just a cooler in your unheated garage? (We recommend carrots, beets and potatoes.)
Buying local produce and “putting it by” (or “putting it up,” depending on your region) is a great way to support local farmers and give your family fresher, better-tasting organic food. Every bite you take — today or months from now — helps strengthen your local economy, supports more sustainable food production and brings you a step closer to a more self-sufficient life.
Plus, buying local food in bulk often can save you money on grocery bills. And as the examples above indicate, it can be as easy as going to the farmers market when your favorite fruits and veggies are in season, and learning which conditions or techniques are best for storing each crop. Whether you grow your own garden or buy produce from local growers, the following charts will help you eat more sustainably all year long.

To simplify home food storage, we’ve divided crops by preservation methods, starting with the ones that require the least time, trouble and energy. Even when canned or frozen, home-stored foods save huge amounts of energy in reduced processing, packaging, transportation and storage costs. Freezing is the most energy-intensive method of home food preservation, but you still save energy when you freeze locally grown food. Buy seasonal produce directly from growers at farmers markets or farm stands, then choose preservation methods that fit your cooking habits and time constraints, because most foods can be preserved in more than one way.
If you need more information than what’s shown in the following charts, check out these online resources:
- Storing Vegetables at Home: University of Wisconsin Extension
- Drying Fruits and Vegetables: Pacific Northwest Extension
- Preserving Food at Home: A Self Study: University of Georgia
Cool Storage Superstars

These crops will keep for two to six months at cool room temperatures, and they require no processing, containers or refrigeration. Can things get any easier than slipping a few buttercup squash under your bed, or finding a place in your closet for sweet potatoes? The sweet flavor of these two crops actually improves under good storage conditions, so you’re not settling for less by storing your own. When bringing winter squash home from a farmers market, cradle them in towels to avoid accidental nicks or bruises.
- Garlic benefits from cool conditions, but most varieties will keep at room temperature for several months. Do keep nuts out of the reach of hungry rodents, and freeze them after their protective shells have been removed. Read cool storage superstars for a list of good cold storage crops, their peak seasons, and handling and storage tips.
- Garlic has a mid-summer peak. Cure at 70 to 75 degrees for two weeks. Optimum storage conditions are 60 to 65 degrees with moderate humidity. (It may also be dried.)
- Sweet potatoes have a late Summer to fall peak. Cure at 80 degrees for 7 to 10 days. After curing, optimum storage conditions are 55 to 60 degrees with high humidity. (It may also be frozen.)
- Unshelled nuts peak during Fall. Dry at 70 to 80 degrees for 4 to 10 days. Optimum storage conditions are 45 to 60 degrees with moderate humidity. (It may also be frozen.)
- Winter squash peaks late in Summer to fall. Harvest with a stub of stem attached, and wipe clean. Optimum storage conditions are 45 to 55 degrees with moderate humidity. (It may also be frozen.)
Underground Sleepers
These foods will keep for two months or more under cold, moist conditions — no processing required. A root cellar is ideal, or you can bury boxes or barrels underground. If you live in a cold climate but don’t want to dig, you can store many of these crops in an unheated garage or outbuilding. In warm climates where the soil stays above 45 degrees in winter, a second refrigerator may be your best option. Running an extra fridge consumes energy, but not nearly as much as is needed to process, package and ship the crops you would buy otherwise.
Water Bath Wonders

Pickles, acidic tomatoes and sweetened chutneys or fruit preserves have a pH level below 4.5 that retards bacterial growth, so they can be canned in a large water bath canner. A water bath canner is nothing more than a large pot with a metal tray or rack that holds glass jars at least a half inch off the bottom. They are not expensive to buy new, and used ones often can be found at thrift stores or yard sales. Canning jars will last for decades, so look for them used, too. Each time you reuse a jar, you’ll conserve all the materials and energy that would be needed to create a replacement. Jars sealed in a water bath canner need no refrigeration. (See Home Canning for more on home canning.) It’s important to closely follow the recipes and instructions that come with your canning equipment to avoid food contamination. Click for foods for water bath canning, plus their peak seasons and handling and storage tips.
- Cucumber, pickled peak during Summer. A salt or vinegar brine turns cucumbers into pickles. Add sugar, fruits, and other vegetables to make chutneys. (It may also be frozen.)
- Fruit for whole or chopped fruit peaks during Summer to fall. Any well-washed fruit covered with sugar syrup can be canned this way, and use a pressure canner for sugar-free fruit canning. (It may also be frozen.)
- Fruit for jams, jellies, and fruit preserves peak from Summer to fall. Jam and jelly concentrate the harvest into small containers, and jelly jars require only 10 minutes of processing time. (It may also be frozen.)
- Rhubarb peaks during early Summer. Sweetened rhubarb pie filling is easy to can; add strawberries if you have them. (It may also be frozen.)
- Tomatoes peak in the Summer. Tomatoes with herbs can be canned in a water bath canner, but use a pressure canner when including zucchini, okra, or other low-acid vegetables. (It may also be frozen or dried.)
Success Under Pressure: Pressure Canners

You will need a pressure canner to preserve foods with a pH level above 4.5, because higher temperatures are required to kill bacteria in non-acidic foods. Still, reusable jars and no refrigeration requirements make pressure canning a good choice. In many areas, good quality canning equipment is available in community canning kitchens. (See “Communal Canning Comes of Age” for the scoop on group canning projects.)
Pressure canner gauges require care and periodic testing, but the biggest challenge with pressure canning is the heat it creates. This is why rural homes used to have a place on the porch for a canning stove, or sometimes a canning kitchen in a corner of the shed. A propane cooker can help you move pressure canning to your deck or patio, though it’s still best to prepare the food and jars in the kitchen. Read Success Under Pressure to find foods that are good for pressure canning, as well as their peak seasons and handling and storage tips.

- Unsweetened fruits have a peak season of Summer to fall. Pressure-can unsweetened fruits whole, purée into a sauce, or preserve as juice. (It may also be frozen or dried.)
- Green beans have a Summer peak season. A good vegetable for novice canners with thick-fleshed Italian and heirloom varieties stand up to processing better than delicate filet beans. (It may also be frozen or dried.)
- Tomatoes have a Summer peak season. Tomatoes with added herbs can be canned in a water bath canner, but use a pressure canner when including zucchini, okra, or other low-acid vegetables. (It may also be frozen or dried.)
- Vegetable mixtures have a Summer to fall peak season. Combine low-acid vegetables such as corn or beans with tomatoes and herbs for winter soups and stews. Processing times vary by ingredients and equipment. (It may also be dried.)
Freezer Food Storage Pleasers
Freezing is often the best way to preserve the flavors and textures of delicate vegetables, and small batches can be blanched to stabilize nutrients and texture, cooled to preserve color, then packaged in 30 minutes or less. Running a freezer consumes energy, but reduced packaging is where the home food preserver comes out on top. For instance, pint-size poly freezer bags or pouches require a quarter less energy to produce than the freezer-proof boxes used for many commercial frozen veggies.

To reduce energy consumption, keep your freezer in a cool basement or garage, and fill vacant spaces with plastic bottles or freezer bags filled with water. Should the power go off, the increased thermal mass from the extra ice will slow the thawing process. Store small items inside larger snap-top plastic boxes so they won’t get lost in your freezer.
- Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute, cool on ice, and freeze. Spring to early summer
- Rinse berries well, spin or pat dry, and freeze without blanching. (May also be dried.) Spring to fall
- Broccoli and cauliflower Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute, cool on ice, and freeze. Late spring and fall
- Cantaloupe Cut into bite-size pieces or make balls. Freeze and use within 2 months. Mid to late summer
- Blanch chard to wilting point in the microwave, or in boiling water. Cool on ice, drain and freeze in small batches to add to other dishes. Summer to fall
- Simmer edamame pods in salted water for 5 minutes, and drain. When cool, remove beans and freeze. Can also be frozen whole. Mid to late summer
- Grill or broil eggplant slices seasoned with herbs and salt. Freeze when cool. Late summer to fall
- Blanch peas in boiling water for 30 seconds, cool on ice then freeze. Early summer
- Grill or broil peppers to remove skins before freezing, or leave skins on and blanch halved peppers in boiling water for 1 minute, then freeze. (May also be dried.) Summer to fall
- Blanch snap beans in boiling water for 30 seconds, cool on ice, and freeze. (May also be dried or canned.) Summer
- Blanch spinach to wilting point in the microwave, or in boiling water. Cool on ice, drain, and freeze. Stretch the season by growing through winter with protection. Spring, fall
- Grill or broil summer squash slices seasoned with herbs and salt. Freeze
after cooled. (May also be dried.) Summer - Cut sweet corn kernels from the cob to save freezer space. Heat just to boiling, cool, and freeze. Mid to late summer
Dehydrated Heroes
Some of the food crops listed here need brief precooking or other special preparation, but many can be washed, peeled, pared and popped into a dehydrator. You can also simply dry them in the sun or in a solar dehydrator. (See Build a Solar Food Dehydrator.)

To even out the moisture levels between different-sized pieces, place dried foods in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days after drying them. If the pieces soften, dry them a bit more before packing away in storage. For maximum energy savings, store dried food in reusable airtight storage containers made of glass or plastic. The drying process often intensifies flavors, and dried foods take up little space. Dried foods keep three to six months in a dark room or pantry at cool temperatures, or up to a year in the freezer.
- Dry apples ripen early, in August and September. Dip quarter-inch thick slices or rings in ascorbic acid solution (vitamin C) to prevent browning and dry until leathery and almost crisp. Apples can be frozen, canned, or kept in cold storage.
- Berries ripen in summer. Thoroughly rinse, pat dry, cut large berries in half, and dry until leathery. (It may also be frozen or canned.)
- Cherries ripen in summer, and pits can be removed with a cherry pitter or sliced in half and dry until leathery but still pliable. They can also be frozen or canned.
- Dry bean peak season is mid to late summer. Harvest after pods fade to tan. Remove beans from pods, then dry for 1 hour in a 150-degree oven to kill any potential pests.
- Fruit leathers are best from summer to fall. Purée washed fruit, pour into jellyroll pan lined with plastic wrap, and dry until leathery but still slightly tacky.
- Grapes ripen in late summer to fall. Blanch seedless grape varieties in boiling water for 30 seconds to crack the skins, then cool on ice and dry until leathery but still pliable. Grapes can also be frozen or canned.
- Harvest herbs in the summer and hang bunches in a warm, well-ventilated room. Store dried leaves whole and crush just before using or freezing.
- Harvest mushrooms in spring and fall. Wipe clean with a damp cloth or paper towel, then dry at room temperature until crisp.
- Parching corn is ready in mid to late summer. Harvest mature ears when the husks dry to tan, then finish drying indoors until you can twist the kernels from the ears. Break the ears in half before drying to promote air circulation around the middle kernels.
- Peppers ripen in late summer to fall. Clean thoroughly, cut into quarter-inch thick strips or rings, and dry until brittle or freeze.
- Peaches and plums ripen in the summer. Dip slices or quarters in ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to prevent browning, and dry until leathery but still pliable or freeze.
- Harvest snap beans during summer, blanch for 1 minute, cool, and pat dry. Dry until almost brittle or freeze.
- Harvest summer squash during the summer. Clean thoroughly, cut into quarter-inch slices, and dry until leathery and brittle. Summer squash can also be frozen.
- Harvest tomatoes in the summer. Dip in boiling water to remove skins, cut large tomatoes into rings, or cut smaller ones in halves or quarters. Dry until nearly crisp. They may also be canned.
- Harvest vegetables from summer to fall for vegetable paste. Purée clean, washed vegetables, and cook over low heat for 1 hour to evaporate water. Pour into jellyroll pan lined with plastic wrap. Dry to peanut butter consistency, and store in the refrigerator. Use in place of vegetable bouillon.
- Harvest whole grains from summer to fall. After threshing and screening, dry grains in 150 degree oven for 30 minutes to reduce moisture content. Store in airtight, animal-proof containers. (It may also be kept in cold storage.)
Originally published as “Enjoy Fresh, Local Food All Year” August/September 2007 MOTHER EARTH NEWS.
Contributing editor Barbara Pleasant gardens in southwest Virginia, where she grows vegetables, herbs, fruits, flowers and a few lucky chickens.