There's aomething profound about ur videos this year. The content is sooooooo rich with information, they've always been informative, but these are just becoming my favorites. I also love ur living fence videos even the old ones.
This is one of the best ideas I have seen so far. The cost to run a dehydrator exceeds the value of food in most cases. I have a large food rack and am going to try this out for drying food. I don't have a garden... live in the woods. I am thinking about hitting the food auctions or go to a wholesaler and see if I can buy in bulk for drying. I love dried foods and fermented... they are easy to store and great in so many dishes. I take canned apples and add dried apples. I just make the pie crust; dump the canned apples liquid and all and then add the sugar, lemon, spices. and put in a hand full of dried apples. They re-hydrate while baking with the crust on and the pie is delicious. Just thought I would share . I have done this with just fruit juice and adding dried fruits will make a nice french pie. If you want tarts let the fruit sit in the juice for a little while until they expand a little then use like fresh fruit. Because tarts bake faster they need that extra time to hydrate so they are perfect for eating. I also use canned fruit juices for making sauces with meat juices. I use the juice from fruit cans to make ice teas and real teas. Also dry all fruit peals. They are great for making hot and cold teas. I grind up all my oranges and lemons after drying in the coffee grinder and use in sauces, cookies, cakes, breads, and pies; yummy. Thanks for all your great videos; sharing and take care everyone.
I've torn up old cotton sheets to line dehydrator trays. Keeps stuff from falling through. I can wash the sheets and use them over and over. They would need to be well secured in a windy outdoor situation, though.
Oh my word! Your zucchini are huge! Great and smart use of the shelves! I’m wondering if screening over the shelves themselves would help dehydrate the smaller pieces. I would have to try this.Thank you for sharing.
Use landscape fabric... what you used on the bed to keep weeds down. It will allow air flow as well as block light. If it doesn't allow as much airflow, then put it on one side (sun side) and keep rotating the the stand. Might make it a bit warmer as well.
I like the button spacer idea. If you don't already have a large jar of buttons to use and have to buy something suitable, large glass beads would probably be cheaper and no plastic touching the food.
Just found this video and your channel by googling on dehydration. Stocked with info, thank you so much! I'm new to preserving (other than freezing). So I have a couple questions.. 1. How do you store them afterwards, just in a jar or canned/vacuum or something? 2. How to use them..soak them in water first or simply add dry in a dish? 3. How long will they store? If kept dark and cool of course.. Greetings from the Netherlands! Debbie
Very good video. I was watching your videos in past where you were starting and living in a shed/ tiny house while hubby away working then you went looking for a house in country. Then you were living in house trying to farm. I stopped watching and recently saw a video by you similar to this. What a difference! I don’t know how you’re living now other than small farming and raised chest high bed but looks like you have found a space and got your groove. So glad to see it.
I have a little greenhouse like that collecting dust, I think I will use this method for drying herbs. I was having then indoors half way and then dehydrating
Good idea. I might check out that insect cloth. What might be good is to switch from plastic in the early and late season, to that netting in the mid season. Love your channel. I might add some hoops on one of my raised bed gardens and try it out this year or next. Not really a fan of zucchini, though.
Love that you use Mother Nature to dehydrate ❤️. In the desert there’s nothing but sand & strong winds so doing this would not work for here. Sand is everywhere 🥴🥴. 👵🏻👩🌾❣️
@@dirtpatcheaven yes, in Winnemucca Nv. We live out of town & by sand dunes. The wind gets pretty rowdy at times & blows it everywhere. I like to have my doors open for fresh air but it sifts right thru the screens. I take advantage when it’s just a breeze lol. 👩🌾👩🌾❣️
I like your bookshelf and mesh idea. I have a little smaller greenhouse that I could use the frame for. And stringing the slices with button spacers is great. What brand is the hanging rack? Do you have a link? 😊
interested to watch. I have had a productive crop of Cucuzzi, or Serpenti di Sicilia, which are actually gourds, what Sicilians ate before zucchini came from the New World. They are delicious, but different (definitely need to be peeled, and have a brownish liquid gel inside the peel). I am getting much more of them than my pathetic zucchini and squash, so I will be looking for a procedure I can adapt.
Thanks so much for the inspiration & for sharing what you've learned ! Any tips on cooking with dried food ? I've yet to ever do it ( with dehydrated veg. excepting some kale which I put into stew) . Or a book on it which you recommend ? Thanks !
Thank you for the comment! As long as I cut it less than a quarter inch thick the single button was enough. The time that they didn't dry was when I experimented just hanging them in front of a fan in the house. Those that didn't get the initial burst of heat didn't dry right once I put them outside the next day. Also shorter strings rather than long strings dry better. A lot of interesting things to learn along the way.
@@dirtpatcheaven Boy I'll say. I have learned so much from your family Julia! I love your show and watch it every chance I get. Your girls are growing up too fast too! It was the same way with my son. He's my step son but I don't think anything less of him. His mom and I married on July 4th, 1996 so we just celebrated 24 years together and my son is gonna be 31 this October. Goodness where did all that time go???!!! Anyhow the things you know totally fascinate me. My dad grew up in a farm in PA but I never did any real farming. But next year I have a goal of setting up some raised garden beds and possibly a small hydroponics garden if things work out right. So keep up the good work sweetheart. Tell John I said hello and miss seeing him in the videos.♥️
I want to know also, I have been using a children's hanging toy holder, it is all mesh, good dryer, but only 4 round shelves, $5 at a dollar store...that looks much more efficient! I checked, $65 at Walmart, or several fishing ones, less shelves. probably smaller, but $15-20, and an indoor 6 shelve open one called hortipots Amazon for $55. Good luck!
You can do it in a closet with a fan and run the dehumidifier if you have one. I know a guy that converted two closets in an apartment one for aging cheese and one he used to dry food on a rack with a fan mounted on the wall that moves back and forth. Growing food is a must now.... People are growing hydroponics vertically in their apartments by the window and inside with reflectors and grow lights. take care.
Do u have flies or gnats that swarm ur dehydrating food thats uncovered in the house? I hope this doesn't seem condescending its just a HUGE problem I have at home. I've dried things no electricity and if I laid my cake cooling racks over another rack with cloth and food sandwiched in between my goods were weevil/larvae free and has stayed that way. One year I didn't cover with the second rack just loosely covered w fabric and in storage my goods developed eggs and larvae. I know my problem, but looking for effective practices to dehydrate on a larger scale.
I'm guessing that they may not let enough air in ( need enough circulation to prevent mold, unless where u r is very dry climate maybe.) , but I'm no expert.
