Keeping the Harvest for Another Day

If you grow a garden, shop at a farmer’s market, or live on and close to farms like we do here in Georgia, you already know one thing for certain — when the harvest comes in, it comes in fast. One week you’re patiently waiting for the first ripe tomato, and the next week your kitchen counter looks like a produce stand. That’s where food preservation becomes one of the most useful skills you can learn.

Food preservation is simply the process of saving fresh foods so they can be enjoyed later. Long before grocery stores offered strawberries in December or sweet corn in February, families used different preservation techniques. These methods helped to stretch the harvest through the year. My momma practiced several of these methods when I was growing up. I didn’t fully appreciate the value of those skills until I was older. I came back to my roots (farm life).

These days, preserving food isn’t just about necessity — well, with the prices of groceries today — it’s a necessity. I want to share with you about how you can preserve foods like Momma taught me. It’s about flavor, reducing waste, and keeping a little bit of the growing season tucked away for later.

Let’s walk through some of the most common techniques and how beginners can get started.

Why Food Preservation Still Matters

One of the biggest benefits of preserving food is that it allows you to take advantage of seasonal abundance. When fruits and vegetables are in season, they are usually cheaper, fresher, and taste better. Think about fresh peaches in the summer. If you live near a peach farm, you know their sweetness. They’re juicy when picked at the right time. Preserving those peaches means you can enjoy that same flavor months later when the trees are bare and winter has settled in. Food preservation also helps reduce waste. Instead of letting extra produce spoil, you can freeze it, can it, or dry it for later use.

Common Techniques of Food Preservation

There are several different ways to preserve food. Each method works best for certain types of foods. Please read the safety tips for preserving food.

Canning

Canning is one of the most well-known preservation methods. This process involves sealing food in jars and heating them to prevent harmful bacteria from growing. Please read Ensuring Safe Canned Foods by the National Center of Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia.

There are two types of canning:

1. Water bath canning is used for high-acid foods such as:
   • Fruits
   • Jams and jellies
   • Pickles
   • Tomatoes with added acid
   • Salsa
     Water bath canning is often the best place for beginners to start. The process is simple. It requires only basic equipment. Using the water bath method, we use a Granite Ware 21-Quartz Stock pot with lid, and canning racks.
2. Pressure canning, on the other hand, is used for low-acid foods like:
   • Vegetables
   • Meats
   • Soups
   • Beans
     Pressure canners allow food to reach the higher temperatures necessary to safely preserve it. We just recently upgraded our pressure canner to a 30 Qt. But for starting out, there is no need for an expensive purchase like this. I recommend using a Presto 12 Qt canner. Presto is a good name and has been around for a while now.

When I was younger, my momma used both methods. However, she warned me about pressure cookers so often that I avoided them for years like the plague. My husband reassured me it was fine. Today, I watch him use a pressure canner like they are going out of style, LOL. Luckily, modern equipment is much safer and easier to use than the old models many of us grew up seeing.

Explore my canning recipes.

Freezing

Freezing is probably the easiest preservation method for beginners. We have used it for years. Freezing food is an inexpensive way to preserve it, but you must make sure it’s done properly as well. Most fruits and vegetables freeze well if they are prepared correctly. Some vegetables require blanching, which means briefly boiling them before freezing to preserve color and flavor. Some foods have a cellular breakdown when thawed, which may not be what you expected. But these foods are still good cooked in dishes or for making relishes, jams, or jellies.

Foods that freeze well include:

• Berries
• Corn
• Green beans
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Cooked meats and raw meats
• Bread.
• Milk

Freezing works especially well if you want to preserve food quickly without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. When I freeze foods I typically use this vacuum sealer I got at Bass Pro Shop years ago. I have also used freezer containers and bags, but you need to watch for freezer burn The vacuum sealer is much better. Visit the USDA website Freezing Foods Safely.

Dehydrating

Dehydrating removes moisture from food, preventing bacteria and mold from growing. You can use a dehydrator, an oven on low heat, or even air drying for certain foods like herbs. Dried foods are lightweight, store easily, and last a long time when kept in airtight containers. We use a dehydrator similar to this one from Agri-Supply. Dehydration works well for foods like:

• Apples
• Bananas
• Herbs
• Jerky
• Tomatoes

Pickling

Pickling preserves food by using vinegar or brine to create an acidic environment where bacteria cannot grow. Pickling adds a whole new flavor profile to vegetables and is a favorite method for many home cooks. Plus it gives you the ability to have vegetables during the off seasons. The University of Georgia’s website talks about Pickling.

Common pickled foods include:

• Cucumbers
• Peppers
• Onions
• Beets
• Okra

Getting Started with Food Preservation

If you are just beginning your preservation journey, the most important thing to remember is start simple. Choose one method and one recipe (jellies and jams are the easiest to start with). Don’t try to learn everything at once. For many beginners, water bath canning or freezing is the easiest place to begin with food preservation. Here are a few tips to make the process smoother:

• Use tested recipes. Reliable recipes like these from Ball ensure food is preserved safely.
• Follow directions carefully. Preservation relies on correct timing and measurements.
• Start with small batches. Once you gain confidence, you can increase your quantity.
• Label everything. Always write the date and contents on jars or freezer bags.

A Pantry Full of Possibilities

One of my favorite parts of food preservation is how it connects the seasons. Summer might be filled with jars of strawberry jam, peach preserves, and tomato salsa. Fall brings applesauce and apple butter. Winter is when those preserved foods start making their way back onto the table. Opening a jar you canned months earlier has a way of bringing back memories of warm sunshine and garden harvests. It’s a little like capturing a moment in time.

Final Thoughts

Food preservation may seem old-fashioned, but the truth is these skills are more valuable today than ever. They help us waste less, save money, and enjoy the flavors of fresh food year-round. You don’t need a huge garden or fancy equipment to start. All it takes is a willingness to try something new and a little patience along the way.

Before long, you might find your pantry filling up with jars. Your freezer will be stocked with summer produce. Your kitchen will carry the quiet satisfaction that comes from doing things the old-fashioned way. Trust me. Once you taste homemade jam in the middle of winter, you’ll understand exactly why people have been preserving food for generations.

ShARe The LoVE!