Preserving The Harvest

The rush is on, folks! The Ohio growing season is officially over, but that doesn't mean that you can't still enjoy the wonderful fall flavors for several more months. Fall produce, such as apples, pumpkins and squash are among the easiest fruits to keep in cold storage. A bushel of apples kept cool and dry will keep for many weeks, pumpkins and squash for months. A cooler in an uninsulated garage will keep your fall fruit fresh through Christmas and beyond!

We'll have an abundance of apples this week that are perfect for saucing and turning into apple butter...preserved in a pretty jar, it makes a beautiful holiday gift! We'll also have apples on hand for drying, canning or freezing for quick wintertime desserts. Pumpkin is also great for preserving! Cubed into small pieces and pressure canned, you can have fresh, pie-ready pumpkin for a year...if it lasts that long! Simply drain the cubed pumpkin and puree, then create your favorite winter sweet, like pumpkin bread or even better, pumpkin cheesecake!

If you've never tried your hand at canning, this is the perfect time to start! The weather is cool, the days are short and the produce is abundant. And trust me when I say there's nothing more satisfying on a bitter winter evening than a warm bowl of homemade applesauce topped off with cinnamon and served with freshly baked graham crackers. For more information on safe home-canning practices, check out these websites:

http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/foodpres.shtml

http://extension.osu.edu/health_and_nutrition/food_preservation.php

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/index.html

Good luck and good canning!