Now that September is here and we are closer to the fall equinox, preserving the flavors of peak summer is prime for the picking—or the pickling! There are many ways to preserve the bounty of produce from farmers markets including pickling, fermenting, freezing, canning, dehydrating, and more. Without wishing the summer season away, think ahead to what you might want to be eating through the winter that won’t be available after the first frost in mid-October until their long awaited return next summer.
If you are new to food preservation, pick up a book from your local library or bookstore or search for workshops in the area. Some methods are flexible and go with the flow while others have specific needs or instructions or promote food safety.
Savoring the season and preserving the harvest is a longstanding cultural tradition across the world with early beginnings in lacto-fermentation. Fermentation involves submerging fruits and vegetables in a salt (and sometimes added water) brine, keeping the produce below the surface of the brine with a weight to create an environment where the good bacteria (lactobacillis) grows and the bad bacteria stays at bay. Add a burping lid or a setup that allows the carbon dioxide to release without oxygen getting in. Place it in a cool dark place to ferment for four days to two weeks, depending on the room temperature and how tangy you like it — be sure to check on it regularly. Once fermented, remove the burping setup and weight, seal it with lid and keep it in the fridge for a couple months to a year. You can ferment almost any vegetable though crunchier vegetables lend themselves well - think cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, peppers, and beets. Lacto-fermented and blended hot peppers make a delicious hot sauce.
With modern conveniences, water bath or pressure canning is another popular way to stock your shelves through the winter. Canning helps reduce waste and save money by reusing glass jars or buying bulk seconds from farmers. Farms like Gaining Ground Farm (at River Arts District and North Asheville markets) often sell seconds or canning tomatoes in big boxes for this very purpose. Making shelf-stable canned produce is ideal for high acid foods like tomatoes, fruits, jams, and pickled (with vinegar) vegetables. Just imagine a cold mid-winter day with warm heirloom tomato sauce made from peak summer harvests. While most berries have finished up for the year, figs make an excellent jam preserve that will surely wow a holiday charcuterie board, just be sure to add enough acid, like lemon juice, in your canning process. Find a canning recipe that sparks your taste buds and follow the food safety instructions.
Quick pickling is similar to canning pickled produce but without the canning process. While not shelf-stable, quick pickles can last in the fridge for weeks to months. Pack veggies of choice into your jar or glass container — think pickled red onions or bread and butter pickles. Make a boiling hot brine of one cup water to one cup vinegar, 1 tbsp of salt, add some honey if desired and pour over the packed veggies. You can add garlic slices, peppercorn, chili flakes, or mustard seed for an added flavor boost.
Dehydrating and freezing can both be quite manageable. You can purchase a dehydrator for a fairly affordable price these days or you dehydrate using a home oven on a low temperature over many hours. Herbs can be easily bundled and hung upside down in your kitchen. Freezing usually requires blanching the produce first, making it a multi-step process. If you want to be sure pieces do not freeze together, spread them flat on a tray to freeze first before transferring to freezer bags.
If you end up not doing any food preservation yourself, many vendors at Buncombe County farmers markets have you covered nearly year-round. Find preserves from Root Bottom Farm at West Asheville, Imladris at North Asheville Tailgate Market, Stump Farms at Asheville City Market, Windy Hollow Farm at Weaverville Tailgate Market, McConnell Farms at North Asheville Tailgate Market, and Creasman Farms at West Asheville, City, North Asheville, and Black Mountain markets. Find lacto-fermented products from Serotonin at West Asheville, River Arts District, North Asheville, and Black Mountain markets and Fermenti at East Asheville Tailgate Market. You can also find preserved herbs and spices from Well Seasoned Table at North Asheville Tailgate Market–and you can visit them on ASAP’s Farm Tour on September 20-21, 12-5 p.m.
At markets now you’ll also find collards, beets, carrots, apples, mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, okra, peppers, eggplant, garlic, onions, green beans, microgreens, many types of fresh herbs, and more. Markets offer an abundance of farm-fresh eggs and meats, including chicken, pork, beef, and lamb. You can also get bread, cheese, pastries, fermented products, drinks, and prepared foods. During springtime, find annual and perennial plant starts for your gardens along with fresh flowers. As always, you can find information about farms, tailgate markets, and farm stands, including locations and hours, by visiting ASAP’s online Local Food Guide at appalachiangrown.org.
|
|
|
ASAP's mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food.
|
|
|
|
|
ASAP's Farm Tour, September 20-21, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day, is right around the corner! Purchase a car pass, good for everyone in a vehicle, and view all participating farms at asapconnections.org.
We are still seeking volunteers to support farms as they receive visitors. Spend one afternoon (11:30–5 p.m.) welcoming visitors at a participating farm, and then tour for free on the day you aren’t volunteering.
It's a fun and rewarding weekend of connecting with local farms, meeting visitors from across the region, and getting a behind-the-scenes look into the operations of working family farms in Western North Carolina. All participating farms are located within one hour of Asheville.
Learn more and fill out our volunteer form. You can let us know which farm you want to be placed at, too. Farm placements depend on availability and first some first served requests.
|
|
|
|
|
