Preserving your harvest of high calorie gardening, think fermenting and drying.

In this article I would like you to think in terms of total production and storage. For you see when counting calories one has to think in terms of what is being consumed. This is determined by how it is preserved. Here are three examples:

A)     In Ohio I have had years where I had more tomatoes than I could freeze or can. We started drying these and we used them on salads and such. Well when I consume one cup of raw fresh tomato I am getting around 32 calories per cup. When I snack on a cup of dried tomatoes I am getting round 139 calories per cup.

B)     We have also grown cabbage. When I lived way up north I had to ferment a lot of cabbage to keep it from going to waste. Well one cup of fresh raw cabbage is around 17 calories. When I make it into sauerkraut it is about 27 calories per cup. Plus fermented foods carry a lot of benefits.

C)     How about peppers? Well a green pepper is about 18 calories per cup. A cup of dried chili peppers is around 120 calories per cup.

So when you think high calorie gardening you have to think about total production, harvest, processing, storage, and the final form it will be consumed in. So you have to look at everything when you think high calorie gardening.

Here are some fermenting resources

Fermenting has been a important means of saving food for centuries. Fermenting can turn a ok food into a supper food.

Look for German style crock with the lid water lock system
www.ohiostoneware.com

Harsch Earthenware Fermentation Crock
http://www.wisementrading.com

Making Sauerkraut
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WfPigCqKnI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqpx2IdFSmg

Mason jar fermenting using the Pickl-It system.
http://www.pickl-it.com/shop/products/singles

Kraut Kap, fermenting lids for mason jars
http://primalkitchencompany.com

With a nuka pickling bed, you can have pickles for life. Pickling in rice bran.
http://www.splendidtable.org/story/with-a-nuka-pickling-bed-you-can-have-pickles-for-life
http://kyotofoodie.com/how-to-make-nukazuke-nukadoko/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXacDTEo-jI
http://joi.ito.com/weblog/1999/04/04/nukamiso-guide.html

Here are some drying resources

Drying is another centuries old method of storing food.

++++++++++ Must Read ++++++++++++++++

Best-ever Solar Food Dehydrator Plans

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/solar-food-dehydrator-plans-zm0z14jjzmar.aspx#axzz3AgvyTmAO

Improvements to Best-ever Solar Food Dehydrator http://appropriatetec.appstate.edu/sites/appropriatetec.appstate.edu/files/HPImprovingSolarFoodDryers.pdf

Adding solar panel and fan to increase air flow
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E18.htm

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

8 Free DIY Or Homemade Solar Food Dehydrator Making Plans
http://theselfsufficientliving.com/8-free-diy-or-homemade-solar-food-dehydrator-making-plans/

Basic solar food dryer
http://makezine.com/projects/solar-food-dryer/

Basic solar food dryer 2
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago143.html

Improved solar food dryer
http://www.instructables.com/id/Large-Scale-Solar-Dehydrator/

Basic solar food dryer 3
http://10degreesabove.com/food-dryer-solar/

Basic solar food dryer 4
http://www.instructables.com/id/Solar-Food-Dehydrator-Dryer/

Basic solar food dryer 5
http://www.ecohearth.com/eco-zine/food-and-garden/650-building-a-solar-powered-food-dehydrator-.html

Solar Cookers International
http://www.solarcookers.org/

Solar Components Corporation
http://www.solar-components.com/

Rocket stove food dehydrator
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/hooker41.html

Energy Efficient Food Preservation 
http://www.geopathfinder.com/9473.html

Winiarski Wood fired Agricultural Food Dryer
http://www.aprovecho.org/public/Publications/Still-The.Winiarski.Wood.Fired.Agricultural.Food.Dryer.pdf