SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION. Summer is ending. Fall is ready to make a showy appearance. We have worked long and hard during our summer months, but the harvest is still coming in strong. You might even be thinking to yourself WHY did I plant so many _(fill in the blank)___? An abundant harvest means preserving for winter, sharing with friends, or donating even to local food distributing centers. Preserving at home is a valuable skill to learn if you plan to grow your food. It can be a little daunting at first, but it gets easier with time. Start by just learning how to freeze and store your food. The next step would be a dehydrator to preserve shelf-stable ingredients. Canning food can be broken into two processes: water-bath or pressure canning. There are numerous excellent books and resources available for learning these skills. Let’s say you don’t want to bother learning to preserve food, that means you should consider giving to friends and family, setting up a table of free produce for your neighbors, dropping off at little food pantries, finding produce swap events in your area, or consider donating your food to a local food bank. Everyone deserves access to fresh, healthy food, and we should not let abundance go to waste.
Follow Nikki @urbangnomestead on the socials for local garden growing advice, #farmlife and some hilarious videos. And check out her free monthly garden talks from 1-3 p.m. the final Sunday of each month at Ridgeline Brewing, Bremerton. This month’s focus: Garlic
