B. Bailey

While butternut squash have overtaken my backyard I have found Kabocha squash growing in a tree, up the side of my house, my back porch and over the butternut. This was my first year planting it and hadn't really expected much out of it based on the plants in the garden. The two plants that I stuck in the ground near the backyard were forgotten, until the sight of pumpkins hanging from a tree caught my attention.. they prefer to climb apparently. And climb everything.

John F Dean wrote:I got into in interesting discussion with another homesteader. Do you blanch foods before you dehydrate them?

Hi everyone, I've been just reading and unsure if this is how we reply and post.. if I'm doing it incorrect please advise.
I don't blanch anything before dehydrating, however I do soak the fruits and veggies for about 10-15 minutes in a regular peroxide (1 tbsp to 1 gal) water bath, then rinse and dry. For delicate produce like leaves and thin skinned fruit the soak time is shorter.
Also removing the produce as opposed to draining the soaking water out is preferred as any grit from the garden will settle to the bottom of the pail.