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Cornell Cooperative Extension

Farm to freezer: the benefits of preserving food

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Green Jeans Market Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

By Julia Howard

Late summer’s bounty of fruits and vegetables is here. Vine-ripened tomatoes shift from green to red almost overnight, ripe cucumbers seem to hide under every leaf, and zucchinis of all shapes and sizes make impressive harvests. Whether you are a home gardener or an avid farmers’ market shopper, the abundance of summer produce can be overwhelming as they are only fresh for so long.

Freezing food, iStock

While enjoying fresh food is undoubtedly the best, preserving fresh fruits and vegetables has many benefits. Canning, drying, and freezing allow you to control your food ingredients and eat healthy year-round. Preserving food reduces food waste, waste in landfills, and our environmental footprint. It also contributes to the local economy and your wallet. With time and proper instruction, canning, drying, and freezing food is surprisingly easy.

There are specific methods to preserve certain foods; however, the fruits and vegetables that can be preserved are countless. Apples may be cooked down into applesauce for canning or freezing. Tomatoes may be stewed or dried or made into sauce or salsa. Cucumbers, beets, bell peppers, cauliflower, and green beans can be pickled. Mushrooms, berries, herbs, and even kale can be dried. You can freeze fruit, and many vegetables can be blanched and frozen.

Pickling, iStock

Before getting started, Diane Whitten, Food Preservation Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, stresses the importance of food safety. “Always start with good quality fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Whitten. “Preserve them as soon as possible,” she adds.

In the day of online recipes and instructions, Whitten emphasizes the importance of using safe preservation methods to avoid spoilage, contamination, and even botulism (food poisoning caused by bacteria). Whitten offers several in-depth presentations and how-to videos from verified sources on Cornell Cooperative Extension’s website. Whitten also recommends The National Center for Home Food Preservation as an online source for current research-based recommendations for most home food preservation methods.

Don’t shy away when you find a good deal on a flat of tomatoes, a bushel of apples, or quarts of beets, cucumbers, or beans at the farmers’ market. There is a use for everything, and preserving food at home can be fun and very beneficial.

This week’s recipe: Refrigerator Pickled Beets

Cooking fresh and flavorful summer meals

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By Julia Howard

Wednesday Market, photo by Pattie Garrett

At home, when the weather gets hot, we often turn to cool meals and eat al fresco outside on the patio. It’s time for hearty summer salads, refreshing chilled soups, cold drinks and smoothies, and grilling flavorful fish, seafood, meat, and poultry.

Summer eating becomes a way to connect with our immediate environment and the seasons – a ritual that we savor in Upstate New York. For inspiration, Diane Whitten, Food and Nutrition Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension in Saratoga County, reminds us that fresh food is the best food. “In the summer, it’s so much easier to eat healthy with fresh produce,” says Whitten. “At the farmers’ market, the produce is so fresh and flavorful that it calls out to you. You can’t get it any fresher,” she adds.

Produce sold at the farmers’ market is harvested sometimes within hours of being placed on market tables and sold to customers. “Because it’s so fresh, fruits, vegetables, and herbs are flavorful on their own with little added ingredients,” explains Whitten.

In following the farmers’ market tradition of eating fresh, Diane Whitten shares three of her favorite in-season summer recipes: chilled cucumber soup, green peanut butter and banana smoothie, and sesame snow peas. These recipes feature in-season ingredients available at this week’s markets.

A fresher way to get through the week

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By Emily Meagher

Market at High Rock Park, photo by Pattie Garrett

Weekend farmers’ markets are a great way to unwind from the week, spend time with family and friends, and stock your fridge for the week ahead. But there’s no need to wait until the weekend to do this – the Saratoga Farmers’ Market’s midweek market, rain or shine, on Wednesdays, 3-6 pm, offers a way to get the freshest foods – usually picked off the land the day before or even that morning.

This year’s return of the midweek market to downtown Saratoga in High Rock Park offers a more intimate, slower-paced alternative to the Saturday markets. Product offerings include fresh produce, plants and flowers, eggs, baked goods, prepared foods, tool sharpening services, and more.

Scotch Ridge Berry Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

Vendors appreciate the market’s different characteristics. “Midweek markets are a great opportunity for farmers since it provides a platform to sell your freshest products that otherwise might not make it to the weekend,” says Charles Holub, owner of Scotch Ridge Berry & Tree Farm. He notes that since his farm doesn’t use pesticides or herbicides, they must pick berries every other day to avoid critters. “And naturally grown fruit doesn’t keep long after picking – just a day or two – so these midweek markets let us sell more of our product,” Holub adds.

For customers, the smaller size of the Wednesday market is a draw, especially this year. “Many customers prefer the smaller crowds – plus it makes it easier to have more meaningful personal interactions with customers,” says Becky Dennison of Shushan Valley Hydro Farms. “Since there’s less traffic, products don’t sell out as quickly, and there’s not such a rush for customers to get to the market. The atmosphere is very laid back,” adds Charles Holub.

Owl Wood Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

A family-friendly affair, this season’s Wednesday markets will offer the Power of Produce Club with themed activities for children of all ages (running June 30th through September 1). Market-goers can also expect weekly live music and community guests (including the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners offering gardening tips and soil testing every third Wednesday of the month). Also, on Wednesday, July 21 and Wednesday, August 11, representatives from the Office for the Aging will hand out free Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons to be spent on fruits and vegetables at the farmers’ market.

Visit the Wednesday market every week, 3-6pm at High Rock Park!

This week’s recipe: Pasta with Spring Vegetables

Smart gardening with starter plants

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Green Jeans Market Farm, photo by Pattie Garrett

By Julia Howard

With spring’s last projected frost date safely behind us, gardening enthusiasts take out their trowels and prepare garden plots for planting. But if you’re new to gardening, the process may seem overwhelming. We spoke with Susan Beebe, Assistant Director/Agriculture Issue Leader of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, to understand the basics of gardening with starter plants.

To begin, determine where you would like to plant. Perhaps you have space for a garden or raised beds in your yard, or maybe planting in containers seems more feasible. If planting in the ground, Susan Beebe explains that the first and most crucial step is to determine the pH of your soil. “Soil pH is important because it will help you prepare to plant your garden,” explains Beebe. To collect a soil sample, walk through the area that you would like to plant and collect soil samples from various places. Dig 3” to 8” deep and scoop about ½ cup of soil into a clean container. Soil samples may be brought to Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener table at the farmers’ market on the third Wednesday of every month or directly to their office.

Balet Flowers & Design, photo by Pattie Garrett

If planting in raised beds, Beebe recommends combining potting soil and compost to hold water and prevent moisture from draining out. “Soil is alive and full of microorganisms that plants need to survive,” says Beebe. “Adding green manure, compost, or even a cover crop can keep soil healthy while planting in raised beds.”

If planting in containers, Beebe advises using soilless mixes rather than potting soil. “A benefit to the soilless mixes is that they are much lighter than potting soil and allow you to move your containers around. The counterpart is that these mixes have a tendency to dry out, so depending on the location, you may have to water your containers more,” explains Beebe.

Once your soil is ready, it’s time to buy plants. Several vendors offer various herbs, fruit, and vegetable starter plants at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. These plants are typically several weeks old and have been nurtured through the most delicate early stages of growth by professional growers in a greenhouse. If you have questions about what to plant, ask the growers; Balet Flowers & Design, Burger’s MarketGarden, Gomez Veggie Ville, Green Jeans Market Farm, Leaning Birch Farm, Old Tavern Farm, and Scotch Ridge Berry Farm.

Burger’s MarketGarden, photo by Pattie Garrett

Now it’s time to plant. Once you’ve popped the first plant out of the container, pull the roots apart with your hands gently; you can look to see how tightly wound the roots are. “You need to pull the roots apart with your hands gently,” Susan Beebe instructs. “You may even use a little knife to break the roots because the goal is to stop their circling motion so that they can spread into the ground,” she adds. When planting, maintain the level it was grown at rather than planting deeper. “The only exception is leggy tomato plants that you can bury deeper,” says Beebe.

Once your starters are planted, water generously and ensure 6+ hours of sunlight a day. Some leafy crops like spinach can thrive with less sun; however, vegetables like carrots, beets, and peppers need 6+ hours a day.

Fruit and vegetables thrive and produce more with light fertilizing at planting. The appropriate fertilizer depends on how you’re growing and what your growing. Beebe recommends side-dressing again with fertilizer 2-3 weeks after planting to ensure healthy, productive plants.

Food Preservation Resources: Preserving Rhubarb

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Compiled and shared by Cornell Cooperative Extension, by Martha Zepp, Program Assistant, Penn State Extension

Rhubarb is the vegetable that is enjoyed as a fruit. By itself, it provides a unique tart flavor, but combined with other foods to create sauces, pies, cakes, cobblers and jams provides us with delicious flavor combinations.

Selecting
Although fresh rhubarb is at its peak through May and June, harvesting can continue through the summer if plants have adequate water and don’t wilt from the intense heat of July and August. The quality is best if it can be pulled from the garden and used before stems have a chance to dry. Choose rhubarb stems that are bright pink, crisp, and free of disease or insect damage. Pull the stems from ground level instead of cutting them. At any given time, harvest less than one-third of the stalks from any one plant.

Do not eat rhubarb leaves, as they are poisonous.

Canning
Rhubarb can be canned or used in making jams and jellies. The National Center for Home Food Preservation has recipes for stewed rhubarb and rhubarb-strawberry jelly.

It is not safe to add any type of thickening to rhubarb before canning because the starch will interfere with the transfer of heat to the center of the jar during processing.

If you desire a thicker rhubarb sauce, add a little cornstarch, tapioca, or modified starch after you open the jar prior to serving.

Freezing
Rhubarb freezes well. Rhubarb can be packed into containers or freezer bags raw or pre-heated. Raw rhubarb gives a good quality frozen product without added sugar. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, heating rhubarb in boiling water one minute and cooling promptly in cold water helps retain color and flavor. (Cut stalks in lengths to fit freezer container or bag before heating.) Watch the time closely as overcooking will cause it to lose its shape.

A dry pack simply involves putting either raw or blanched rhubarb into containers without sugar leaving ½ inch head space. Tray packs also work well with raw rhubarb. Spread a single layer of cut rhubarb on trays, freeze until firm (1 to 2 hours), then put in air tight bags or containers.

Rhubarb may also be frozen with sugar or syrup.

  •  For a sugar pack, mix 1 part sugar and 4 parts rhubarb and allow to stand until sugar is dissolved before packing into freezer containers.
  • A syrup pack involves covering the rhubarb with syrup made by combining 1 cup sugar with 2 cups water and allowing adequate head space for expansion–½ inch for pints and 1 inch for quarts in wide top containers.
  • In general, up to one-fourth of the sugar may be replaced with corn syrup or mild flavored honey.
  • When cooking with rhubarb that is frozen in syrup, remember to include the sugar as part of the recipe.

Freezing already cooked rhubarb dishes saves time when serving. Plain sweetened sauces or those thickened with tapioca or ThermFlo® freeze well. Breads, cakes, cobblers, and some pies freeze well, but don’t freeze rhubarb custard pies.

Source: https://extension.psu.edu/preserving-rhubarb, 5-8-2020.

Check out this video on How to Freeze Rhubarb to see both Dry Pack and Tray Pack methods

Provided by Diane Whitten, Nutrition Educator, Cornell Cooperative Extension. More food preservation resources can be found at http://ccesaratoga.org/nutrition-food/food-preservation.

Find rhubarb recipes here!

Rhubarb Recipes

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Provided by Cornell Cooperative Extension
Saratoga County (518) 885-8995
www.ccesaratoga.org

Rhubarb Chili: A Tangy Twist to a Classic Recipe
2 pounds tomatoes (about 3 cups)
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef (optional)
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 cups rhubarb, diced
30 ounces canned black beans

To prepare tomatoes, blanch, remove skin and chop. In a large sauce pan on medium heat, sauté onion and garlic with olive oil and ground beef, if desired. Drain fat, if necessary. Add broth, blanched tomatoes, raisins, chili powder and allspice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in rhubarb and black beans and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Makes 8, 1 ¼ cup servings, 10 servings if made with beef.

Nutrition per serving without beef: 190 calories; 3 g fat; 0 g sat. fat; 9 g protein; 510 mg sodium; 32 g carbohydrate, 9 g fiber. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value), Iron (15% daily value).

 

Rhubarb Apple Crumble Bars

1 cup chopped fresh rhubarb
1 cup peeled, chopped apple
1 cup packed brown sugar, divided
4 tablespoon water, divided
1 teaspoon lime juice
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup flaked, unsweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 F°. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, apple, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of water and the lime juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until rhubarb is tender.

Combine the cornstarch with and the remaining 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Gradually stir into the rhubarb mixture and bring back to a boil for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, coconut, salt and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar. Pour in the melted butter and stir until mixture is crumbly.

In a greased 8-inch square pan, pour in half the oat mixture and press down lightly with the back of a spoon. Top with the rhubarb mixture and then spread the remaining oat mixture on top. Bake at 350 F° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition per serving: 299 calories; 10 g fat; 4 g sat. fat; 3 g protein; 162 mg sodium; 51 g
carbohydrate, 3 g fiber. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (40% daily value)

 

Rhubarb Almond Muffins
½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 tbsp butter, melted
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup brown sugar
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup rhubarb, finely diced

Topping
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup sliced almonds, crushed
2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin tin, or line with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, 2 tbsp of melted butter, oil and egg. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup of brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix until just blended. Fold in rhubarb. Spoon into the prepared muffin tin, filling cups at least 2/3 full. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, almonds, and 2 teaspoons of melted butter. Spoon over the tops of the muffins, and press down lightly. Bake for 25 minutes (20 minutes for mini-muffins), or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing.

Makes 1 dozen muffins or 2 dozen mini-muffins.

Nutrition per serving: Calories:170; fat:6g; sat fat:1.5g; sodium:125mg, carbs:28g.

 

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

1 pound Rhubarb, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 pint Strawberries, quartered
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
Shortcake biscuits

Place rhubarb in a medium sauce pan. On medium heat slowly warm rhubarb. After the rhubarb cooks and releases water, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add strawberries and sugar. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, if desired. Allow to cool slightly. Serve over shortcake biscuits or vanilla ice cream.

Makes about 4 cups sauce. Makes 8-10 servings.