CJie 1 reservation of Cjaroen ^Jooo C>rops 



Canning — Quick Freezing — dehydrating — Cellar and Outdoor Storage 



Long before the establishment of emergency food rationing, the garden owner enjoyed 

 a distinct advantage over his city brethren for the quality, flavor and superior excellence 

 of the fresh vegetables and fruits which he harvested from his garden. Today the gar- 

 dener is not only performing a patriotic service to his country by growing food crops, 

 but also has eliminated for himself many of the annoyances which point rationing entail. 

 In addition to enjoying fresh vegetables and fruits throughout the entire summer, pro- 

 visions should also be made to preserve an abundant supply for winter use. It is a 

 comparatively simple matter to do this as there are now many methods available to 

 the average householder. 



CANNING 



The U. S. Dept. of Agriculture estimates that over four billion jars of vegetables and 

 fruits were canned by householders throughout the country last year and it is expected 

 that a larger quantity will be processed during the coming year. Lack of space does not 

 permit us to go into detail in describing the various methods employed. Berries, fruits 

 and other acid products, including Rhubarb and Tomatoes, are easily sterilized by the 

 hot water bath method. Vegetables, on the other hand, because of their low acidity 

 and hard texture require much more severe sterilization. It is for this reason that a 

 pressure cooker is the ideal apparatus for the most satisfactory results. The usual 

 method for vegetables is to prepare the products as for the table, taking care to eliminate 

 all waste and to wash them carefully. The prepared vegetables are then put into jars, 

 covered with brine, and the jars are heated by standing them in boiling water, where 

 they are allowed to remain until a temperature of 200° F. is reached. They are then 

 removed from the boiling water and closed. The jars are then placed in the pressure 

 cooker and kept therein under a pressure of about 10 lbs. for a varying length of time 

 ranging from one-half to one hour, depending on the kinds of vegetables. A processing 

 table is contained in Henderson's Garden Guide and Record. 



QUICK FREEZING 



This is one of the newer methods of preserving food and one of the best from the 

 standpoint of the quality of the product. Formerly it was thought that freezing ruined 

 vegetables. Today we know that if the vegetables are precooked or blanched before 

 freezing, their full flavor, nutritive and vitamin value may be retained for many months. 

 The present limiting factor to this method of food preservation is the scarcity of freezing 

 equipment. For those who are so fortunate as to own a home cabinet, the preservation 

 of the garden products offers no problem at all. However, many communities now have 

 commercial storage houses equipped with private storage lockers which will hold any- 

 where from 100 to 200 lbs. of food, and which offer a very simple solution to the food 

 preservation problem. 



The quality of the quick frozen products taken out of the locker depends almost 

 entirely upon the quality of the vegetables or fruits put in. Quick freezing cannot put 

 into the product, quality, color and tiavor if it was not originally there; consequently, 

 care should be taken to grow for freezing purposes only those varieties of vegetables and 

 fruits which have proven to be best adapted, for this purpose. There are many varieties 

 which are favorites for fresh or canning use that are not suitable for freezing. Up to the 

 present time, no satisfactory methods have been devised for the freezing of Cabbage, 

 Celery, Cucumber. Lettuce, Radish or Tomatoes. The following are among the 

 varieties recommended: 



VEGETABLES 



Asparagus, Washington 



Beans Green Bush, Bountiful or Tendergreen 



Beans Wax, Pencil Pod or Round Pod Kidney Wax 



Beans Lima, Henderson Bush or Fordhook 



Broccoli, Riviera 



Brussels Sprouts, Long Island 



Carrot, Red Core Chantenay or Nantes Half Long 



Cauliflower, Snowball 



Corn Sweet, Golden Bantam, Golden Cross Bantam, or 



Country Gentleman 

 Kale, Curled Scotch 



Peas, Prosperity, Laxtonian, Laxton's Progress, Telephone 

 Pepper, California Wonder 

 Rhubarb, MacDonald 

 Spinach, Bloomsdale Savoy or Summer Savoy 



FRUITS 



Blackberry, Blowers 

 Blueberry, All cultivated varieties 

 Boysenberry, Hybrid 

 Dewberry, Lucretia or Young's 

 Raspberry, Latham 

 Strawberry, Dorsett 



There are numerous ways in which the various foods may be 

 prepared for freezing. Literature on this subject can be ob- 

 tained from your state Agricultural Experiment Station. 



DEHYDRATING 



This is perhaps the oldest form of food preservation known to man. It was practiced 

 extensively during the Biblical days when the sun's ravs were used as the dehydrating 

 agent. Today inexpensive dehydrating equipment can be purchased, which mav be 

 operated on a cook stove or by electricity. 



The reason for the extraordinary interest that is being manifested in this method of 

 fooa preservation is due to the fact that in dehydrating 85 to 95 percent of the weight 

 of the vegetable is removed. It is estimated that a ton of leafy vegetables such as 

 Spinach, when dehydrated will weigh only about 50 pounds. This method is 'therefore 

 ideal where storage space is at a premium. 



Many vegetables, including Beans, Beets. Carrots, Sweet Corn, Cabbage Peas 

 Turnips, Spinach, etc., can be successfully dehydrated. Root vegetables such as Beets' 

 ( arrots, and Turnips are cut and diced and placed on the dehvdrator trays where they 

 are allowed to remain after the heat has been applied until they are dry and brittle 

 They are then removed and placed in air-tight containers, where thev can remain until 

 wanted for use. 



CELLAR STORAGE 



A cool storage space in the cellar that may be shut off from the heated portion is an 

 ideal place to store such vegetables as Potatoes, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Parsnip 

 turnip. Rutabaga, Salsify, etc. The shut-off section should have an outside window 

 or air duct. I he inside walls should be insulated with celotex or some similar product 

 In the autumn the outside window should be kept open whenever the outside tempera- 

 ture is lower than that of the storage room. Later when the weather becomes cold the 

 ventilation should be regulated so that the temperature in the storage space remains a 

 few degrees above freezing. Should the storeroom become very dry. it is advisable to 

 sprinkle the floor occasionally. Onions keep best if they are placed on a tray and kept 

 in a cool dry room. 



OUTDOOR STORAGE 



The simplest Outdoor Storage is a pit constructed as shown in the illustration below 

 An excavation about one foot deep is made in a suitable location in the garden The 

 shape and size will depend to some extent upon the quantity of vegetables to be stored 

 Six inches of straw is placed on the bottom of the pit. and the vegetables piled on it in a" 

 mound or cone. Over these a six to eight inch layer of straw or hay is placed to protect 

 them trom early frost. Keep the straw lengthwise if possible, working from the bottom up 

 like a thatched roof. A wisp of straw or tile to act as a ventilator should protrude from 

 the pile about every six feet to prevent heating, sweating or rotting of the roots, lust be- 

 fore treezing weather sets in. cover the mound with two inches of soil and finally add 

 about tour more inches of soil when heavy freezing sets in. Beets. Carrots, Turnip Ruta 

 Baga. Parsnip balsity. Leek, Cabbage and Celery will keep in prime condition over a 

 long period of time. In storing Cabbage, Celery and Leek, the roots should be left on 

 the plants packed upright with the roots touching th» damo soil 



rrr 



1W VENTILATOR 



^8,WSTPvAW 



6"C0V£RIN6OFs6lL^ 

 $* * v " * — ,- ■ • 



*\-;*W§d 



LAYER OFSra 



As 



DRAINAGE TRENCH— : 



OSS SECTION OF VEGETABLE STORAGE PIT 



5 



