OSU HOME | FIND ANSWERS | FIND PEOPLE | COUNTY OFFICES | NEWS | SEARCH EXTENSION Extension Home About Us Administration Campus Offices 4-H Youth Agriculture Family/Community Forestry Sea Grant Publications & Multimedia Catalog Extension Service Garden Hints Make food preservation a part of garden planning CORVALLIS, Ore. "“ If you're planning a vegetable garden for the first time, consider the quantity of what you'll grow. "While a flourishing garden is a sight to behold, dealing with excess vegetables can be a burden," said Carolyn Raab, Oregon State University Extension food and nutrition specialist. Your local food bank might be happy to take your overabundance, but you may want to preserve some for later use. Some vegetables, such as lettuce, need to be eaten fresh. Others, such as potatoes and squash, can be stored in cool areas such as a root cellar or basement. "Most vegetables, however, must be preserved in some way to prevent spoilage by enzymes and microorganisms," Raab said. People preserve for a variety of reasons, such as continuing a family tradition or because friends do it. Others like to have a high-quality product made from locally grown food, or they simply enjoy a feeling of satisfaction. If you're interested in getting started in food preservation, Raab suggests asking yourself these questions: If you can vegetables other than tomatoes, you must use a pressure canner, Raab warned. "Only a pressure canner can prevent the possibility of botulism, a deadly food-borne illness." If saving money is one of the primary reasons for preserving food, it's a good idea to consider the costs of equipment and supplies, fuel consumption for running a freezer, personal time and energy and the cost of similar food preserved commercially. These publications from the OSU Extension Service will help you safely can garden fruits and vegetables. "Canning Vegetables," (PNW 172), a 14-page guide, offers a safety checklist for pressure canning. It includes information on equipment, preparation of vegetables, packing jars, adding salt, safely sealing jars and storing. You can order this publication for $1 each (plus shipping and handling) by calling 541-737-2513, or order online at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/abstract.php?seriesno=PNW+172 "Canning Fruit," (PNW 199), offers instructions on processing fruit in a boiling water canner. It includes information on selecting and preparing equipment, canning methods with or without sugar and specific processing times for each type of fruit. It is online at http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/abstract.php?seriesno=PNW+199 The following food preservation information is online free of charge. Making Dried Fruit Leather Pickling Fish and Other Aquatic Foods for Home Use Canning Seafood Freezing Fruits and Vegetables Smoking Fish at Home"”Safely Freezing Convenience Foods that You've Prepared at Home Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products Pickling Vegetables Using and Caring for Your Pressure Canner Home Canning Smoked Fish Home Freezing of Seafood By: Judy Scott