Preserving Summer: A Round-Up of Inspiration

In case you wanted to approach Labor Day weekend in a very literal sense, I’m sharing a round-up of preserving tutorials for seasonal fruits and vegetables today. I’ve set aside some time tomorrow to pack my freezer with certain vegetables and berries that I know will be disappearing from the market soon.

For a practical application of this post, may I suggest you first scan the list below, then take note of what you and your family will use the most. After that, think about what you are able to source – Is blueberry season over? Are your favorite saucing apples ripe yet? – before deciding on a weekend project.

Here is more practical advice on how to make time and get organized to can and preserve the harvest. Have fun!

How to Freeze Sweet Corn

Are those bright green ears of corn as plentiful where you are as they are here? I eyed a 10lb sac today at the market, remembering how easy it was to freeze last summer. And oh, how we enjoyed stirring those bags of sweet kernels into soup, risotto, and chili all winter long; definitely worth the effort.

Get the tutorial: Freezing Sweet Corn

How to Can Peaches

I think having a few jars of these silky smooth peaches around helped us get through a particularly looong cold spell last February. We would spoon them out of the jar, top them with whipped cream and eat them silently, allowing their tartness to awaken our hibernating taste buds, if only for a moment.

Get the tutorial: Home Canned Peaches

Home Canned Tomatoes

A veritable pantry staple, you should have a couple dozen quarts of canned tomatoes ‘put up’ as you head into winter. Fortunately Marisa tells us how to do just that in easy-to-understand terms.

Get the tutorial: Whole Canned Tomatoes

Freezing Broccoli 101

Simple steamed broccoli served with a pat of butter is the boys’ preferred way to enjoy broccoli and the frozen florets reconstitute quite nicely. I also like having a few bags on hand over the winter for tossing into stirfries and the like.

Get the tutorial: How to Freeze Broccoli

Garlic-Dill Pickles

I still have not made my own pickles, but if you’re eager to try your hand at it this fall, I highly recommend Lynn’s step-by-step tutorial for Garlic Dill Pickles. She quips that the beauty of canning your own pickles is that you can make them to suit your own personal tastes and needs. Pints or quarts, dill or sweet, garlic or jalapeno, you choose. So now’s your chance to get started!

Get the tutorial: Making Pickles 101

How to Make Your Own Blueberry Syrup

Blueberry season is short and the berries won’t wait around; this syrup is my new favorite way to preserve the sweet dark berries.

Get the tutorial: Homemade Blueberry Syrup

Classic Applesauce

We’re making plans to go apple picking with friends soon. We always pack a picnic, warm sweaters for the kids, and make an outing of it. Then, I make applesauce.

Get the tutorial: Classic Homemade Applesauce

Preserving Herbs

Despite a late start, my herb garden is flourishing. I need to harvest soon and preserve the fragrant plants for winter. Pesto, drying, and freezing – all are good options for storing herbs, but how do you know which technique is right for which herb?

Get the tutorial: How to Preserve Summer’s Herbs

Tomato Sauce for Freezing

This lovely, full bodied tomato sauce is easy to make and freezes beautifully for one of those nights when you are just too tired to cook. Hmm, in particular I’m thinking about early March when our family will have welcomed a new little member.

Get the tutorial: Tomato Herb Sauce for Freezing

What is next on your list to preserve?

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19 Comments

  1. Pickles actually. I just made some freezer jam this past weekend, so I’m ready to try another project! Corn and tomatoes would be useful, but we’ll see. I don’t want to take on too much.

  2. These all sound soooo good. Right now (when it’s 100 degrees) nothing sounds better than late September apple picking followed by homemade applesauce!

    I have herbs growing in my garden, but I never preserve them properly. I’m resolving that THIS is the year when I actually properly dry my oregano and whip my basil up into pesto to freeze!

  3. We freeze our own strawberries so we can have smoothies all winter long! It’s so nice…

    I prefer freezing as opposed to canning, because it preserves more nutrients.

  4. I’ve found so many great ideas on your blog, I’m adding it to my list of ‘regulars’. I found you originally while looking for things to do with tomatoes (which I have so many of they’re starting to take over my kitchen) – and your lacto-fermented salsa is on my ‘todo’ list for the weekend.

    However, I might have to stop visiting for a few days – everything looks so good my list has gets longer every time I visit!

  5. This is an awesome post. My husband and I have been talking about learning more about canning and freezing summer produce for use during the winter months.

  6. I just finished blanching broccoli, cauliflower and summer squash to enjoy all winter long – all from our little garden! 🙂 And last week I bottled 63 qts. of pears, made pear juice and pear butter. I will be blanching more veggies soon. Thanks for all the great information!

  7. I had just read the tutorial on making pickles. And great tips on preserving their crunchiness that they are well loved for. This post is very useful for future reference. Thanks for sharing such valuable info.

  8. Okay… I’m convinced! I’m planting a garden this year and am going to give canning a try. Thanks for the detailed tutorials. I love this site!