Harvesting, processing & storage systems

Overview At Brook End, its not just a question of growing vegetables, fruits, herbs and other crops to eat - its designing so that we can easily harvest, process and store them. They are as time-consuming activities as sowing seeds and are an important part of small holding life. In this section I have aimed to summarize the different preserving techniques in our toolbox, explore what equipment we may need and highlight low energy ways of storing food while integrating permaculture principles.

Applying permaculture
CATCH & STORE ENERGY In permaculture we aim to design to maximize the work that nature does for us, and it terms of harvesting this may mean that we utilize ways of storing vegetables using solar energy or the cooling energy of the soil, before plugging in to the grid or using imported materials such as oils. It also means leaving plants alive and harvesting regularly. Fruit: Apples & pears - early maturing varieties are unlikely to keep for long & should be used quickly. Some of the best keepers include Cox's orange pippin, Laxton's Superb, Sturmer Pippin & Bramley's seedling The ideal place should be cool, dark & slightly moist. A constant temperature and humidity helps to prevent disease & shriveling, ideally about 2-4 degrees. A cellar, shed or outhouse with an earth, brick or concrete floor is ideal. Stack in trays with enough air circulation between fruits & paper in-between. Vegetables: Beetroots, carrots, potatoes, turnips & swedes can all be stored in boxes or clamps well protected from frost or mice. The vegetables can be packed in boxes with dry sand or wood ash to prevent shriveling and frost damage. Artichokes, celery, leeks & parsnips can be left in the ground. Marrows, pumpkins & squashes can be cut before the frost arrives and stored in a cool, dry place. They can even be hung in old stockings or tights! Onions can be placed in trays and when dried hound in a plaited rope. MULTIFUNCTION There is no reason why storage facilities have to serve this sole purpose. Sepp Holzer says, "Earth is the cheapest and best insulation and provides a steady room temperature, which means shelters can also be used to store fruit and crops" in relation to his constructed earth shelters and roundwood shelters used for animals and crops.

BIGGEST EFFECT FOR LEAST EFFORT Making jams and chutneys and all sorts can take a lot of time, to prepare, to clean up. To minimize energy we now ask: Can a lot of processing tasks be done at once? Saving time washing up & so forth. Can tasks be outsourced e.g. it is worth paying 1 to get the quantity of apples we harvest professionally pressed? Which items do we most need stored over winter e.g. are most expensive new or unavailable locally or easily? What items are worth the bang for their buck in terms of deliciousness, sheer favoritism and nutrition? Does paying the extra electric for a freezer for more storage offset the cost of buying that food?

Preserving methods
Bottling Candied & crystallized fruits Drying Fermentation Freezing Fruit cheeses & butters Fruit syrups Jams Jellies Marmalades Medicine Making Mincemeats & curds Oil Pestos Pickles Pickles & chutneys Preserving in alcohol Purees Salting Sauces & ketchups Vinegars

Equipment needed
Accurate Scales Airlock Bottle stoppers Clip jars Demijohn Domestic stainless steel smoke Food processor Glass bottles Jam funnel Jam pan Jelly bags Jelly strainer stand Kilner jars Long spouted funnel Measuring spoons Mince Muslin cloth Oven Plastic containers for freezing Pots, discs & covers Pressure cooker Rubber rings Screw band jars Sharp knife Siphon Slotted spoon Small ladle Stainless steel pans Sturdy cheesecloth/calico straining bag Thermometer Tongs Wide mouthed jam funnel Wooden spoon

Drinks: Juices, ciders, wines, cordials, milks Fruits & herbs for brewing & wine making: grapes, damsons, plums, hops, crab apples, beetroots, apples, rhubarb, elderflowers, parsnips, pears, elderberries, blackberries, cherries, figs, gooseberries, rosehips, rowanberries, celery, pea pods, dandelion flowers, nettles, parsley, sage, yarrow Nuts: Hazels & almonds can also be used to make nut milks, a fantastic alternative to soya

Design decisions
Choose long lasting varieties for storing Ensure wherever produce is being stored, that it is accessible and memorable so that it is used regularly Make harvesting sessions multifunctional by having one prepare and clean up session Be aware of seasonal changes and design in time allowances for certain activities, such as apple harvesting Aim to make the most enjoyable, nutritious items that the family will use and love Experiment with flavours & diversity Prioritize items that are hardest to get hold of or most expensive to buy Celebrate the abundance!

OBTAIN A YIELD In terms of gaining a nutritional yield, making leaf curd or concentrate is one way of maximizing our nutrition: Making Leaf Concentrate in 8 Steps 1. Harvest fresh green leaves from plants known to be good sources for leaf concentrate. 2. Wash the leaves well in clean water to remove dust and dirt. 3. If the leaves are large or there are a lot of tough stems cut or tear the leaves into pieces the length of a finger. (This step is unnecessary with some of the leaf grinders like the impact macerator) 4. Grind the leaves to a pulp. 5. Press as much juice as possible from the pulped leaves. 6. Heat the juice rapidly to the boiling point. 7. Separate the curd that forms in the heated juice in a tightly woven cloth. 8. Press as much liquid as possible out of this curd. What remains in the cloth is leaf concentrate.

Resources Agricultural & Food Research Council, 1989, Home Preservation of Fruits & Vegetables Lynda Brown, The Preserving Book Sepp Holzer, Sepp Holzer's Permaculture How to Make Your Own Homemade Nut Milk, http://www.antonhealth.com http://www.allotment.org.uk/frugal/Chest-Upright-Freezer.phpLeaf concentrate: A field guide for small scale programs, David Kennedy

Nicole Vosper, Wild Heart Permaculture 2011

BROOK END