GARDENING TOOLS & SUPPLIES
Discover Resources and Tools You'll Absolutely Adore - We Sure Do!
From planting your first seed to savoring the fruits of your labor, having the perfect tools is key to your success. We’re excited to share some of our all-time favorite resources that have been instrumental in our gardening and food preservation adventures!
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Soil Amendments & Composting
Investing in healthy soil is the ultimate game-changer for your garden! Real soil isn't just dirt; it's a vibrant, living system teeming with amazing organisms that work together in the incredible soil food web. From minuscule one-celled bacteria and fungi to larger earthworms and insects, this diverse community is essential for your plants' success. We've discovered some fantastic products that have been lifesavers when we can't create our own compost. These products have truly transformed our soil structure and fostered a thriving environment for our plants to thrive, whether used as compost amendments or in our compost teas!
Testing & Analysis
Get ready to elevate your gardening game! We've started to use some amazing tools that give us incredible insights into our plants' health. With the Brix refractometer, we can test sugar levels and discover the percentage of sugars in fruits and leaves, allowing us to see just how well our plants are photosynthesizing. The higher the sugar content, the healthier the plant and the more nutrient-rich our food! Plus, we use another Brix refractometer to check salt levels in the soil, ensuring our plants can absorb water effectively. And don't forget about our honey – we monitor its moisture levels too using a Brix Honey Refractometer. Investing in these tools has truly been a game-changer for us!
Preserving the Harvest
What an exciting time to celebrate all the hard work in the garden! It's finally time to preserve that amazing harvest. From canning to freezing and dehydrating, there are so many fun ways to enjoy the delicious flavors of your hard-earned all year long! We are sharing some of our favorite ways we preserve the harvest. Get ready to savor the fruits of your labor and relish in the bounty of your garden!
Canning
Water bath and pressure canning are awesome ways to extend the life or your harvest so you can enjoy your harvest all year long. It was through the Ball Canning Book that we first learned to preserve our food. Give canning a shot and enjoy the fun of canning and preserving!
Dehydrating
Dehydrating food is the process of removing water from food and is one of the oldest and most common ways to preserve food. This method of preserving your harvest is ideal for backpacking, hiking, and camping because they weigh much less and dehydrated foods do not require refrigeration. You can also powder dehydrated vegetables for use in cooking. Drying food is a great way of preserving seasonal foods for later use. The best method of storing food preserved with this method, is by vaccum sealing either in a mason jar using a mason jar vacuum sealer or in vacuum sealed pouches or containers.
Freeze Drying
We're absolutely thrilled with our Harvest Right Freeze Dryer! We only wish we had jumped on this incredible investment sooner! Having our freeze dryer has been a game-changer. From preparing emergency meals, to breakfast or to 5 minute quick and easy meals, we have been able to extend the shelf life of our food while keeping all that amazing quality.
With the perfect freeze dryer for your needs, you can effortlessly preserve fruits, vegetables, dairy, and even complete meals, while locking in their original flavor and nutritional goodness! Curious about which size Harvest Right freeze dryer is the best fit for you? When we made our choice, we considered how much food we wanted to freeze dry and went for the best model we could afford.
Take a look at the Harvest Right Website! You won't regret making the investment.
Recommended Reading
Over the years, we've been incredibly inspired by a host of amazing individuals on our gardening and apiary journey! We're truly grateful for those trailblazers who paved the way and motivated us to become better gardeners and beekeepers. Their valuable knowledge and experiences have fueled our passion and encouraged us to flourish in our adventures. The books we're sharing continue to be our go-to references.
