Berry Picking – Great Kid’s Eco Activity & Tips For Preserving

Most families have experienced the amazing taste of local produce, meat, berries, etc. via our Farmer’s Markets this month. Why not try and preserve this treat by picking blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries before kids return to school?  Kids love this activity and it’s very green and will save you money if you freeze your berries.  A friend did some research and wanted to share with Mommy Footprint readers tips about picking and preserving food from the farm.  Thank you Tracy!  What an amazing opportunity to feed your family with local food all year long!

Berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries):

-      For absolute freshness pick in the morning before the sun warms the berries and process in the afternoon.  If you can’t get to them the same day, keep them in a cool dark place for no more than 2-3 days.  For strawberries, keep the tops on since it will preserve freshness.  If you are planning on  processing right away, leave the tops in the field since it will save time in the kitchen.

        Don’t wash soft berries (raspberries or blackberries) before putting them in the fridge or freezer.  The extra water speeds up rot in the fridge and makes them freeze in a mass in the freezer so you can’t just grab a handful when you need them.  Extra water on your berries in the freezer will also promote freezer burn.  Rinse before eating.

-     If using your frozen berries for baking, do not thaw them, throw them frozen into your batter and mixes.

-      I was told by one farmer that you could put the whole 5 lb cardboard box straight into the freezer and eat them that way.  I chose to seal them in separate smaller airtight plastic (Ziploc) bags with the air pushed out to try and extend their freezer life.  I have yet to find a way around the plastic freezer bag for this purpose since I don’t have enough pyrex or corningware to use it for long term storage.  Loose or open storage in a cardboard box or other container would probably be fine for a few months, but I intend to have enough berries in my freezer to still be eating them in February. 

-      In BC, blueberry and blackberry season starts in mid-July….I’m afraid strawberry season is gone!

-      You can use this same freezing method for other soft fruits like peaches, nectarines, etc.  Just slice them before freezing.

-      Since canning and making jams is an art in itself, the best way to make jams is in small batches, right out of the freezer.  A small batch will give you a 2-3 week supply which can be stored in the freezer.

 Apples:

-      To store apples for 2-3 months, you need to make sure you remove any apples that have bruises or blemishes on their skin because “one rotten apple WILL spoil the bunch”.  The blemished apples can be used right away for eating, cooking, etc.  For storage, each individual apple should be wrapped in a piece of newsprint or brown paper and placed gently in a cardboard box.  By wrapping each apple you are safeguarding against a rotten one ruining your other apples.  The apples can be stored in a dark cool place (pantry, basement, etc) for up to 3 months.  Apple season peaks in September, October.

Corn, beans, tomatoes:

-     Corn on the cob can be frozen for up to 2 months if you blanch it first.  Put in a pot of boiling water for 5-10 minutes and then immediately plunge into a bath of ice water for the same amount of time you had it in the hot water.  Pat dry and freeze immediately.  You can also cut the corn and freeze the kernels for up to 3-4 months.

-     Beans and other vegetables can be blanched in hot water (for 1-2 minutes) and then immediately plunge into a bath of ice water for the same amount of time.  Pat dry and freeze immediately.

-     Tomatoes can be cooked and frozen as tomato sauce.  Canning tomatoes takes some real skill since you have to get the ph just right and if done incorrectly you can get food poisoning from the spoiled sauce, so I am going to stick to cooking and freezing for now!

More for readers local to BC: 

The Similkemeen Valley, (3-4 hours east of Vancouver) has the largest number of organic growers in Western Canada. There is a great list of Fraser Valley farms on the their website.  Stay ahead of the game by occasionally checking a seasonal harvest calendar in your area.

** This article is part I of 2 regarding freezing berries.  Tomorrow’s article will focus on blueberries because they are so healthy for your family and are in season at many local farms. **