If you are from the Midwest like me, you share in the struggle of not being able to have a garden for about six long months out of the year due to the cold winter weather! But I’m here to share just a few ways to enjoy those fresh garden fruits and veggies all year long, like we do!
My family and I love fresh beans. We grow lots of varieties such as purple, dragon’s tongue, cranberry, bush, pole beans, etc. When they are in their prime, there are way too many for us to eat so we freeze them.
Freezing is a very simple process. First you have to clean the beans by washing and then snipping both ends off and cutting them into short bite sized pieces. Then you need to do a process called blanching which simply means you boil them in hot water for two minutes, and then immediately transfer them to ice water to chill. All you do after that is put them in a freezer bag and put in freezer!
In my grandma’s yard, she has a peach tree as well as raspberry bushes. Same as the beans, they produce too much to enjoy all at one time so we freeze them or make yummy jam! To freeze them we simply dip in hot water to remove skins, slice them, add a little bit of natural sugar, bag and freeze. We do the same with raspberries, minus the sugar. Then enjoy all during the winter months! It’s THAT simple and SO GOOD!
Courtney
Summit Ambassador
Wisconsin
9th Grade
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