Dehydrators

 Thank you, everyone, for the zuke, cuke and tommie suggestions. I have
a new newsgroup server, and am having problems replying to people
off-list, and hate clogging things up with just 'Thanks Fred".

But your replies are appreciated. Thank You.

Someone (lost that one), suggested sun-drying, au naturale, but that
isn't available to me as there are too many horse paddocks and
consequently flies around. And in southern Victoria, it is not a hot
summer - only hot in patches.

So we are looking at dehydrators at the minute, and are wavering
between the Sunbeam and the Fowlers Vacola. I wonder has anyone any
experience of either, or another, that could suggest what is best to
handle the usual summer excess from the veggie garden.

And, in passing, in the strange climate this year, is anyone else
finding that Grosse Lisse tomatoes are not fruiting as well as usual,
while the Roma are loaded???? They are the two I grow consistently,
and it is just a little strange this year.

And it is consistent over a range of planting dates - those that went
in early are just the same as those that went in later. Across a range
of about three punnets of each.

Regards

Linda

 There are always the mini hothouses to dehydrate these in>


LindaB wrote:

 
Sorry, know nothing about them but we too are interested and I have found
this interesting site:
http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/dehydrating.htm  

 FarmI wrote:

A good site.

 
fruits & veg only need literally a couple of warm dry days, though. for big,
lumpy produce, just slice it thinner. when i dry things (not often, might i
add!) i put them on an old aluminium window screen, & put fine nylon netting
over the top to keep the flies off. it works! (unless you leave gaps - so
don't do that ;-)


of those two, i'd probably go fowler's, as they're reputable and food
preservation is quite their thing! i've seen one of theirs but not used it,
so can't comment there. it seemed to me just like a very cool oven would
be - sealed off & the temperature is easy to set to stay low enough, and
with enough air flow. (of course, it doesn't look like an oven!)


i have cherry roma (which are finally starting to ripen), tigerella (not
ripening yet), amish paste (not even fruiting yet) and some unknown
self-sowns, which i hope like mad are romas because romas are the best for
me. the situation is looking rather hopeless!! i can't fathom why they are
so late. perhaps as you say, climate this year is to blame.

only been here for 2 springs but next year i am strongly considering just
buying roma seedlings & cherry tom seedlings at the nursery - both years,
seed germination (by me) has just been so slow & the plants have been so far
behind where i reckon they should be.


ime, it's often that way with early/late things. the later things catch up
so fast i'm wondering if it's even worthwhile to get things going too early.
kylie