The summer crops are just about done (if not entirely), and you may be planting the last of your fall crops. Many of you may have an abundance of left over tomatoes, squash, beans, cucumbers and the like. A great harvest is fantastic but we may find yourself wondering, “what do I do with all these extra veggies?” Betty’s got a few tips to help you keep it earth conscious.
- Can it! Canning vegetables is not as difficult as you might think, and can make a great weekend afternoon activity with the kids. Mother Earth News shares a simple canning guide that you can use with most crops.
- You can pickle that! A personal favorite is pickling, which is also pretty simple. For cucumbers you can make fridge pickles, which don’t require you to cook or heat anything. Most veggies can be pickled though and make great toppings for salads. The Kitchn shares an easy guide to pickling any veggie.
- Tomato what? Tomatoes are one of the most abundant crops, and people often end up having too many. Fortunately, there are TONS of things you can do with tomatoes that add variety to your cooking and aren’t difficult to craft up. Mamanatural shares 28 Things To Do With Tomatoes
- Have a party! A great way to eat through your surplus is to host a party where you share the abundance. A fall harvest party is a great way to bring together friends, family and neighbors to share the fruits of your labor. Check out our eco-friendly entertaining guide here.
- Donate. If you don’t have time to pickle, can, craft or host consider donating your left over crops. Food Not Bombs cooks a meal every Sunday at the Haven. They usually glean vegetables from the farmer’s market, but they’d happily take a donation as well.
Comments on this entry are closed.