Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
By removing the water, you are removing the bulk of the weight and space in the plant. Storing
now becomes much easier as the herbs take up much less space.
Over the Garden Fence
If you store herbs in small pieces, they will retain more flavor but take up more space. Grinding the herbs
into a powder is the most efficient use of space, but the flavor won't last as long.
Choosing a Dehydrator
Buying a dehydrator will probably be an investment for your backyard farm that pays for itself
in the first year or two. Depending on the size of your homestead, you'll want to make sure your
dehydrator is large enough to handle an influx of produce at the peak of your season.
The small circular models are inexpensive (I've seen them for less than $50) and might be a good
choice to test these methods. However, these inexpensive models may not always hold up under
long-term use and can dry unevenly. The more sturdy models are made of higher-quality plastic or
cool-touch metal frames.
Some people prefer square dehydrators with shelves that can be pulled out individually and cleaned.
The benefits of this style are that shelves can be removed if you have bulkier items that wouldn't fit
in the stackable shelves. The shelves are also easy to clean and replace. Stackable dehydrator units
don't have single shelves that fit into a frame, but rather the shelves themselves fit together and
create the entire structure. These higher-end models can run as much as $400 or more, so it might
be best to start with a cheaper model to see what features you really need.
Whichever model you choose, you'll want to make sure there are fans in place to blow the hot
air throughout the dehydrator. Some box dehydrators have heating elements and fans in the back
of the unit so the heated air flows evenly over each tray. This helps speed up the overall drying
time and also ensures that all the trays process at the same speed. The higher the wattage of your
dehydrator, the faster you'll be able to dehydrate your food. Some dehydrators don't have fans to
blow the hot air around but rely on convection heat instead.
Stackable rings can dry unevenly because the heating elements are usually at the bottom of the
unit. So you may have to switch out the rings to allow each ring to dry in the same time frame.
For use on the backyard farm it is nice to have a unit with a wide range of adjustable temperature
settings. A timer can also be beneficial but isn't a must-have. You also want to make sure that
the model you pick has all the accessories you need. You'll surely want the ability to make fruit
leathers, dry plants with small pieces (you'd need a fine mesh screen for this instead of a regular
screen), and create jerky.
