Transforming Fall’s Harvest: A Guide to Utilizing Your Garden’s Bounty

As the crisp autumn air settles in, fall brings a cornucopia of delights from our gardens. This is the time of year when we dig deep into our compost piles and harvesting baskets, wondering how to handle the piles of kale, the less-than-perfect apples, and those stubbornly plentiful zucchinis. As a garden enthusiast and preservation lover, I’ve learned that the best way to embrace this season is to ensure nothing goes to waste.

Embrace the fall harvest by exploring ways to save your garden’s bounty.

Embrace Bounty and Share the Overflow

Did you know that cities like Edmonton have a treasure trove of edible fruit trees? According to city data, there are over 52,734 edible fruit trees in Edmonton, bursting with produce that often goes unpicked. Many dwarf apple and pear trees can produce up to 150 pounds of fruit annually! That’s a hefty amount for even the most ambitious home chef. So, what do we do when our trees overflow? Sharing is caring, and donating surplus produce not only helps those in need but also fosters community spirit.

I always encourage gardeners to reach out to local food banks to donate extra fruits and veggies. Organizations like the Edmonton Food Bank welcome fresh produce, especially root vegetables and other harvest favorites like tomatoes and corn. As Doug Thompson from the Edmonton Food Bank highlights, “Garden-fresh produce simply tastes better, and we appreciate every single garden around the city that shares any of its bounty with us. Our clients appreciate it too.”

Potato donations can have a significant impact: a single plant yields three to five pounds of potatoes, which are often plentiful in home gardens during the fall. However, not all produce is suitable for donation. Crabapples, for example, are too small and tangy for many palates and thus cannot be accepted by food banks. Instead of letting them rot on the ground, consider options like animal rescues.

Donating to Animal Rescues: A Sustainable Choice

If you have less-than-perfect produce, such as wormy apples or pest-damaged kale, don’t discard it! Local organizations, such as the Farm Animal Rescue and Rehoming Movement (FARMM), are eager to take these donations off your hands. As Melissa Marttell, owner of FARMM, explains, “We have about 150 animals that benefit from getting donated produce… if you brought them out here and we fed them, they would disappear in a matter of five minutes.”

This is a win-win situation: you reduce waste while providing fresh food to animals in need. It’s heartening to know that even your imperfections can contribute to a larger purpose.

Storing Your Harvest the Right Way

For those of us who find our gardens smaller or perhaps not overflowing with produce, proper storage becomes essential. Utilizing a root cellar is an age-old method that can extend the life of fall harvest staples. Vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions can last for months if stored correctly.

But if root cellars aren’t available, your freezer is a fabulous alternative! Fresh vegetables can be blanched and frozen for future use. This not only saves money but also makes meal prep much easier. I’ve found that freezing greens, like kale and spinach, can help preserve their nutritional value and make for easy, quick smoothies down the line. Just toss them into bags, flatten, and pop them in the freezer. And don’t forget about turning herbs into handy “herb bombs”—highly useful for soups and stews.

Canning and Fermentation: Getting Creative

For the adventurous, canning is an exciting way to make the most of your produce. Jams, jellies, and pickles can be preserved for long-term storage. However, before you dive into canning, always prioritize safety to avoid issues like botulism. It’s recommended to learn from reliable sources or even take a workshop—a local library often hosts events that can get you started.

For the fermentation fans like me, this process offers another delightful avenue. Fermented foods are not only tasty but also help contribute essential probiotics to your diet. Check out workshops at local libraries or community spaces to unleash your inner fermentation scientist.

Final Thoughts: A Season of Giving and Saving

As fall settles in, it’s a time for reflection on our gardening efforts and the bounty we’ve been given. It’s essential to think beyond our needs and consider how our garden can aid others. Whether through donating surplus produce or using creative preservation methods, each step we take contributes to decreased food waste and enhanced community ties.

This autumn, as you stroll through markets or your backyard, remember the joy of sharing and the satisfaction of preserving. Let’s turn those piles of kale and wormy apples into opportunities for kindness and creativity.

Explore more about food storage and preservation through resources like the Farmers’ Almanac and local community workshops. Happy harvesting!