Thanks. I'll be moving mine from the North end of the yard where my pecan trees are in the Fall to the South end around the garden in the Spring. Lighter ga makes sense.
What's Growing in the Garden
- Thread starter trc65
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Some of the last double hollyhock flowers.
Supposedly, both the 17 and 14 gauge spools were made in the USA.
My heirloom dried beans are looking good this year. These are fully mature but not yet dry, I picked and shelled a few this morning to cook for supper. I always look forward to a few shell beans in the fall. It's not my favorite side dish and perhaps a bit of an acquired taste. They are if nothing else a very healthy food.
i'll take the cutting board over the beans
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- #3,468
One of the things I've done for years is dry a whole bunch of roma tomatoes (quartered). I've got one of those old (30+ years) round plastic tray dehydrators. It only has 4 trays, and they are hard to clean. Also doesn't have the capacity I want and it takes about 36 hours to dry the tomatoes.
For a while I've been searching for a new one that had more capacity and wasn't to much $$. Just picked up this 6 tray Cosori and it is on its inaugural test now. At first rough estimate it holds just a little less than twice as much as the round one. Also with a stainless steel interior and trays (dishwasher safe) should be much easier to clean. It's running side by side with the plastic one to see how it does time wise. Should get close to 2 qts dried tomatoes when it's done after starting with 8 qts wet. Won't be just tomatoes, I also do peppers, onions, garlic, apples, apricots and may even play with some dried fruit rollups since it also includes a tray for that. I'll update when this trial run is done.
Here's a pic of the tomatoes just starting.
For a while I've been searching for a new one that had more capacity and wasn't to much $$. Just picked up this 6 tray Cosori and it is on its inaugural test now. At first rough estimate it holds just a little less than twice as much as the round one. Also with a stainless steel interior and trays (dishwasher safe) should be much easier to clean. It's running side by side with the plastic one to see how it does time wise. Should get close to 2 qts dried tomatoes when it's done after starting with 8 qts wet. Won't be just tomatoes, I also do peppers, onions, garlic, apples, apricots and may even play with some dried fruit rollups since it also includes a tray for that. I'll update when this trial run is done.
Here's a pic of the tomatoes just starting.
Those are nice. Bought my dad a stainless dehydrator about 15 years ago. Don't know how many tons of food it has processed. Helped him replace the heating element about 4 years ago. He tends to dry any and every thing. Fruit or vegetable.
Eating local tonight. Everything fresh from the garden and our own grass fed beef. Homemade mead to wash it down!
First sweet corn, got started really late this year.
First sweet corn, got started really late this year.
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- #3,471
No matter how simple or fancy a meal is, when it comes directly from your own land and labor there is nothing that tastes better.
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- #3,472
A couple notes on the Cosori dehydrator. It doesn't dry the tomatoes any faster, but it also holds between 50-75% more raw product going in. No surprise, but when a dry cycle can take ~30-36 hours, holding more is a big deal.
Two things it is better at. Because of the design, no rotating of trays or product is necessary. It dries evenly across each tray, and evenly irregardless of tray position.
It is also very quiet. The noise is much less than the old one, and if one wanted, wouldn't be a problem using it on the kitchen counter. I do all my drying in the garage, so noise, and extra heat aren't a problem.
If anyone were looking for a dehydrator, this one seems to be a good one. If the size isn't right for a particular use, they also make a 4 tray and a 10 tray model.
Two things it is better at. Because of the design, no rotating of trays or product is necessary. It dries evenly across each tray, and evenly irregardless of tray position.
It is also very quiet. The noise is much less than the old one, and if one wanted, wouldn't be a problem using it on the kitchen counter. I do all my drying in the garage, so noise, and extra heat aren't a problem.
If anyone were looking for a dehydrator, this one seems to be a good one. If the size isn't right for a particular use, they also make a 4 tray and a 10 tray model.