Preserve that summer crop!

Enjoying the fresh summer fruits and vegetables from your garden and want to keep it going through Autumn and Winter? Or do you simply have too much for your family but don't want it to go to waste? Follow our easy tips on how to harvest and store your fresh homegrown produce.

Stone Fruit
Be sure to pick ripe, mature fruit that isn't mushy. Plums, peaches, nectarines and apricots are best washed, dried thoroughly and cut into eighths. Lay flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper and freeze for several hours. Once they are frozen, remove from the freezer and divide into ziplock bags or containers ensuring to remove as much air as possible - this will help them last 6-9 months!

Tomatoes
Did you tomato plants go crazy this year? Blanch them by dropping them in boiling water for 60-90 secs and remove with a slotted spoon dropping directly into ice water. Remove the skin and stems and transfer to ziplock bags ensuring to remove as much air as possible. Store flat in the freezer for 12-18 months.

Green Beans
Blanch trimmed beans by boiling in salted water for 3 minutes then drop directly into ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry and cut if preferred and lay flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper and freeze for several hours. Once they are frozen, remove from the freezer and divide into ziplock bags or containers ensuring to remove as much air as possible - this will help them last up to 6 months.

Broccoli
Split the broccoli into florets but try to avoid extra large florets. Blanch florets by boiling in salted water for 3 minutes then drop directly into ice water to cool. Drain and pat dry and cut if preferred and lay flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper and freeze for several hours. Once they are frozen, remove from the freezer and divide into ziplock bags or containers ensuring to remove as much air as possible - this will help them last up to 6 months.

Corn
Choose very fresh, young corn and remove the outer husks and silks. Trim kernals from the cobs and lay flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper and freeze for several hours. Once they are frozen, remove from the freezer and divide into ziplock bags or containers ensuring to remove as much air as possible - this will help them last up to 6 months.

Herbs
Pick the most perfect herbs from your plants, chop up finely and mix in a bowl with just enough olive oil to cover the herbs. Pour into an ice-cube tray and freeze overnight. Once frozen, remove from trays and transfer to ziplock bags or containers and store for up to 3 months. Perfect for adding to soups, sauces and stews!

Potatoes
Fresh potatoes don't like the chill of the fridge, but if you boil them, leave to cool and then freeze in ziplock bags or containers - you can defrost overnight for fresh spuds tomorrow!

Berries
Berries freeze fantastically - pick the freshest berries possible, and give them a light rinse followed by a pat dry with a paper towel. Layer flat on a baking tray lined with baking paper and freeze for several hours. Once they are frozen, remove from the freezer and divide into ziplock bags or containers ensuring to remove as much air as possible - this will help them last for 10-12 months.