How to Dry Food At Home

The Sider Group
Have you ever wanted to learn how to dry food at home? Drying your foods is a great way to preserve them but you should know that the quality of the foods will not be made better. For this reason, you should select high quality foods which are ripe. Sort the produce and separate the low quality foods from the high quality ones. Here are some tips to help you to dry food at home.

Do you like raisins or dried apricots? Many people like to eat dried fruits because they are delicious, and quite different from the fresh versions. Start by selecting the best quality ripe fruits to be dried. Before you try drying your favorite fruits, you should know that some fruits, like oranges and grapefruits, are not ideal for the purpose because they have high water content. If you are drying fruits for the first time, you should work with a lower quantity because it can be time consuming. The first step is to clean the fruits thoroughly, under cold running water. If you spot any soft spots or bruises, use a fruit knife to trim away the affected parts. The pits, cores, and stems of the fruits should be removed. You may have to remove the skins from some types of fruits because the skins will turn brittle or tough after drying. For high quality, more nutritious fruits, it\'s best to slice the fruits about a quarter or half inch thick.

Drying turns some fruits brown so you have to use sulfur treatments on apricots, nectarines, peaches, apples, and so on. Other than locking in vitamins A and C during drying, sulfur treatments also help to prolong the fruit\'s shelf life and retain the fresh fruit flavor. Sulfuring and sulfite dips are the treatments that are used.

The color of the fruit can be retained with syrup blanching or steam blanching. In syrup blanching, the result is almost like candied fruit. Some of the fruits which are great for this process are prunes, plums, pears, peaches, figs, apricots, and apples. In steam blanching, the fruit\'s texture and flavor are altered but the color is retained. Steam blanching is very easy to do but you should see that the fruits are evenly blanched.

Another method of pretreatment is known as checking. This procedure is recommended for fruits like small, dark plums, grapes, and cherries and it\'s done to crack the skins. Firstly, you should bring a pot of water to a boil into which you should immerse the fruit for about 30 to 60 seconds. Next, the fruit is to be quickly put in cold water and you should use paper towels to drain the fruit.

In the past, people dry their foods in the sun or the oven. Nowadays, many people opt to use food dehydrators because they are very easy to use, and faster. It takes different times to dry different foods. For instance, apples can be dried in about 6 to 12 hours but the drying time for peaches is 35 to 48 hours.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/how-to-dry-food-at-home-6009779.html
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CulinarySchoolsU.com provides the opportunity to research and request free information about top culinary arts institute and culinary degree programs for potential students looking to start or expand their career in the culinary arts.

Rainwater Harvesting

Tank Depot

Rainwater harvesting is an ancient and effective water conservation practice. Unfortunately, in modern times "rainwater harvesting" has often become associated with a mosquito-laden barrel in the backyard, lined with last year's leaves and a resident frog or two.

The potential of rainwater harvesting systems is so much more. With proper design, these systems can transform a waste product (stormwater) into a valuable resource. Bringing rainwater harvesting into the commercial and residential mainstream will require increasing awareness of possible uses of rainwater.

Improved regulatory guidance and a greater understanding of all the potential environmental benefits of using harvested rainwater for water closets and urinals will be only part of the story at the Wellmark Blue Cross-Blue Shield headquarters now under construction in Des Moines, Iowa. Cisterns at this site will collect rainwater and conden­sate from the HVAC system to supply toilets and urinals and to be used for irrigation. During warmer months, when the demand for irrigation is highest, the water supply from the HVAC system condensate will also be highest. The cisterns are integrated into the site stormwater management plan, which offsets a portion of the initial cost of rainwater harvest­ing. This project is a prime example of the benefits of collab­orative design.

Imagine the potential waste if the plumbing stormwater management. Rainwater harvesting systems are also a perfect opportunity for coordination of services and design among the civil engineer, the plumbing engineer and the mechanical engineer (the butcher, the baker and the can­dlestick maker).

Harvested rainwater is often thought of only as an irriga­tion supply, but it can also be used indoors to meet non-potable water demands (and is approved in some localities for potable use). According to the Alliance for Water Efficiency, restrooms, landscape and cooling and heating account for 87% of the water used in schools and 89% of the water used in office buildings (domestic use is included with restrooms in the reported figures for office buildings). Even if half of the restroom/domestic use requires potable water (handwashing, etc), the majority of water use at schools and office buildings is non-potable. The EPA's guidance docu­ment, "Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure: Municipal Handbook: Rainwater Harvesting Policies," iden­tifies non-potable indoor water uses as toilets, urinals, laun­dry and cooling towers.



In an article entitled, "President's Viewpoint -the Need for Green Schools" in NET day, National Education Association president Dennis Van Roekel stated, "Green schools are also a great teaching tool. If we want children to learn that human beings have a responsibility to be good stew­ards of natural resources, we have to teach them by example."

At Burton School in Grand Rapids, Mich., rainwater from 11,000 square feet of roof is filtered and directed to a 10,000­ gallon below-ground storage tank, then used to flush 12 water closets. A water meter in the corridor lets students see how much water the system has saved. Based on daily rainfall data from Grand Rapids, if the school was used year round, this system could supply approximately 150,000 gallons of water per year.
Paula Leatherman, CPD from ProgressiveAE, who designed the rainwater harvesting system at Burton School, describes the process, saying, "Grand Rapids Public Schools
has made a commitment to sustainability for its facilities, and their last several projects have earned LEED® certification. During the Burton Elementary School project planning stage, administrators and designers discussed the different elements that would be appropriate for LEED points for this project. One way to acquire additional points for LEED is to use a non-potable water source to satisfy the building water needs. The concept of a rainwater harvesting system was researched. The district's director of facilities expressed a deep interest in an educational approach to the aspect of rainwater harvesting, and so the groundwork was set for the system.

"Not only does the system help recognize a 52% total building water savings (according to LEED templates) but it also provides an educational tool that involves the students in the importance of preserving our natural resources. The design integrated a visual metering system located in a corri­dor display case where the kids are able to track the water sav­ings. This was one of the first rainwater harvesting systems in the city of Grand Rapids, and the first to utilize the system as an educational tool. Reusing rainwater for building needs is a viable direction in the construction industry, and we are exploring opportunities to implement similar systems in a variety of building types."

At Western Virginia Regional Jail in Salem, Va., which opened on March 9, 2009, a look at the whole site led to inno­vative design and increased energy efficiency. Water demands inside the facility outweigh the available rainwater supply, so harvested rainwater is used only for laundry. Because the laun­dry use is localized in one section of the building, the pumping and piping demands are decreased. However, the real energy savings occur with pre-heating of the rainwater for laundry. Water used to cool the pumps from the vacuum-assisted waste system enters a heat exchanger and pre-heats rainwater before it is pumped to the laundry. This 264,000-square-foot facility will be the first LEED-certified jail in the region.

Rainwater harvesting is often used just to earn LEED points through irrigation but can be a part of stormwater management and innovative design, in addition to water efficiency.
The potential impact of rainwater harvesting is staggering. According to the U.S. Census, the United States had almost 12 million more housing units in 2007 than in 2000. Assuming an average footprint of 1,500 square feet for each of these housing units and an average of 30 inches per year of precipitation, if all of these new housing units had rainwater harvesting systems, they could collect about 234 billion gal­lons of water per year, more than enough water to supply the entire city of Los Angeles. These rainwater harvesting sys­tems would also mean that there would be 234 billion gallons less of runoff into lakes, rivers and streams or into stormwater treatment facilities. Based on information from the Stormwater Manager's Resource Center, 234 billion gallons of residential runoff will carry about 390 tons of phosphorus, 2,150 tons of nitrogen and 97,770 tons of sediment. While these nutrients and sediment are crucial for plant growth on land, they can wreak havoc in lakes and estuaries, causing algal blooms and fish kills.

The environmental benefits of rainwater harvesting even extend to energy use. According to the EPA, approximately 3% of energy use in the U.S. goes to drinking water and wastewater treatment. By using non-potable water, which requires less treatment, for non-potable uses and by greatly decreasing the distance that water is transported, rainwater harvesting provides an energy-efficient alternative to tradi­tional water systems. Rainwater harvesting even reduces strain on an aging water supply infrastructure.

These calculations are only for new residential devel­opment. Imagine how much greater the impact could be if commercial development was included. While rainwater harvesting is an old technology, the opportunities for inno­vation are by no means exhausted. Starting with a basic, established, system design to preserve the quality of the rainwater, the possibilities of producing a green solution are vast. Rainwater harvesting should continue advancing far beyond the leaf-filled barrel to becoming an integral part of whole-site water management.


Rain Harvesting Equipment can be purchased at RainTankDepot.com
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/rainwater-harvesting-2514669.html

About the Author

Rain Tank Depot is the number one source for rain barrels, rain harvesting equipment, and water storage tanks, as well as an unlimited amount of water conservation resources.
   

The appeal of mailboxes

One day last week I took a short trip to visit a friend and passed by a neat little house that was set back a good distance from the road. There was a garden in the front yard, but not the sort of garden I'd ever seen before. This was a flourishing Eden of ... mailboxes. I kid you not.

Every size, shape, and color you can imagine, and each one of them proudly sprouting from a sturdy post sunk into the ground. A carefully hand-lettered sign in front of them all read Mailboxes for Sale.

I just had to turn around and go back for a closer look. Just as I pulled my car to the side of the road, an elderly gentleman stepped out of the front door of the house. He saw me sitting there, smiled, and waved. I decided he was harmless and so I got out of the car to take a closer look.

For the next half hour I browsed and, to tell you the truth, I was flabbergasted. I learned that he often retrieved damaged boxes and spruced them up to add to his garden. Some of the boxes he'd made himself. He was truly an artist, too. Not only was the display beautiful, but it was neatly arranged by category:  wrought iron mailboxes for sale, victorian mailboxes for sale, copper, antique, extra large -- you name it. If it's a box that can hold mail, the man had it.

His prices weren't bad at all, but I don't need a new mailbox just now, so I left without buying one. The gardener didn't seem to mind. He enjoys his unusual collection as much as he enjoys making a few extra dollars from the sales.

As I continued on my drive, I realized I'd just met one of the luckiest people alive -- a man who has found something he enjoys and who is content to share it or just to bask in the completion of his wonderful restoration and design. If only we could all find that balanced state of mind.

The Best Methods of Food Preservation

Mark Gold
Food preservation is one of the oldest technologies that humans use, and people will always disagree on which are the best methods of food preservation. In general people want safe, nutritious foods that are considered good quality, taking into account freshness, wholesomeness, nutritional value, aroma, color, texture and flavor. Generally, food is considered safe if there is no danger from naturally occurring toxins, pathogenic microorganisms, or other potentially harmful chemicals. Food that is sterile contains no bacteria; if it is not sterilized and sealed it does contain bacteria. Milk, for instance has bacteria naturally living in it and will spoil in two or three hours if left out at room temperature. However, by putting it in the refrigerator bacteria is slowed down to such an extent that it will stay fresh for a week or two, even though bacteria are still present.

Food preservation involves treating and handling food to either greatly slow down or stop spoilage that caused or accelerated by micro-organisms. Preservation normally involves preventing the growth of fungi, bacteria and other micro-organisms, as well as the oxidation of fats which the cause rancidity. However, some methods of preservation actually use benign fungi, yeasts or bacteria to preserve food and add specific qualities, for example wines or cheeses. It may also include processes which inhibit aging and discoloration that occur during food preparation, like the enzymatic browning (oxidation) in apples when they are cut. Some food has to be sealed after treatment to prevent recontamination with microbes while others, such as drying, mean food can be stored without special containment. There are many methods of preserving food including freezing, freeze drying, spray drying, food irradiation, sugar crystallization, adding preservatives, preserving in syrup, canning and vacuum-packing.

The following are all methods of food preservation:

Salting

Salting, also known as curing, removes moisture from meats through osmosis. Meat is cured with sugar or salt, or perhaps both. Nitrites and nitrates are also used to cure meat and inhibit Clostridium botulinum.

Freezing

Freezing is commonly used domestically and commercially for preserving a wide range of food.

Irradiation

Exposure to ionizing radiation is known as irradiation or cold pasteurization. It has a large range of effects including killing molds, insects and bacteria, and reducing the ripening and spoiling of fruits.

High pressure food preservation

Extremely high pressure is sometimes used to preserve food. Pressure as high as 70,000 psi or more is used, resulting in food that retains its nutrients, appearance, texture and flavor whilst presenting spoilage.

Vacuum-packing

Vacuum-packing stores food in an airless environment, like an air-tight bag or bottle. This environment leaves bacteria without oxygen, slowing spoiling.

Pickling

Pickling is a method of food preservation leaving the food in an edible, anti-microbial liquid. Fermentation pickling uses food itself to produce preservation agents, usually in a process that produces lactic acid. Chemical pickling inhibits or kills bacteria and other micro-organisms in a liquid.

Burial

Burying food preserves it by providing much lower levels of oxygen, light and pH level, as well as providing natural desiccants in the soil and cooler temperatures.

Smoking

Fish, meat and other foods may be flavored as well as preserved with the use of smoke. The combination of heat and the aromatic (phenolic) hydrocarbons from the smoke preserve the food.

Lye

Lye, or sodium hydroxide, inhibits bacterial growth by making food too alkaline.

Canning

The process of canning involves cooking food, then sealing it in sterile jars or cans and boiling the containers to weaken or kill any remaining bacteria. Foods have varying degrees of natural protection against spoilage so some may require a pressure cooker as the final step. Foods low in acid, like meats and vegetables require what is known as pressure canning.

Controlled use of micro-organism

Products like wines, beers and cheeses keep for a long time because the production process uses micro-organisms to combat spoilage.

Jellying

Some food can be preserved by cooking in a material that solidifies and forms a gel, including maize flour, arrowroot flour and gelatin. Certain foods form a natural protein gel when they are cooked. Using jellying to preserve fruit produces marmalade, fruit preserves and jelly.

Modified atmosphere

This is a way to preserve food by altering the atmosphere surrounding it. For example, salad is extremely hard to keep fresh and is now being packaged in sealed bags with a modified atmosphere which reduces oxygen and increases carbon dioxide.

Drying

This is one of the oldest methods, it reduces water activity enough to prevent or delay bacterial growth. Most meats can be dried, along with many fruits. Cereal grains including rice, rye, barley, oats, maize, wheat and millet are also dried, as are grapes like sultanas, raisins and currants.

Sugaring

Sugaring is used to preserve fruits such as apricots, pears, apples, plums and peaches, either in syrup or in crystallized form.

Without doubt, one of the best methods of food preservation is called eggstrafresh® and it can be found at http://www.eggstrafresh.com. It is a revolutionary breakthrough in food preservation, scientifically proven to dramatically reduce oxidation and retain moisture, thus increasing shelf life. Additionally, eggstrafresh® will improve the taste, flavor, texture and natural color of all of your foods.


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/the-best-methods-of-food-preservation-1235343.html
About the Author
Mark Gold has more than 27 years of experience in the Food and Beverage Industry. He has written numerous articles on foods and food preservation.

Making Vertical Gardening Work in Your Space

Forevergreen Landscaping
Maximize the space you have by gardening up! If you have a small property, even with just a balcony or courtyard, that doesn\'t mean you can\'t have a garden too. Vertical gardening has been popular, both in small and large spaces, in European countries for decades (if not centuries), and has finally started to join the gardening repertoire of North Americans.

A vertical garden is easy to start for beginner or novice gardeners, and it\'s fun and satisfying to watch it grow! Supplies are cheap and readily available so you don\'t have to put in a big investment to get started. The simplest way to begin your first vertical garden is to find plants that naturally climb. Plants like honeysuckle and wisteria have beautiful blooms and will easily grow up a pole or trellis, and grow well in many climates.

A more advanced vertical garden can be created with living walls. Fences, walls and other surfaces can be covered with boxes or fabric pockets and soil, as well as plants, flowers, succulents (like cacti) or even edible fruits and vegetables. To create one of these interesting conversation pieces purchase some breathable fabric pockets that can easily be hung from a wall. You should be able to find them at a local garden centre or hardware store. All you have to do is plant your seeds or small plants and you\'re ready to go!

Make sure to use a high quality hummus-rich soil so that your plants will be well-nourished. Try watering with a spray bottle to avoid overwatering, but still keeping your growing garden well-hydrated.

As a general rule, fruits and flowers are more difficult to grow. We recommend starting with some vegetables or herbs. Your first garden will be more likely to be a success and, best of all, you can use what you grow! Friends and neighbours will be shocked and impressed that you grew your own vegetables and herbs in your small space.

Once your first garden is flourishing, consider investing in a more sturdy upright garden trellis that will add as much beauty to your garden as the plants growing on it.

Further Reading:

1. Morrison, Susan, and Rebecca Sweet. Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces. Cool Springs Press, 2011.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/making-vertical-gardening-work-in-your-space-6004789.html
About the Author
For those living in Oakville, Ontario and the surrounding areas of Milton, Burlington and Georgetown, Forevergreen Landscaping has become one of the most trusted names in landscaping. Forevergreen Landscaping and Maintenance is known to satisfy the needs of each customer by using innovative techniques, products, and equipment. We strive for a level of satisfaction which truly exceed the goals, and expectations of our clientele.

Contact Forevergreen Landscaping for all of your landscaping needs.

5 Benefits Of Worm Farming

Goats and rabbits are BOTH too much for you? But you still want a small farm income?

Then we're down to the worms. Highly practical, super-low maintenance, and even an apartment dweller can raise them with ease. Worms produce castings that are the very best of all soil supplements. You may choose to sell the castings or sell the worms themselves. Either way, it's just about the easiest way you can think of to make an income.

Author:

hashbury
1. Worm farming is great for the environment. It is something that gives back to nature and does not take anything away. Many people farm worms just for this reason alone. We are in a time where everyone wants to go green, and this is one great way to go green. Hopefully, one day worms will be the answers to all of our excessive garbage problems.

2. You can make a nice residual or a fulltime income from worm farms. Believe it or not, you can make a nice income from farming them. You can sell them, or you can sell the worm castings(worm poo). Some variety\'s of worms can sell for a pretty high price. The castings are always in demand and sell for even higher prices. Worms reproduce at a very high rate allowing huge returns on just a rather small investment.

3. Worms can be your own personal garbage disposal. You can give worms all your left over food scraps for them to eat. They can survive on food scraps alone, but bigger worm farms will also need food supplements like newspapers. They can also eat your old left over newspapers. This actually provides a very good substrate for them to eat.

4. Worm castings are great for vegetable and flower gardens. The castings they produce can be added to gardens as an all natural fertilizer. The worm castings are one of the best organic fertilizer a person could use in their garden. They can also be placed in gardens to make the soil much more rich. They plow the soil by burrowing through it. This also aerates and conditions the soil making it perfect for planting.

5. Worms are great to fish with and can provide stocked ponds with food. A lot of farm raised fish are now being partly fed with worms. This is great for the fish farmers, because they can also farm worms for a fraction of the price as normal fish food. I personally use worms from my farm to take my kids out fishing on the weekends. This is a great activity for me and my kids.

In summary worms are great for a lot of things. If you have never thought about worm farming, you should. They are one of natures helpers, and they can even bring a family closer together, like mine. If I didn\'t start my worm farm, I know I would not be as happy as I am now. So please do yourself a favor and start a worm farm.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/5-benefits-of-worm-farming-3817787.html
About the Author
For more information and to get free worm farming tips, you can go to this site: worms farming http://wormsfarming.com You can find more great articles and guides on how to get started.

Operating your own rabbit farming business

Rabbits are probably the best overall animal for the small farmer. They serve as food, fertilizer producers, and family pets. They're small, don't eat much, and take very little space.

Here's Paul Stanton's take on raising rabbits as a business.
Author:

Paul Stanton
So it\'s in your mind and you\'re going for it - set up your own rabbit farming business that is. But it is a new business for you - you have in no way done it already and you need assistance, little by little to accomplish your objective. No worries we will cover all the help you will need.

So how do you run a business? You\'ve for ever and a day been the one who is told what to do. Straight away the shoe is truly on the other foot - you give out the commands now. But what commands do you give to your employees? What indicators do you transmit? How do you realize if what you are doing or saying is the correct thing for your new rabbit farming business? It was straightforward before...the boss spoke...and you did what he/she said then you got rewarded at the end of the day. This is a little trickier, if you get things wrong now, not only will you not get remunerated (or get remunerated less), your decisions could impact in the negative upon your staff.

The reality about starting your own rabbit farming business is not that you will be chasing the almighty dollar but that you might grasp the life you have continuously wanted. Of course, the cash is crucial; but to assemble the business that creates the life you really want is a significant reward. Individual independent lifestyle runs real money close to being the main driver to becoming their own boss. Most triumphant rabbit farming businesses are operated by those that don\'t lose sleep in relation to how profitable they are as long as they don\'t have to work for others.

However the large bank balance helps!

Having something to prove is also a good motivator. Having a sibling,parent,spouse or other major person that is doing all right in business creates a vast motivation for others to have a go. Not out of a feeling of competition but for the reason that it is easy to be aware of the pleasure people get from running their own business, and their own lives.

In actuality there are for ever and a day a mixture of features at play and no two distinct industrialist fit the same mold; in a large organization people become institutionalized but with your own venture you get to do things your own way and sway the employees you have (assuming you have any).

Majestic rabbit farming businesses are planned that way by people just like you. They make it because they plan to be lucrative, they take the means to work out how they want their business to be; they design it that way and take significant pleasure as their venture and their life begins to fit their dreams.

Start your rabbit farming business immediately!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/operating-your-own-rabbit-farming-business-3823290.html
About the Author
Paul Stanton Are you going to start-up your own rabbit farming business? You need a rabbit farming business plan