Harvesting, Post-Harvest Handling & Storage

What are the best practices and systems for harvesting and post-harvest handling of flowers, herbs, and foliages before they leave the field and workshop, to safeguard that quality? This survey of 5 specialty cut-flower growers distills the collective and cumulative wisdom of three-quarters of a century of farming and selling flowers, from the Slow Flowers community.

The term "value-added products" encompasses a wide array of farm products, from specialty foods to non-food items such as straw bales and wreaths. In this article, we'll focus on creating value-added food products as a way of diversifying your farm's offerings, extending your selling season, and improving your bottom line. Starting with the basics, decide what you want to make, then take a look at the practicalities — particularly the business side.

Chart for optimal post-harvest cooling method, temperature,and humidity ranges, and potential shelf life for a range of summer-harvest, fresh-market crops, in alphabetical order.

How long can seeds last in storage? One to several years for most common crops, but there are some caveats. Follow these simple tips and charts for successful seed-saving for the future.

Guidelines, specifics, and variety recommendations on best storage practices — temperature, humidity, and optimal shelf life — for enjoyment of classic storage crops such as roots and tubers like rutabagas, beets, turnip, cabbage, winter squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and leeks, well into the winter months.

If you lack a traditional root cellar, you can set up a walk-in cooler with a CoolBot, then regulate winter temperatures inside your cooler using add-on controllers as outdoor temperatures fall below freezing point.

Installation instructions and recommendations for the CoolBot. This device allows you to transform an insulated room into a walk-in cooler to keep your fresh produce at peak quality. The CoolBot allows for thermostatically-controlled cool-down to 35°F/1.66°C.

Watch these instructions for installing your wi-fi-enabled CoolBot PRO; learn how to remotely monitor and adjust your walk-in cooler conditions to keep your produce at peak quality.

Watch a quick demo of the Sauce Master II, a device that allows you quickly and easily process your fresh garden fruits and vegetables. No precooking required for tomatoes, greens, berries, squash, and more for canning, freezing, fermentation, or fresh-eating, soups, sauces, concentrates, and coulis. Automatically separates juice and pulp from the seeds and skins. With a simple design that's easy to assemble, disassemble, and clean.

Within a few days of harvest place these caps overtop frisée, escarole, and other chicory heads to blanch their hearts. Widely practiced in Europe, blanching chicories with caps keeps the sunlight off the plants, resulting a beautiful, yellow-white center that is less bitter, more tender to the tooth and sweet.

Learn how the CoolBot Pro works with 4-season market-gardener Jean–Martin Fortier. JM gives us a tutorial on using the CoolBot Pro to set, monitor, and adjust your cool-room temperatures using your mobile device. <<Fermier, éducateur et auteur du livre "Le jardinier-maraîcher" Jean–Martin Fortier nous donne un tutoriel sur l'utilisation du CoolBot Pro.>>

Bring professional-quality blooms from field to market with the Procona System from Johnny's. Tools & Supplies Product Manager Jen Goff provides a quick tutorial on this durable, economical, versatile, and recyclable system.