Check out these affiliate links that help to support our channel. Thanks for using them! **BlueAlpine freeze dryers. bluealpinefreezedryers.com/providentprepper Use the promo code ProvidentPrepper to get 5% off. **Harvest Right affiliates.harvestright.com/901.html. **The Cube Freeze Dryer from Prep4Life p4lfood.com/?ref=provident_prepper **PackFreshUSA Mylar Bags packfreshusa.com/?rfsn=7503114.ecc85c Use promo code PROVIDENT to receive 10% off your order. I prefer to use smaller sizes for freeze-dried foods. Remember that the important thing is to build a well-stocked pantry that can see you through challenging times. Freeze-drying may or may not be a good option for you. You don't have to have a freeze-dryer to be prepared! But it sure is nice. Thanks for being part of the solution!
My solution to preserve the fruit from two apple trees this summer was to offer my neighbor, who has a large freeze dryer and zero apples, one half of each finished batch! Both of our coffers are full…win-win!
With the Mylar bags, I copy store displays. I put a j hook board on the wall and use a hole punch at the top of my bags and hang them on j hooks. Saves a ton of room unlike the bulky totes. Hope that helps.
Thank you, folks. My sister planted the idea into my brain a few months ago and I'm onboard. I'm a tinkerer and fixing stuff is not a problem. These units are a must I do believe. With what I see going on in our World and country, it is imperative to be COMPLETELY READY! As we say in the USMC, "Beans, Bullets, and Bandaids." Love you both!
I used to work in pharmacy and was in charge of inventory and record keeping. One thing we would do to keep up with our many prescriptions is order them in number order (also dated), separated and stacked by 100s, then they got stored in super large totes. Each tote had a master inventory list on it. That way we always knew where to look. So separate into manageable categories wether that’s alphabetical order, nutrient category (protein, carb, etc.), or by type of food (fruit, veggie, complete meal, etc.), place in an appropriate container and make a master list (with contents and dates) to place on the exterior of the container.
I can tell you from experience that you forgot an important disadvantage! I found that as they develop new designs and features they lose the support on their older models. That is a very bad thing after spending so much money for a freeze dryer. I can't get parts that fit as well and my machine isn't that old. My sister got hers about 6 months before mine and they had nothing for her. They don't even have places they can send you to get parts that will work. I do love the machine and the end product! But I desperately need o rings for the tubes and they keep sending me o rings for the new models and they don't fit. So mine is 5 years old and not used as often since I can't use mine in the winter months because my house is totally solar powered and still I need parts. Be prepared for that if you buy one. I would recommend buying spare parts at the same time. I think they have come out with 2 or 3 different models since mine and 1+ more since my sisters so be prepared for that!
This was a helpful comment. My husband is like Jon. He’s a planner, a spreadsheet guy, a decipherer. It would infuriate him if he couldn’t get parts after a new model comes out. And, quite frankly, when you spend this kind of money on a product, it is unacceptable. 👍🏻
Huh... If they're going to stop supporting their old products like that they should at least have some kind of trade-in program to get a large discount off a newer version. Would at least make loyal customers feel a bit more appreciated. Of course, it would be better if they simply kept up with support on older products. 😒😒
Jonathan. I had exactly the same error (mid-batch heater) on my medium freeze dryer last week, and after communicating with HR about the issue and tearing our FD apart, replacing the control board (still didn't work after that either), the solution was as simple as unplugging the shelving unit, pulling it out, and carefully sticking a flat nosed dowel into the little round hole in the back of the heating unit and lightly pressing the "breaker" button until it clicked. Bingo! Everything works great since then. (To HR's credit, this solution was conainted in the 12 item diagnostic checklist they sent me in an email, Item #12, last sentance. The explanation was that the heating unit "over heats" sometimes, and trips the breaker button.)
Thanks for all the information. I bought my freeze dryer a couple of years ago, but I have never used it until now. My husband and I split time between 2 homes. I was scared to use it without my husband around to "fix" any problem. Finally, when our 2 apple trees were bursting with apples, I couldn't let them go to waste. I just started using a freeze dryer last Saturday while my husband was still here. I freeze-dried Jonathan apple slices and fresh, not processed, applesauce cubes. I was so elated with the flavor, especially of the cubes of applesauce. Today, I'm freezing my second batch with grapes, bananas, more apples slices and applesauce, and finally a vanilla yogurt mixed with cheesecake pudding powder in the 1" silicone trays. I'll let you know how they turn out.
Excellent show! I harvested my entire garden this year with the freeze dryer. It was amazing! I also had shoulder surgery right at harvest time and was terrified that all my tomatoes would go to waste because tomato sauce, I thought, was out of the question at that point. However, I saw a lady that used a vita-mix to process tomatoes without skinning and de-seeding and then made sauce. Still had to cook down and all that which would be hard in my situation. I pondered for awhile, being stuck in the old way of doing things, when I glanced at the freeze dryer and realized that I could pulverize the tomatoes and then freeze dry! Problem solved! I filled up my trays for the first load but still had a ton of tomatoes yet to process so I put the sauce in gallon bags and by the time I got done and went to put them in the freezer to wait their turn, to my surprise the water had separated from the pulp! I cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and drained the water which made the FD finish in nearly half the time of the first batch! Now I was doing about 50-75lbs a week and that was a lot of gallon bags to waste so I had another epiphany and started pouring the sauce into one of those canisters with the spout at the bottom, waited for separation and drained the water. Now I have tomato powder that I can turn into paste or sauce as needed. Best purchase I ever made!
You can also freeze your tomatoes and wait until winter to process them. When they thaw the skins just slide right off. Many of us overwhelmed with harvests just plan to do tomatoes later when times are more quiet.
I had a freeze dryer from harvest right. Never worked properly. My electric bill went up about $30 and that was not using the freeze dryer daily. Storage of the food was the next issue. I sealed a lot of it up in jars just like you have here. They drew moisture and didn’t last. You are in a low humidity environment. It doesn’t work as well in a high humidity area. I had to send mine in for a repair. Customer service was worthless. It took me over 6 months to finally get ahold of someone. By that time I was so upset about it I told them to keep it. I wanted my money back and didn’t want the machine back. Very frustrating.
I also get butterflies in my stomach every time I use it as it seems something is always going wrong. I bought mine late summer for falls harvest. I have had vacuum problems and now I am having issues with the screen freezing up, then the freezer restarting in the drying process. Am going to email Harvest right shortly but to me it's not worth the hassle. I am jealous of the people that keep running batches and don't have any problems.
For storage, I put the mylar bags in either 5 gallon buckets or washed and dried large cat sand buckets, which I have a lot of. All the buckets are labeled with contents and easily stacked. Also, canned food can be freeze dryed to extend it's life. They are already cooked so just need to be rehydrated when you want to use them. A good example are canned beans.
@@lindacarroll8084I’m no expert but don’t see why you couldn’t do both kinds of canned beans. Check with your local Cooperative Extension office if it’s missed here. 🤗
A way to increase the density of freeze dried produce is to grind it down after drying. I don't think it will work for all fruits and produce. that will depend on what you plan to make with it. Also, if you cut your apples and fruit in smaller cubes you will be able to fit more in per volume compared to apple parts. Again it depends on how you will eat/ prepare it. I don't have one yet, but for me the big advantage would be that, most food that normally is stored in a freezer can be freeze dried. food stored in a freezer can spoil during big power outages unless you have backup power. Freeze dried food does not have that problem. Great video. Thanks
Another advantage to freeze dryer is that it stores for a very long period, up to 25 years depending on storage and type of food. That is much longer than freezing things and no more freezer burn.
I don't have domestic skills, but I do love to watch videos of people who love to cook and preserve their food until the next time they can get fresh food from their garden. In Florida, the power is going on and off all summer. It usually gets repaired pretty quickly, but when a storm like Nicole comes through and you have to go through hours of power disruption, it tends to keep you from putting a lot in your freezer. (I've lost two or three refrigerator freezers full of food during non-storm conditions; usually because some drunk driver ran into a pole and it needed to be replaced.) I'm always in awe of anyone willing to have a couple of freezers full of food. Losing an entire freezer of food would be financially devastating to me. That alone makes freeze drying look like the perfect tool for food preservation in a state like Florida.
My approach to freeze drying is the same as my approach to canning and dehydrating....I focus primarily on preserving individual ingredients rather than on meals. That way I have more options on what I prepare for us to eat. When I compared costs of ready to purchase freeze dried foods to the cost of buying a freeze dryer and doing my own to store, I could clearly see how doing my own would save me money. The savings were significant on meat, cheese and eggs. It hasn't taken me too long to now have recoped the cost of my investment in a freeze dryer. (I've had my freeze dryer a little over a year. And while I've done lots of things from my garden and orchard I've really focused on meat, cheese and eggs.) From here on out it's money saved!!!!
Maybe a traditional metal file cabinet would work for storing the mylar bags with labels on the front of the drawers indicating what each drawer has. You could probably use some sort of tabbed dividers in each drawer to separate the different foods. The metal of the cabinet would make them rodent proof also, and the keep the darkness too.
I bought 2 small freeze dryers because I'm a solo. I love the diversity of food...I can...freeze...freeze dry! I just completed fruits that I could powder. Powdering is an AMAZING procedure to make spice mixes for soups and casseroles. The small size gives me the versatility of small batches.Yes small freeze dryers are the more expensive but you can do smaller batches quicker.
You guys are so kind to help your friends and neighbors. Made me tear up. Just don't see people spend that kind of money to help others. Wish I lived close, not to take advantage of your kindness, but to LEARN, and friendship.
Don’t forget, tossing trays in the deep freeze before throwing them in the freeze dryer can reduce energy costs and freeze dry times too. Because the freezer in theory uses less energy to freeze food than it does for the freeze dryer to drop to a lower temp from ambient room temp. It helps when harvest time is stupid busy. Prep everything in trays. Throw them in racks in the freezer. Wait for the cycle to finish on the freeze dryer and throw another set of trays in. Saves food from spoiling.
We put closet rods in the pantry and use pant hangers to hang the mylar bags. I organize by color so I know to go to the green section for green beans/peas/green bell peppers/etc. Go to the red section for tomato sauce/red bell peppers/etc. It works pretty good but I've considered switching to alphabetized system.
I’m on the fence about buying one of these machines. But to be honest your statement about helping friends prep may be what pushes me over the edge to buy one. What an excellent thought.!
Thank you for your honest opinion. I am about $500 away from owning my very own shiny new freeze dryer 🎉🥳🥰 I’ve been putting aside a little here and a little there. I noticed on your video that prices have gone up some. Mentioned it to my husband and that the sale brought the price back down to the previous price. Looks like we are going to put one on order Friday 💃🏻😃 I missed harvest season but I’m not complaining! Thanks for expediting my purchase 😜. I can’t wait🎉.
My favorite to freeze dry is Pico de Gallo. I love salsa but the freshness of the uncooked one from my garden produce is something I miss. I tried a large batch last year to try it and i love it. Don't let anyone tell you it's the same as fresh its not, a bit different but it's close.
My favorite so far is tomatoes, sliced, and powdered. They taste like candy. The powdered is used like tomato paste for thickening. I would like to mention that I vacuum seal my jars w/o o2 absorbers and can open numerous times and re-vacuum, seems to work well. Thank you guys for the great content on your channel. Keep up the good work ☺️👍
Yep. We're overrun with tomatoes, still ripening from the green stage that we harvested when frost hit in this area, and we run them through the spice grinder after freeze-drying. Very intense! Use sparingly, as you'd use tomato paste.
I have bought many products from your amazing advise but you were very gentle on talking about the issues with the Harvest Right machines. I took the plunge and bought one because of the crazy state of our world. When the machine works it produces the most amazing product! My machine, and many others, have been broken down as much as it works. You are obviously a sponsor for Harvest Right company. I didn’t know I had to be a mechanic to make this machine work. I’m a single woman and it has been very difficult keeping my Harvest Right machine working. Pray I didn’t make a mistake.
I’ve run into the same problems. Had my machine for about 8 months, 3 of those months it wasn’t working. Didn’t know I’d have to do all the repairs myself, either!
When I was growing up my mom often repeated this little rhyme “There once was a girl with a curl Right in the middle of her forehead When she was good, she was very very good But when she was bad she was horrid” That kind of sums up my relationship with my freeze dryer. I LOVE the finished products, but it NOT plug and play. That being said, i have a load running now. 😂 🤞
I can not rationalize getting a freeze dryer....just can't.....another appliance that will sit around....sure, it will be nice to use it but I could never use it enough to make sense of it........BUT I will buy one when there is some competition for them....right now, with one company owning the whole business there is no incentive to make the machines better and more cost effective.....I will wait.....I personally don't think people will love living on freeze dried foods when you have fresh veggies from your garden and fresh meat is the best.....
I'm a single woman, as well. If it's a carpentry thing needing done, I'm your woman. If it's a mechanical thing.....yeah, right. That's one of the biggest reasons I haven't taken the plunge on a freeze drier. I really don't relish tossing away $3K just to have the thing break down, me not know how to fix it & end up with a giant paperweight. I think, for me, it's just better to buy the #10 cans of freeze dried items, especially of meats, that are commercially available.
It is wonderful to see john supporting you and your efforts to care for the Houshold good job and it is good that you work to support you family by providing food and making sure they have their needs met. If you watch a lot of vids or the news you see that there is a lot of people who resent good people such as yourselves i.e. (husband and wife TEAM who support each other) I like videos such as these with real people sharing and supporting one another. by the way you are just as smart as your husband men are logical and love order such as charts but is he as good at the things you are good at.
My mom purchased a large machine in 2017 and has had great success with her machine. Zero issues. I have helped her run it and am actually the one who talked her into buying it. I bought my own large machine in November of 2022 on black Friday. Took until end of February to receive machine. I didn't run 1st batch until July because I had to install an outlet with a dedicated breaker. Wich I knew I needed but with other things going on it took me 5 months to get around to it. With all that being said I have run approximately 18 batches with my machine and have already had to replace my control/ relay board. Now on 11/3/22 on my 19th batch I got a message saying couldn't get cold enough, wich is indicating a refrigerant leak in the compressor and I also am getting the mid batch heater failure code. Both of these issues started on this batch. So now I'm going to have to wait 5 days to talk to a tech from harvest right, then more than likely send my unit back to Utah to them ,for warranty work. Wich will probably take a month or more turn around time. So yeah they are great when they work. idk if I got a lemon or what but for $4000 I think I should be able to do more than 20 batches without issues like these. Like I said my moms machine has been great, mine not so much. So if your not willing to put up with breakdowns and waiting a week or two on simple parts like the board and then taking the unit apart and installing it yourself,, or boxing up a very heavy machine and hauling it to fedex to be put on a semi and then hauling it back home, then this machine is not for you. They are pretty much the only game in town for freeze drying so if your wanting to do your own food this is pretty much your only option, but you have to be willing to deal with the headaches that come along with it. Im not trying to discourage anyone but I'm also just wanting to be honest about my experience to help anyone thinking about it decide if it's right for them. I don't regret buying my machine yet, but that may change if I continue to have issues like I have had so far.
I LOVE my freeze dryer. Got it this spring. I love freezing banana slices…a grandson favorite, as well as apple slices. Just finished a batch with zucchini, garden green onions, red, yellow and orange bell peppers and celery and carrots to make a mirepoix mix. Also done cooked, diced chicken, Cooked ground beef, ham slices and thinly sliced kielbasa. Just fun to try different foods. Use mostly Mason jars and vacuum seal with my vacuum sealer. My hall linen closet is now a pantry lol!
The only reason I'd buy a freeze dryer - and I do, without a doubt, see the utility of it - would be if I had another 25 /30 mote years of life on me - it's a long term prep I'm 71 so I'll stick with tne Cosori Dehydrator - the process time is at least half the time as well !
I have frezze dryed my homemade chill, and my husband said it was even better than it was when I first made it . Have also done porkchops with rice and cream of mushrooms soup. Eggs with chesse and shredded potatoes and taco meat.These are just a couple of things I have done and eating as we have traveled in our camper.
Thank you for doing this review and being honest!. Most UA-camr's DON'T TELL about the problems of HarvestRight units that have been shipping out this year. Living in an apartment and NOT having a Jonathan around to fix mine was SUCH an issue for me!. I REALLY, REALLY WANT to get one, but spending $2,200 plus with the possibly of ME having to FIX IT RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX is NOT cost effective. It's such a hit or miss with HarvestRight. I am STILL WANTING it, but are afraid of getting a bad unit. They are heavy and I can't ship that thing back to Harvest if I CANNOT FIX it. Such a dilemma I have :(
We've had a freeze dryer since 2018 I LOVE it!! The food taste is actually more intense and so fresh. My son and I have started to show others how to start storing food. We use the PET bottles, Mylar and glass bottles. We DO have a spread sheet ...The size and type of the container and date it was stored THEN where it is. Under the beds, Under the stairs, Behind the couches. I use beautiful table clothes that hide the boxes then have my house pants on them. I like putting up my families favorite recipes. My dad use to make a killer Red chili stew, he passed away over 40 years ago. My suggestion is to have several families pool the funds every other month and buy large bags of (rice, oats, pop corn, sugar, salt, beans, lentils Etc.) then split it. This way you have a small supply of several products. Then continue to work together. We need to learn how to cook, the cheapest food is the basics. PET is great, food grade containers from Deli or Bakery area of the grocery stores. Go get free items where ever you can.
Insulate your garage with spray foam. My AC/Heater pump is in the attic, in its own room. It can be 105+ with humidity outside and that room is around 78 degrees. In fact my entire house has foam in the walls. Makes an enormous difference.
I haven't tried it yet, but when opening a zip lock bag, if you open it from the bottom when you are going to empty the contents, then you can refill and seal it from the bottom to preserve the zip lock for using with something that will be opened and closed later. I just added a vaccum chamber to my setup and I love it.
@@jawright63 I don't use O2 when chamber sealing cause the air is already removed by the sealer. Some people put in an O2 as insurance but I figure that is not going to be a permanent soluution if it the bag leaks.
That's a nice tip; thank you. And I sometimes like to divide my mylar bags in half with the heat sealer, with some food in each of the upper and lower halves. Then I don't compromise the whole bag when I open it.
Thank you for your videos! Freeze dryers are way too expensive for me. If one of my sons had not paid for my eye surgery, I would have been blind no later than Christmas. Very low SocSec income, but thank goodness I started prepping 5 years ago! So I have several #10 cans of freeze dried food I bought when it was still affordable. I have a zillion dried spices and herbs, so I can literally make cheap ramen noodles taste like they came from anywhere in the world, lol. I have canned meats and vegetables. I bought extra cans of things when I could afford them. Slow and steady wins the race, even on a very limited budget!
@@TheProvidentPrepper thank you, and of course! I love Thai food, and have a lot of Thai sauces,. So for that one, I would use Fish Sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, and a little low sodium soy sauce. A splash of Roasted Sesame sauce, onion flakes, garlic powder, and ground coriander. Maybe a dash of chili flakes. I don't use the flavor packets that come with the ramen, and reduce the water I use to 1 1/2 cups. I cook all my ramen in the microwave, in a 2 C Pyrex measuring cup. My microwave is taller than me, so using the measuring cup makes it safer for me to take down, and saves on cleanup. I have Japanese Yuzu bbq sauce and for that one, I would add Nanami Togarashi seasoning, lemongrass powder, onion and garlic powder, and dried parsley. For the Garam Masala, I use that spice, coriander, and onion, maybe with a little dill. I also do one with Moroccan spices. To any of these, you can add a little leftover rotisserie chicken or canned chicken, canned salmon, tuna, or even anchovies if you like them. Every culture has some form of noodles, so you can really go anywhere with just a package of cheap ramen noodles! Thank you for your interest!
You may want to look at italian wheat pastas instead of ramen noodles. There are more servings than ramen so the price is not all that much more if you get them on sale. Plus they should have more nutrition than ramen noodles. Ramen is on the bottom of the list for nutritional calories... it does taste great though, lol. Just a suggestion so you can eat a little healthier. :) God bless.
Thanks to my freeze drier, my children are eating more fruit than ever before. They beg me to freeze dry fruits that they normally will not eat fresh and that's what they take to school for snack. Their friends are always begging them to share their freeze dried fruit. Before my freeze drier many of my apple tree apples were going to waste. Now I'm not wasting hardly any apples because I freeze most of them and they fly off my shelf.
Mrs. K: The ungusseted bags could be placed in an office file storage box many of them come with dividers to separate file folders and you could label the top tabs and keep several in each slot in an upright position. These file folder boxes also stack neatly on top of each other once they are closed and don't have a very large footprint and can easily be placed in a standard closet.
Had our freeze dryer for 7 years now. I can tell you it has been the best investment for us and has paid for itself 5 fold. So much better for us than any other way to preserve food.
I do both jars and bags. I’m like you. I like the stand up pint and quart bags as well. My jars are in the pantry away from light. I love having the food in jars so you can just take out what you need. I reseal mine with my food saver vacuum so that saves on oxygen absorbers.
This was fabulous, thank you. I love my freeze dryer, I have had it less than a year, but it's been such a boon to my storage options. One thing I love to freeze-dry is apple slices tossed in the cinnamon sugar mixture that I use for my toast. These aren't meant for long-term storage, but a better snack than M&M's or Oreos :D lol
My suggestion to help with the totes is to put the totes on a shelf unit. One layer of tote to one shelf. This allows you to slide the the tote out like a drawer. Also put a list with a little table grid lined up with the item list. Put the list into a page protector and attach a wet erase marker or grease pencil to the list attached to the tote. Put a check in the grid if you took a cup of corn or mark out if all the corn in one pouch is gone.
I too, have found out that an older model which is still fairly new...only seen less than 75 loads will cost me around $900 for shipping or more plus repairs. I don't have $1200 to $1400 just laying around. I have a medium and within 6 months of purchase they totally changed everything in their components. I also had just recently purchased all the tray covers, dividers and silicone mats ( which didn't exist when I bought mine) and they are still in the box unused. I worked with Harvest Right all summer doing all these tests and it still doesn't work. It was my dream to own one. I'm 74 and have cried so much over this huge loss. I asked about refurbished and was told "no". I was also told it was my fault for not using it enough. I live where it snows. There was nothing in the literature saying you had to use it every few weeks.😭
Your fault for not using it enough?! Wow...I'm so glad that I read thru all of these comments before making a decision on purchasing a unit or not. The rude, non-existent customer service you got, coupled with the sheer number of people commenting on breakdowns has convinced me I'm still better off buying the commercially freeze dried stuff than laying out $3K for a unit that may not function all that long.
This couple has great communication, unlike any I have heard from any husband regarding any issue. What a great relationshp they have working together. She never gets lonely. Thanks for the example. Women are often left isolated with a guy who cannot get his head out of his job. Was married to a CPA, and I had no idea what I was missing. Congratulations on your success with your freeze dryers. Am a single person and would love one.
I have started using clear bins with gaskets in the lid.... so keeps bugs out to.... AND I can see what's inside. And each bin is like items. I really want a freeze dryer!😁
We like freeze dried applesauce. We've done both store bought and homemade. For the medium sz freeze dryer we use 7x7 pans (bottom measurement) and pour the applesauce in - 2 cups per pan. Then we score the top to the size we want to break the pieces into, then we freeze them until we have space to freeze dry them. Very good as a dry snack. (Or you can rehydrate back into applesauce) We've been freeze drying for just over 5 years now. We only use Mylar type bags, never glass jars - I'm toooo much of a clutz. I would have killed myself by now. 😀
We also have a medium and a large freeze dryer! I one of my favorite things to freeze dry is chicken bone broth and the powder it. It maintains its gelatinous properties when reconstituted and cooled whic it losses when I can. I also love to slice De-seed lemons and oranges and the grind most into powder form for easy juice and pectin.
What a blessing you are to your friends and neighbors. I am hoping that I can get one. I think freeze drying is superior to dehydrating which I can do. I would love to freeze dry my meats and the fruit from trees. I have peaches, plums, lemons, etc. Until then I will purchase from places that freeze dry.
Oh how exciting to do a spreadsheet! (Retired accountant here.) I’ve actually been struggling with same issue of keeping track of what I have in Mylar and 5-gallon buckets with Gamma lids. And it gets worse for items I have in both jars and Mylar. I’m thinking an inventory is necessary but have been procrastinating because I know it won’t be up-to-date. I’m also the cook and that’s a stream-lined process of quickly grabbing ingredients and cooking…without wanting to take time to update inventory. Here is a tip that works for me for certain often-used ingredients. I keep a working jar (pint, quart, or half-gallon) that I fill from other sources (larger jars or Mylar) which I definitely re-seal (often w oxygen absorbers). I try to re-seal jars in my working pantry using a vacuum sealer kit and brake-bleeder or hand-held vacuum sealer. This keeps my working pantry fresh much longer. My family knows that un-sealed jars go on a corner of the kitchen table so I can batch process re-sealing of jars every couple of days. Another advantage of this process is I have more control of managing our inventory since I put the jars away.
So I have a much older Harvest Right than yours and I do love it. After the original pump gave out (under warranty) I got the older version of what was the old standard pump. I had an original Harvey filter, which did waste oil, but b I now have the now-old two decker HR filter. I trashed the mattress stuffing and use a coffee filter and a lot of cotton jammed in there. It works wonderfully and I can draw off the water from the top container with a battery. I have had to rebuild it as HR did not do a good job on it. But I filter every load, which it does while it is on the no-defrost defrost. The oil is not engine oil that is heated, so it lasts a long time. It is a great machine even without the fancy new software and if it is going to finish at an inconvenient time, you know the food can never be too dry and you can just extend the cycle. The HR was for me a way of storing protein and I find that raw chicken stores better than most cooked chicken that is not in a wettish dish. So stir fries not so good, the Chicken Bulha Masala I just packaged is great. Raw chicken for cooking later -- white meat is less fatty. You might consider for food storage the system that Prepper Nerd has -- good tracking and you can access and edit from a tablet or a phone -- and you can download in a spreadsheet. Lots of nutrient tracking, storage containers and measures you can use to identify holes in your storage.
If you’ve freeze-dried a batch of food and are unable to get to it right away to package it, how long is it safe to leave it? I can see where not knowing when any given food will finish could be problematic. And for those of us who aren’t handy with repairs… must the freeze-dryer be shipped back to the manufacturer or are there other repair options? I’ve been toying with getting one for awhile. Thank you.
Something to consider is if you have a common use item. You can have a large bulk Mylar package. As you use it the item (from a mason jar), you open a Mylar bag and put it in a mason jar or two for quick and easy access. Kind of like how you buy bulk items from the store and break them down into smaller packages. The only example I have is taking cereal or oatmeal and adding it to a plastic tub. I love the idea of resealing the bag as you use it.
I grow my own ginger. In colder climates, they grow well indoors near a window with good light. In warmer climates, they grow well outside. I have yet to FD my ginger but I'm going to have to try this.
I love freeze drying my grass feed milk from the farmer in town. I don’t have cows and this provides me with so much peace knowing I can always have milk.
The storage of my FD item has been a challenge, I’ve settled on Rubbermaid type bins by food types (dairy, meat, fruit, mres etc) Not as convenient as jars, but more practical for me. As I get more put away, I subdivide even more. This week I’m separating cheeses, milks, eggs, yogurts etc, into their own bins.)
We use the color coated sticker system, different colors for different things like using green for vegetables, pink for fruit and red meat. That way we always know what is in each bin, we always go from right to left, which makes it seem easier for us, because we can look at the bin and know which is which, and what is in each item.
No, it isn't. This is NOT a comparative analysis between two or more brands of machines. It IS an analysis of the value of freeze drying versus NOT freeze drying.
That’s an odd remark, the transparency is in declaring the affiliate connection which anyone learning on this channel is benefiting in many ways. Actually deciding to purchase a second freeze dryer is a terrific selling point in its own right. I’m grateful to make a purchase that adds to someone’s channel success. I would suggest anyone with that negative attitude take a hike, stay unprepared and suffer.👶
@@Hayilkasdorf If you are making money or freebies from this, you may not be totally honest, sad, but true. If you are unhappy with my comment, you too can take a hike. Freedom or having my opinion.
@@gmwwc My opinion is different. I think if you are making money or getting free goods from the machine maker, you may say everything is great when it may not be. I have been freeze drying way longer than it has been so popular, and I can tell you, it’s not all great.
I am not paid by harvest right and I Love mine had it for almost 2 months. Having a great time and almost everything came out did soups ,fruit , veggies and candy . A couple of candies didn’t do anything , which is fine just experimenting. So fun !
Thank you so much for this review, especially the honest review of the drawbacks. I've been concerned about the oil change and most reviews I've watched just kind of breeze over that.
What a great video. thanks for taking the time to explain everything. I just heard at the end of the video you were talking about turmeric. Actually, what I did that and to cut a step is I just put the tumaeric and the ginger into a food processor and then freeze that, and then after that's done, then I just put it back in the food processor since i'm just going to make powder out of it
I LOVE my freeze dryer. For my wife and I, it was well worth the up-front cost. I feel it has more than paid for itself within this first year that we've had it. Keep up the great work you two do!!! ❤❤ Added: Your relay board will be about $95, unless the price went up. My favorite food to freeze dry is chicken sausage if it were a ingredient. If it is a meal, it is tater-tot casserole.
We have a medium. I love it! I can use it to preserve produce from our garden and trees. I do a lot of canning, but now I have another way to preserve foods. With the freeze dryer I can finally preserve shredded cheese, sour cream, a lot of the eggs from our chickens and some meats. Our freezers are full and I worry about a long-term power outage. That would ruin everything in our freezers. Now I have another way to make these things shelf- stable. It is easy to use and it costs a lot less than buying #10 cans from someone else. I highly recommend the freeze dryer.
I absolutely love my medium Harvest Right with premier pump; however, it has brokenn down twice in less than a year. You have to pay for a help request which is erking. They have helped us get it up and running again each time with detailed videos and new parts. The flavor of the foods is like eating fresh foods. Grilled brisket takes like it just came off of the grill. Watch reconstitution, don't just dump water on it, do it sparingly and you can always add more; however, too much water flushes the flavor out. We can eat most of what we dry right out of the jar/bag without reconstitution, great for parties as special chips. I do think I have gotten my money back in what I have saved over purchasing the large cans of freeze dried food, but really hate the Customer Service we have needed twice within a year. Electric bill hardly changed so no real added expense there. Loved the tip o Wallaby bags, really love that idea. We get gusset only bags too, love them. Use your black and yellow cotainers also, love them. Don't forget, Mylar bags burn - great fire starter so don't throw away those bag cut offs, store them and use them later! I hate vegetables and we grind them up to put in recipes. I can now eat vegetables, powder is great for me!! Brisket is the best we've had.
Thank you for the video, great information. My favorites are the sliced strawberries and bananas. I store my FD foods in mason jars w/o oxygen absorbers, instead, I use a mason jar vacuum sealer that comes with both regular and large mouth attachment caps. I can reseal them easily after opening. I am saving the mylar bags for when I am at the over abundant stage.
Try looking up "vintage food safe". These are wood cabinets with tin, copper or metal mesh to keep out rodents. You could use whatever organizers work for you inside such a thing. Metal shop cabinets might work as long as they seal tight enough. Mice can get through surprisingly small spaces.
Great video! Totally agree with your assessments... I was able to make my grandbaby's baby food, teething biscuits, etc and avoided the worry over ingredients and recalls! Also, i like putting extra fresh veggies thru the processor to chop fairly fine and freeze dry... Then i can use them as seasonings! You can find different colored bags, which helps me visually see if i have veggies-green, fruit-pink, dairy-white, meats-blue, etc.
I have considered buying a FD for a couple years. I’ve canned for 40 years but see advantages of FD. My hesitation has been 1)cost vs buying long term food storage 2) have met with 2 electricians and going to have to have modifications done on breaker box and add additional wiring 3)space to put it 4) dealing with oil and pump (I have permanent spinal and nerve damage and am disabled - not much use of one arm/hand) If I buy one I will probably be mainly doing meats. I know even with electrical modifications it will have to be the small or medium unless I go with the other brand I recently saw your video on where there is no external oil pump to deal with. About how many pounds of meat do you think could be done in a week’s time? I love your channel. Thanks for providing such great info. Even though I have been a big gardener and canner that just doesn’t seem enough for today’s world. Also with our health issues I need to have meals that can be made quickly and easily with food I have on my shelf. Sadly there are a lot of days I physically just can’t prepare a meal. Thanks again 😊
I’m getting a freeze dryer this month. Freeze drying does reserve nutrition but it’s fair to note the reason canning or dehydrating show lower numbers is because heating or cooking is what causes nutrition loss. Raw is always best. But once you cook say your freeze dried apples in apple pie you now have the same nutrition as say dehydrated. Some vitamins just decrease with heat. So raw fd apples are indeed better than dehydrated apples. Dehydrated were heated.
Im SO grateful for this video. Seriously considering this sale. Trying to figure out which size would be best. Not yet producing too much of our own food. Great to hear that the medium one finishes faster.
Regarding storage/rotating of mylar bags: I'm a substitute teacher and ALL the schools in my district are saving the small buckets for me (1gal)in which they get their frosting. I have all small/medium mylar bags sorted by contents. One bucket holds garlic, another has cheddar cheese, etc.They stack easily and because they are small, they are light weight. Of course, I love getting the buckets for free!!! :)
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. If I had a freeze dryer I would love to freeze dry meats, soups and my garden (including apple and pear trees). I wish that I could empty my freezers by using a freeze dryer. I dehydrate and bottle all that I can.
My Set-up is 1 Lg Harvest Right Freeze Dryer 1 VacMaster chamber vacuum sealer Thousand mylar bags 3 and 5 mil Oxygen absorber packs Desiccant packs My Goal was to make my 25 year survival food, with No additives But it Was Not cheap
Almost 60 years ago I worked at General Foods Bird's Eye where our lab worked with freeze drying foods. At that time the freeze dried coffee was new, and we tested Awake, an Orange Juice substitute. It was an interesting experience until I returned to start college and take ROTC, because it gave more choices with the upcoming Vietnam War.
Thank you for sharing this. I can't afford a freeze dryer yet, but this information was very helpful. I would love to be able to freeze dry organic eggs, we constantly loose power where I live and that would be nice to have on hand. So far, I've been dehydrating food - which works great with frozen organic food since the prep work is done for you (huge time saver!). Either way you can make powders from produce for smoothies, soups, nutritional drinks, etc. and they take up much less space (2-3 cups dehydrated = approximately 3 tablespoons).
My local City Mission has a Harvest Right and I was able to see it up close. It is something that I hope to purchase within the next 2 years. As others have said, it looks like a wonderful tool to help preserve food for long-term storage. Thank you for the video.
You can vacuum seal the mason jars after you take a portion out and that should keep it fresh. I have a little attachment that goes on top of the jar that I hook up to a vacuum sealer and it sucks all of the air out.
I do not have a freeze dryer but in listening to others that do, the one thing I would LOVE to try is cilentro. I've heard that it's fabulous and I love cilentro. Thanks for this video. I have been seriously thinking of investing in one and all the info was most helpful.
Freeze dry eggs whites, I have made a lemon meringue pie, love my freeze dryer. It was an experiment, I was surprised when it worked I store in Mylar bags, jars My pump is an oil less one Love the fact, you can have a great meal in an 1/2 hour or less Thanks for sharing
This Video was just right for me, I live in Australia and am just about to buy a freeze dryer for my convenience only because I have to travel for about an hour to get most of the food that I prefer, but I live in a subtropical area that has a large food growing area, therefore I will be able to shop around and store my needs in my pantry making them readily available for years, making the purchase worthwhile, thank you foe excellent advice
I love your shows and bought a Harvest Right. Within 1 year, multiple breakdowns and a trip back to Utah for the second time. Well now, it is 15 months old, back in Utah at harvest time and they tell me they know what is wrong but do not have the part to fix it. I am heartbroken. Harvest Right employees have been courteous but now this machine has been inoperable since July and we are in the 3rd week of September with no ETA. I think folks need to be aware that this is not a plug and play item and has many quirks. I am not the only person having difficulties. The freight man who picked the machine up told me that he has had to return quite a number of them for others. All I know is, my monthly payment is due again and out of the 15 months I have "owned" it, it has run for less than 10. I suggest folks do their own research before making this decision- it is a fabulous machine...WHEN it works.
I'm so sad for you!! That is incredibly frustrating! It is not a plug and play device. Buyer definitely beware! I wish that Harvest Right took better care of their customers. I love freeze drying.
I have always wanted a freeze dryer! I just cannot convince my husband of 35 years to get one. I already drive him nuts with my food prepping. 😅 I seem to take up too much space with all the canning and dehydrating supplies as it is.
Look up how much the prices of food have gone up this year. Ask him if he plans to eat next year. If so, how much more of his income is he planning to spend for groceries? Ask where he is able to invest his money and get a 30% rate of return this year. How about 50% next year and 100% the following? Now, look up hyperinflation in Germany from 1919 to 1924. The cost of a loaf of bread went from 1 mark to 3,000,000 marks during that time. We are on that path, only worse. Their national debt was a few billion. Ours is trillions. The point: Buy now while food is cheap and available. Freeze dry it and store it for when you will need it. It is the best investment you can make.
HI Kylene & John 😃 There are NO *stupid questions*, RIGHT?!? 😂 So, I'm going to be brave. *Is it possible to freeze dry food that has already been dehydrated, in order to extend the life of the food?* I have given very serious thought to purchasing a dehydrator for the last few years. Just waiting for the savings fund to be sufficient. Im SOOO CLOSE now, and MIGHT even be able to make that purchase this month. I have already ordered an extra set of trays because I have seen so many channels say to freeze the food first, so your freeze dryer won't have to work so hard. They should be here any day now. 😁😁😁 Thank you for the many MANY educational videos!!! I have learned SO MUCH from you!!! Love, prayers & God's blessings ❣❣❣🙏✝
A good chamber vacuum sealer cost $499 - $1500. I have had the unit a little more than a year and a half. Mine was around $1200.00, I am sure it has already paid for it's cost in the reduction of frozen foods loss and the reduction in food waste from left overs. My frozen meats now last for 2 years instead of 6 months. Good equipment is not always cheap. But I think it was worth the cost for the reduction of meat loss due to freezer burn.
I don't freeze dry...yet. Looking forward to it and doing the research. I do know that I will be using mylar bags. I live in a major earthquake zone. I can't afford to lose everything because it's mixed with broken glass. Thanks for all your helpful hints. 😊
I have thought a lot about this, and I feel that as an off-grid homesteader they are not for me. I have lived this way my whole life and have a system in place where we can sustain our family pretty much self sufficiently for a couple years ahead without a freeze dryer. But most importantly, off-grid, I don't have the electricity to run one and don't want to spend more. That's a choice I make I realize. I love though that freeze dryers exist for those who can use them and for who they work well for. I think it's wonderful!! I completely empathize with wanting to control the ingredients of everything you eat. That is so important. I also love that you share your freeze dryer with your neighbors who can't afford a freeze dryer. That is so lovely. Good for you!! What a well done video! I stumbled upon your channel and will check out your other videos :)
I also want to add that I totally agree with you that different types of preservation have their place and it's important to have multiple food sources and food preservation sources. Very wise.
I was thinking about the storage of mylar bags & am picturing something like you'd see at the dry cleaners. Maybe hang them on a rack of some sort that spins around? Oldest stuff in the front, newest in the back. They'd be off the floor (& bonus for not taking up floor space). I love how excited you both are about freeze drying. I was talking to my mom today about all the great things it could be used for, I think I'm going to have to send a link to this video to her.
After a rocky start. (issues with the compressor, received a completely new freeze dryer). I love my freezer dryer and am very happy I made the leap and purchased it. I bought the large.
Mylar bags can be organized in hanging file folder systems with a label on the outside. Easy to rotate and know what you have. It’s still not quite as “visual” but it works.
Check out these affiliate links that help to support our channel. Thanks for using them!
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Remember that the important thing is to build a well-stocked pantry that can see you through challenging times. Freeze-drying may or may not be a good option for you. You don't have to have a freeze-dryer to be prepared! But it sure is nice.
Thanks for being part of the solution!
My solution to preserve the fruit from two apple trees this summer was to offer my neighbor, who has a large freeze dryer and zero apples, one half of each finished batch! Both of our coffers are full…win-win!
I do the same with eggs. A friend supplies eggs and I freeze dry for half the dried eggs. Win win
Wisdom
I guess I need to make friends with people who have fruit trees and chickens! 😂
Capitalism!
@@ruthlesskumquat2918😅
With the Mylar bags, I copy store displays. I put a j hook board on the wall and use a hole punch at the top of my bags and hang them on j hooks. Saves a ton of room unlike the bulky totes. Hope that helps.
Thank you, folks. My sister planted the idea into my brain a few months ago and I'm onboard. I'm a tinkerer and fixing stuff is not a problem. These units are a must I do believe. With what I see going on in our World and country, it is imperative to be COMPLETELY READY!
As we say in the USMC, "Beans, Bullets, and Bandaids."
Love you both!
I used to work in pharmacy and was in charge of inventory and record keeping. One thing we would do to keep up with our many prescriptions is order them in number order (also dated), separated and stacked by 100s, then they got stored in super large totes. Each tote had a master inventory list on it. That way we always knew where to look. So separate into manageable categories wether that’s alphabetical order, nutrient category (protein, carb, etc.), or by type of food (fruit, veggie, complete meal, etc.), place in an appropriate container and make a master list (with contents and dates) to place on the exterior of the container.
Smart 👍
I can tell you from experience that you forgot an important disadvantage! I found that as they develop new designs and features they lose the support on their older models. That is a very bad thing after spending so much money for a freeze dryer. I can't get parts that fit as well and my machine isn't that old. My sister got hers about 6 months before mine and they had nothing for her. They don't even have places they can send you to get parts that will work. I do love the machine and the end product! But I desperately need o rings for the tubes and they keep sending me o rings for the new models and they don't fit. So mine is 5 years old and not used as often since I can't use mine in the winter months because my house is totally solar powered and still I need parts. Be prepared for that if you buy one. I would recommend buying spare parts at the same time. I think they have come out with 2 or 3 different models since mine and 1+ more since my sisters so be prepared for that!
@@silverbackag9790 Thank you! I have tried all of those and apparently they had specialized o rings at that time.
This was a helpful comment. My husband is like Jon. He’s a planner, a spreadsheet guy, a decipherer. It would infuriate him if he couldn’t get parts after a new model comes out. And, quite frankly, when you spend this kind of money on a product, it is unacceptable. 👍🏻
Huh... If they're going to stop supporting their old products like that they should at least have some kind of trade-in program to get a large discount off a newer version. Would at least make loyal customers feel a bit more appreciated. Of course, it would be better if they simply kept up with support on older products. 😒😒
@@RICDirector Tried that too.
The spare part support has just changed my mind pity as I wanted to stock for the UK market makeing mre for aid
Jonathan. I had exactly the same error (mid-batch heater) on my medium freeze dryer last week, and after communicating with HR about the issue and tearing our FD apart, replacing the control board (still didn't work after that either), the solution was as simple as unplugging the shelving unit, pulling it out, and carefully sticking a flat nosed dowel into the little round hole in the back of the heating unit and lightly pressing the "breaker" button until it clicked. Bingo! Everything works great since then. (To HR's credit, this solution was conainted in the 12 item diagnostic checklist they sent me in an email, Item #12, last sentance. The explanation was that the heating unit "over heats" sometimes, and trips the breaker button.)
Craig Frank, that you for taking the time to post this! I’m sure this info will help many in saving time and money.
Thanks. Bingo
Thanks for all the information. I bought my freeze dryer a couple of years ago, but I have never used it until now. My husband and I split time between 2 homes. I was scared to use it without my husband around to "fix" any problem. Finally, when our 2 apple trees were bursting with apples, I couldn't let them go to waste. I just started using a freeze dryer last Saturday while my husband was still here. I freeze-dried Jonathan apple slices and fresh, not processed, applesauce cubes. I was so elated with the flavor, especially of the cubes of applesauce. Today, I'm freezing my second batch with grapes, bananas, more apples slices and applesauce, and finally a vanilla yogurt mixed with cheesecake pudding powder in the 1" silicone trays. I'll let you know how they turn out.
Excellent show! I harvested my entire garden this year with the freeze dryer. It was amazing! I also had shoulder surgery right at harvest time and was terrified that all my tomatoes would go to waste because tomato sauce, I thought, was out of the question at that point. However, I saw a lady that used a vita-mix to process tomatoes without skinning and de-seeding and then made sauce. Still had to cook down and all that which would be hard in my situation. I pondered for awhile, being stuck in the old way of doing things, when I glanced at the freeze dryer and realized that I could pulverize the tomatoes and then freeze dry! Problem solved! I filled up my trays for the first load but still had a ton of tomatoes yet to process so I put the sauce in gallon bags and by the time I got done and went to put them in the freezer to wait their turn, to my surprise the water had separated from the pulp! I cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and drained the water which made the FD finish in nearly half the time of the first batch! Now I was doing about 50-75lbs a week and that was a lot of gallon bags to waste so I had another epiphany and started pouring the sauce into one of those canisters with the spout at the bottom, waited for separation and drained the water. Now I have tomato powder that I can turn into paste or sauce as needed. Best purchase I ever made!
I have found you can pulverize tomatoes and other things after freeze drying for a wonderful result.
That was an intelligent workaround, some one should make a video of that... Very smart, good job.
You can also freeze your tomatoes and wait until winter to process them. When they thaw the skins just slide right off. Many of us overwhelmed with harvests just plan to do tomatoes later when times are more quiet.
I had a freeze dryer from harvest right. Never worked properly. My electric bill went up about $30 and that was not using the freeze dryer daily. Storage of the food was the next issue. I sealed a lot of it up in jars just like you have here. They drew moisture and didn’t last. You are in a low humidity environment. It doesn’t work as well in a high humidity area. I had to send mine in for a repair. Customer service was worthless. It took me over 6 months to finally get ahold of someone. By that time I was so upset about it I told them to keep it. I wanted my money back and didn’t want the machine back. Very frustrating.
I also get butterflies in my stomach every time I use it as it seems something is always going wrong. I bought mine late summer for falls harvest. I have had vacuum problems and now I am having issues with the screen freezing up, then the freezer restarting in the drying process. Am going to email Harvest right shortly but to me it's not worth the hassle. I am jealous of the people that keep running batches and don't have any problems.
Thank you for letting us know
For storage, I put the mylar bags in either 5 gallon buckets or washed and dried large cat sand buckets, which I have a lot of. All the buckets are labeled with contents and easily stacked.
Also, canned food can be freeze dryed to extend it's life. They are already cooked so just need to be rehydrated when you want to use them. A good example are canned beans.
Are you talking about Pinto Beans and such, not green beans? Can I freeze dry beans cooked from dry instead of already canned?
@@lindacarroll8084I’m no expert but don’t see why you couldn’t do both kinds of canned beans. Check with your local Cooperative Extension office if it’s missed here. 🤗
A way to increase the density of freeze dried produce is to grind it down after drying. I don't think it will work for all fruits and produce. that will depend on what you plan to make with it. Also, if you cut your apples and fruit in smaller cubes you will be able to fit more in per volume compared to apple parts. Again it depends on how you will eat/ prepare it.
I don't have one yet, but for me the big advantage would be that, most food that normally is stored in a freezer can be freeze dried. food stored in a freezer can spoil during big power outages unless you have backup power. Freeze dried food does not have that problem. Great video. Thanks
Another advantage to freeze dryer is that it stores for a very long period, up to 25 years depending on storage and type of food. That is much longer than freezing things and no more freezer burn.
The main reason we bought one.
I don't have domestic skills, but I do love to watch videos of people who love to cook and preserve their food until the next time they can get fresh food from their garden. In Florida, the power is going on and off all summer. It usually gets repaired pretty quickly, but when a storm like Nicole comes through and you have to go through hours of power disruption, it tends to keep you from putting a lot in your freezer. (I've lost two or three refrigerator freezers full of food during non-storm conditions; usually because some drunk driver ran into a pole and it needed to be replaced.) I'm always in awe of anyone willing to have a couple of freezers full of food. Losing an entire freezer of food would be financially devastating to me. That alone makes freeze drying look like the perfect tool for food preservation in a state like Florida.
Plus I run out of space in my freezer. I can't wait to get started with a freeze dryer
My approach to freeze drying is the same as my approach to canning and dehydrating....I focus primarily on preserving individual ingredients rather than on meals. That way I have more options on what I prepare for us to eat. When I compared costs of ready to purchase freeze dried foods to the cost of buying a freeze dryer and doing my own to store, I could clearly see how doing my own would save me money. The savings were significant on meat, cheese and eggs. It hasn't taken me too long to now have recoped the cost of my investment in a freeze dryer. (I've had my freeze dryer a little over a year. And while I've done lots of things from my garden and orchard I've really focused on meat, cheese and eggs.) From here on out it's money saved!!!!
So are you saying within a year’s time you have recouped the cost of the machine?
Maybe a traditional metal file cabinet would work for storing the mylar bags with labels on the front of the drawers indicating what each drawer has. You could probably use some sort of tabbed dividers in each drawer to separate the different foods. The metal of the cabinet would make them rodent proof also, and the keep the darkness too.
❤
Oh, that's a good Idea.
I bought 2 small freeze dryers because I'm a solo. I love the diversity of food...I can...freeze...freeze dry! I just completed fruits that I could powder. Powdering is an AMAZING procedure to make spice mixes for soups and casseroles. The small size gives me the versatility of small batches.Yes small freeze dryers are the more expensive but you can do smaller batches quicker.
Love it!!
You guys are so kind to help your friends and neighbors. Made me tear up. Just don't see people spend that kind of money to help others. Wish I lived close, not to take advantage of your kindness, but to LEARN, and friendship.
@@TheProvidentPrepper ❤
Don’t forget, tossing trays in the deep freeze before throwing them in the freeze dryer can reduce energy costs and freeze dry times too. Because the freezer in theory uses less energy to freeze food than it does for the freeze dryer to drop to a lower temp from ambient room temp. It helps when harvest time is stupid busy. Prep everything in trays. Throw them in racks in the freezer. Wait for the cycle to finish on the freeze dryer and throw another set of trays in. Saves food from spoiling.
We put closet rods in the pantry and use pant hangers to hang the mylar bags. I organize by color so I know to go to the green section for green beans/peas/green bell peppers/etc. Go to the red section for tomato sauce/red bell peppers/etc. It works pretty good but I've considered switching to alphabetized system.
I’m on the fence about buying one of these machines. But to be honest your statement about helping friends prep may be what pushes me over the edge to buy one. What an excellent thought.!
Thank you for your honest opinion. I am about $500 away from owning my very own shiny new freeze dryer 🎉🥳🥰 I’ve been putting aside a little here and a little there. I noticed on your video that prices have gone up some. Mentioned it to my husband and that the sale brought the price back down to the previous price. Looks like we are going to put one on order Friday 💃🏻😃 I missed harvest season but I’m not complaining! Thanks for expediting my purchase 😜. I can’t wait🎉.
I believe they have a free layaway program, no interest. Just pay what you want until it's all paid off, then you can get it.
My favorite to freeze dry is Pico de Gallo. I love salsa but the freshness of the uncooked one from my garden produce is something I miss. I tried a large batch last year to try it and i love it. Don't let anyone tell you it's the same as fresh its not, a bit different but it's close.
My favorite so far is tomatoes, sliced, and powdered. They taste like candy. The powdered is used like tomato paste for thickening. I would like to mention that I vacuum seal my jars w/o o2 absorbers and can open numerous times and re-vacuum, seems to work well. Thank you guys for the great content on your channel. Keep up the good work ☺️👍
Yep. We're overrun with tomatoes, still ripening from the green stage that we harvested when frost hit in this area, and we run them through the spice grinder after freeze-drying. Very intense! Use sparingly, as you'd use tomato paste.
Yes! I Sprinkle my tomatoes with Johnny's Garlic Spread Seasoning before drying and it is literally my favorite food!
I've found the space savings in reducing tomatoes to FD powder is nothing less than astonishing.
I have bought many products from your amazing advise but you were very gentle on talking about the issues with the Harvest Right machines. I took the plunge and bought one because of the crazy state of our world. When the machine works it produces the most amazing product! My machine, and many others, have been broken down as much as it works. You are obviously a sponsor for Harvest Right company. I didn’t know I had to be a mechanic to make this machine work. I’m a single woman and it has been very difficult keeping my Harvest Right machine working. Pray I didn’t make a mistake.
I’ve run into the same problems. Had my machine for about 8 months, 3 of those months it wasn’t working. Didn’t know I’d have to do all the repairs myself, either!
When I was growing up my mom often repeated this little rhyme
“There once was a girl with a curl
Right in the middle of her forehead
When she was good, she was very very good
But when she was bad she was horrid”
That kind of sums up my relationship with my freeze dryer. I LOVE the finished products, but it NOT plug and play.
That being said, i have a load running now. 😂 🤞
I can not rationalize getting a freeze dryer....just can't.....another appliance that will sit around....sure, it will be nice to use it but I could never use it enough to make sense of it........BUT I will buy one when there is some competition for them....right now, with one company owning the whole business there is no incentive to make the machines better and more cost effective.....I will wait.....I personally don't think people will love living on freeze dried foods when you have fresh veggies from your garden and fresh meat is the best.....
I'm a single woman, as well. If it's a carpentry thing needing done, I'm your woman. If it's a mechanical thing.....yeah, right. That's one of the biggest reasons I haven't taken the plunge on a freeze drier. I really don't relish tossing away $3K just to have the thing break down, me not know how to fix it & end up with a giant paperweight. I think, for me, it's just better to buy the #10 cans of freeze dried items, especially of meats, that are commercially available.
It is wonderful to see john supporting you and your efforts to care for the Houshold good job and it is good that you work to support you family by providing food and making sure they have their needs met. If you watch a lot of vids or the news you see that there is a lot of people who resent good people such as yourselves i.e. (husband and wife TEAM who support each other) I like videos such as these with real people sharing and supporting one another. by the way you are just as smart as your husband men are logical and love order such as charts but is he as good at the things you are good at.
My mom purchased a large machine in 2017 and has had great success with her machine. Zero issues. I have helped her run it and am actually the one who talked her into buying it. I bought my own large machine in November of 2022 on black Friday. Took until end of February to receive machine. I didn't run 1st batch until July because I had to install an outlet with a dedicated breaker. Wich I knew I needed but with other things going on it took me 5 months to get around to it. With all that being said I have run approximately 18 batches with my machine and have already had to replace my control/ relay board. Now on 11/3/22 on my 19th batch I got a message saying couldn't get cold enough, wich is indicating a refrigerant leak in the compressor and I also am getting the mid batch heater failure code. Both of these issues started on this batch. So now I'm going to have to wait 5 days to talk to a tech from harvest right, then more than likely send my unit back to Utah to them ,for warranty work. Wich will probably take a month or more turn around time. So yeah they are great when they work. idk if I got a lemon or what but for $4000 I think I should be able to do more than 20 batches without issues like these. Like I said my moms machine has been great, mine not so much. So if your not willing to put up with breakdowns and waiting a week or two on simple parts like the board and then taking the unit apart and installing it yourself,, or boxing up a very heavy machine and hauling it to fedex to be put on a semi and then hauling it back home, then this machine is not for you. They are pretty much the only game in town for freeze drying so if your wanting to do your own food this is pretty much your only option, but you have to be willing to deal with the headaches that come along with it. Im not trying to discourage anyone but I'm also just wanting to be honest about my experience to help anyone thinking about it decide if it's right for them. I don't regret buying my machine yet, but that may change if I continue to have issues like I have had so far.
I LOVE my freeze dryer. Got it this spring. I love freezing banana slices…a grandson favorite, as well as apple slices. Just finished a batch with zucchini, garden green onions, red, yellow and orange bell peppers and celery and carrots to make a mirepoix mix. Also done cooked, diced chicken, Cooked ground beef, ham slices and thinly sliced kielbasa. Just fun to try different foods. Use mostly Mason jars and vacuum seal with my vacuum sealer. My hall linen closet is now a pantry lol!
The only reason I'd buy a freeze dryer - and I do, without a doubt, see the utility of it - would be if I had another 25 /30 mote years of life on me - it's a long term prep I'm 71 so I'll stick with tne Cosori Dehydrator - the process time is at least half the time as well !
would love to see some meals and items that you rehydrate to eat and how you feel the taste and textures are once cooked and eaten!
I have frezze dryed my homemade chill, and my husband said it was even better than it was when I first made it . Have also done porkchops with rice and cream of mushrooms soup. Eggs with chesse and shredded potatoes and taco meat.These are just a couple of things I have done and eating as we have traveled in our camper.
Thank you for doing this review and being honest!. Most UA-camr's DON'T TELL about the problems of HarvestRight units that have been shipping out this year. Living in an apartment and NOT having a Jonathan around to fix mine was SUCH an issue for me!. I REALLY, REALLY WANT to get one, but spending $2,200 plus with the possibly of ME having to FIX IT RIGHT OUT OF THE BOX is NOT cost effective. It's such a hit or miss with HarvestRight. I am STILL WANTING it, but are afraid of getting a bad unit. They are heavy and I can't ship that thing back to Harvest if I CANNOT FIX it. Such a dilemma I have :(
We've had a freeze dryer since 2018 I LOVE it!! The food taste is actually more intense and so fresh. My son and I have started to show others how to start storing food. We use the PET bottles, Mylar and glass bottles. We DO have a spread sheet ...The size and type of the container and date it was stored THEN where it is. Under the beds, Under the stairs, Behind the couches. I use beautiful table clothes that hide the boxes then have my house pants on them. I like putting up my families favorite recipes. My dad use to make a killer Red chili stew, he passed away over 40 years ago. My suggestion is to have several families pool the funds every other month and buy large bags of (rice, oats, pop corn, sugar, salt, beans, lentils Etc.) then split it. This way you have a small supply of several products. Then continue to work together. We need to learn how to cook, the cheapest food is the basics. PET is great, food grade containers from Deli or Bakery area of the grocery stores. Go get free items where ever you can.
Use a vacuum sealer for resealing the jars. I put an oxygen absorber in the jar, and then vacuum seal.
Insulate your garage with spray foam. My AC/Heater pump is in the attic, in its own room. It can be 105+ with humidity outside and that room is around 78 degrees. In fact my entire house has foam in the walls. Makes an enormous difference.
I haven't tried it yet, but when opening a zip lock bag, if you open it from the bottom when you are going to empty the contents, then you can refill and seal it from the bottom to preserve the zip lock for using with something that will be opened and closed later. I just added a vaccum chamber to my setup and I love it.
So after you freeze dry you can chamber vac it? do you need an oxygen absorber in there when you chamber vac?
@@jawright63 I don't use O2 when chamber sealing cause the air is already removed by the sealer. Some people put in an O2 as insurance but I figure that is not going to be a permanent soluution if it the bag leaks.
That's a nice tip; thank you. And I sometimes like to divide my mylar bags in half with the heat sealer, with some food in each of the upper and lower halves. Then I don't compromise the whole bag when I open it.
Thank you for your videos! Freeze dryers are way too expensive for me. If one of my sons had not paid for my eye surgery, I would have been blind no later than Christmas. Very low SocSec income, but thank goodness I started prepping 5 years ago! So I have several #10 cans of freeze dried food I bought when it was still affordable. I have a zillion dried spices and herbs, so I can literally make cheap ramen noodles taste like they came from anywhere in the world, lol. I have canned meats and vegetables. I bought extra cans of things when I could afford them. Slow and steady wins the race, even on a very limited budget!
@@TheProvidentPrepper thank you, and of course! I love Thai food, and have a lot of Thai sauces,. So for that one, I would use Fish Sauce, Golden Mountain sauce, and a little low sodium soy sauce. A splash of Roasted Sesame sauce, onion flakes, garlic powder, and ground coriander. Maybe a dash of chili flakes. I don't use the flavor packets that come with the ramen, and reduce the water I use to 1 1/2 cups. I cook all my ramen in the microwave, in a 2 C Pyrex measuring cup. My microwave is taller than me, so using the measuring cup makes it safer for me to take down, and saves on cleanup. I have Japanese Yuzu bbq sauce and for that one, I would add Nanami Togarashi seasoning, lemongrass powder, onion and garlic powder, and dried parsley. For the Garam Masala, I use that spice, coriander, and onion, maybe with a little dill. I also do one with Moroccan spices. To any of these, you can add a little leftover rotisserie chicken or canned chicken, canned salmon, tuna, or even anchovies if you like them. Every culture has some form of noodles, so you can really go anywhere with just a package of cheap ramen noodles! Thank you for your interest!
You may want to look at italian wheat pastas instead of ramen noodles. There are more servings than ramen so the price is not all that much more if you get them on sale. Plus they should have more nutrition than ramen noodles. Ramen is on the bottom of the list for nutritional calories... it does taste great though, lol. Just a suggestion so you can eat a little healthier. :) God bless.
@@LadyBoru thank you friend!
Thanks to my freeze drier, my children are eating more fruit than ever before. They beg me to freeze dry fruits that they normally will not eat fresh and that's what they take to school for snack. Their friends are always begging them to share their freeze dried fruit. Before my freeze drier many of my apple tree apples were going to waste. Now I'm not wasting hardly any apples because I freeze most of them and they fly off my shelf.
I fd 2 bags of frozen strawberries per week.
Fresh would run $56 this time of year.
I spend $16 for 2 bags froze.
Daughter loves them
Mrs. K: The ungusseted bags could be placed in an office file storage box many of them come with dividers to separate file folders and you could label the top tabs and keep several in each slot in an upright position. These file folder boxes also stack neatly on top of each other once they are closed and don't have a very large footprint and can easily be placed in a standard closet.
Had our freeze dryer for 7 years now. I can tell you it has been the best investment for us and has paid for itself 5 fold. So much better for us than any other way to preserve food.
Great one. Please can you train me. And how much will it cost me?
How much do the freeze dryer cost?.
I do both jars and bags. I’m like you. I like the stand up pint and quart bags as well. My jars are in the pantry away from light. I love having the food in jars so you can just take out what you need. I reseal mine with my food saver vacuum so that saves on oxygen absorbers.
This was fabulous, thank you. I love my freeze dryer, I have had it less than a year, but it's been such a boon to my storage options. One thing I love to freeze-dry is apple slices tossed in the cinnamon sugar mixture that I use for my toast. These aren't meant for long-term storage, but a better snack than M&M's or Oreos :D lol
My suggestion to help with the totes is to put the totes on a shelf unit. One layer of tote to one shelf. This allows you to slide the the tote out like a drawer.
Also put a list with a little table grid lined up with the item list. Put the list into a page protector and attach a wet erase marker or grease pencil to the list attached to the tote. Put a check in the grid if you took a cup of corn or mark out if all the corn in one pouch is gone.
I too, have found out that an older model which is still fairly new...only seen less than 75 loads will cost me around $900 for shipping or more plus repairs. I don't have $1200 to $1400 just laying around. I have a medium and within 6 months of purchase they totally changed everything in their components. I also had just recently purchased all the tray covers, dividers and silicone mats ( which didn't exist when I bought mine) and they are still in the box unused. I worked with Harvest Right all summer doing all these tests and it still doesn't work. It was my dream to own one. I'm 74 and have cried so much over this huge loss. I asked about refurbished and was told "no". I was also told it was my fault for not using it enough. I live where it snows. There was nothing in the literature saying you had to use it every few weeks.😭
Your fault for not using it enough?! Wow...I'm so glad that I read thru all of these comments before making a decision on purchasing a unit or not. The rude, non-existent customer service you got, coupled with the sheer number of people commenting on breakdowns has convinced me I'm still better off buying the commercially freeze dried stuff than laying out $3K for a unit that may not function all that long.
With costumer service like that, they will put themselves out of business 🥲
This couple has great communication, unlike any I have heard from any husband regarding any issue. What a great relationshp they have working together. She never gets lonely. Thanks for the example. Women are often left isolated with a guy who cannot get his head out of his job. Was married to a CPA, and I had no idea what I was missing. Congratulations on your success with your freeze dryers. Am a single person and would love one.
First review that has mentioned maintenance, repairs and room temperature
I have started using clear bins with gaskets in the lid.... so keeps bugs out to.... AND I can see what's inside. And each bin is like items. I really want a freeze dryer!😁
We like freeze dried applesauce. We've done both store bought and homemade. For the medium sz freeze dryer we use 7x7 pans (bottom measurement) and pour the applesauce in - 2 cups per pan. Then we score the top to the size we want to break the pieces into, then we freeze them until we have space to freeze dry them. Very good as a dry snack. (Or you can rehydrate back into applesauce)
We've been freeze drying for just over 5 years now. We only use Mylar type bags, never glass jars - I'm toooo much of a clutz. I would have killed myself by now. 😀
We also have a medium and a large freeze dryer! I one of my favorite things to freeze dry is chicken bone broth and the powder it. It maintains its gelatinous properties when reconstituted and cooled whic it losses when I can. I also love to slice De-seed lemons and oranges and the grind most into powder form for easy juice and pectin.
What a blessing you are to your friends and neighbors. I am hoping that I can get one. I think freeze drying is superior to dehydrating which I can do. I would love to freeze dry my meats and the fruit from trees. I have peaches, plums, lemons, etc. Until then I will purchase from places that freeze dry.
Oh how exciting to do a spreadsheet! (Retired accountant here.) I’ve actually been struggling with same issue of keeping track of what I have in Mylar and 5-gallon buckets with Gamma lids. And it gets worse for items I have in both jars and Mylar. I’m thinking an inventory is necessary but have been procrastinating because I know it won’t be up-to-date. I’m also the cook and that’s a stream-lined process of quickly grabbing ingredients and cooking…without wanting to take time to update inventory. Here is a tip that works for me for certain often-used ingredients. I keep a working jar (pint, quart, or half-gallon) that I fill from other sources (larger jars or Mylar) which I definitely re-seal (often w oxygen absorbers). I try to re-seal jars in my working pantry using a vacuum sealer kit and brake-bleeder or hand-held vacuum sealer. This keeps my working pantry fresh much longer. My family knows that un-sealed jars go on a corner of the kitchen table so I can batch process re-sealing of jars every couple of days. Another advantage of this process is I have more control of managing our inventory since I put the jars away.
awesome post! great system!
So I have a much older Harvest Right than yours and I do love it. After the original pump gave out (under warranty) I got the older version of what was the old standard pump. I had an original Harvey filter, which did waste oil, but b I now have the now-old two decker HR filter. I trashed the mattress stuffing and use a coffee filter and a lot of cotton jammed in there. It works wonderfully and I can draw off the water from the top container with a battery. I have had to rebuild it as HR did not do a good job on it. But I filter every load, which it does while it is on the no-defrost defrost. The oil is not engine oil that is heated, so it lasts a long time. It is a great machine even without the fancy new software and if it is going to finish at an inconvenient time, you know the food can never be too dry and you can just extend the cycle.
The HR was for me a way of storing protein and I find that raw chicken stores better than most cooked chicken that is not in a wettish dish. So stir fries not so good, the Chicken Bulha Masala I just packaged is great. Raw chicken for cooking later -- white meat is less fatty.
You might consider for food storage the system that Prepper Nerd has -- good tracking and you can access and edit from a tablet or a phone -- and you can download in a spreadsheet. Lots of nutrient tracking, storage containers and measures you can use to identify holes in your storage.
If you’ve freeze-dried a batch of food and are unable to get to it right away to package it, how long is it safe to leave it? I can see where not knowing when any given food will finish could be problematic.
And for those of us who aren’t handy with repairs… must the freeze-dryer be shipped back to the manufacturer or are there other repair options?
I’ve been toying with getting one for awhile. Thank you.
Something to consider is if you have a common use item. You can have a large bulk Mylar package. As you use it the item (from a mason jar), you open a Mylar bag and put it in a mason jar or two for quick and easy access. Kind of like how you buy bulk items from the store and break them down into smaller packages. The only example I have is taking cereal or oatmeal and adding it to a plastic tub. I love the idea of resealing the bag as you use it.
Excellent information. I am currently researching whether or not I should buy one and this was very helpful, so thank you so much..
So glad!
I grow my own ginger. In colder climates, they grow well indoors near a window with good light. In warmer climates, they grow well outside. I have yet to FD my ginger but I'm going to have to try this.
I love freeze drying my grass feed milk from the farmer in town. I don’t have cows and this provides me with so much peace knowing I can always have milk.
You got me at "sounds like a spreadsheet is in order". That's my kind of thinking. I've done that with my freezer contents
The storage of my FD item has been a challenge, I’ve settled on Rubbermaid type bins by food types (dairy, meat, fruit, mres etc) Not as convenient as jars, but more practical for me. As I get more put away, I subdivide even more. This week I’m separating cheeses, milks, eggs, yogurts etc, into their own bins.)
I just replaced the relay sensor on my 18 month old medium freeze dryer. It was not difficult just frustrating to wait on the part which was $95.
We use the color coated sticker system, different colors for different things like using green for vegetables, pink for fruit and red meat. That way we always know what is in each bin, we always go from right to left, which makes it seem easier for us, because we can look at the bin and know which is which, and what is in each item.
I think it is hard to be totally transparent if you are an affiliate.
No, it isn't.
This is NOT a comparative analysis between two or more brands of machines.
It IS an analysis of the value of freeze drying versus NOT freeze drying.
That’s an odd remark, the transparency is in declaring the affiliate connection which anyone learning on this channel is benefiting in many ways. Actually deciding to purchase a second freeze dryer is a terrific selling point in its own right. I’m grateful to make a purchase that adds to someone’s channel success. I would suggest anyone with that negative attitude take a hike, stay unprepared and suffer.👶
@@Hayilkasdorf If you are making money or freebies from this, you may not be totally honest, sad, but true. If you are unhappy with my comment, you too can take a hike. Freedom or having my opinion.
@@gmwwc My opinion is different. I think if you are making money or getting free goods from the machine maker, you may say everything is great when it may not be. I have been freeze drying way longer than it has been so popular, and I can tell you, it’s not all great.
I am not paid by harvest right and I Love mine had it for almost 2 months. Having a great time and almost everything came out did soups ,fruit , veggies and candy . A couple of candies didn’t do anything , which is fine just experimenting. So fun !
Thank you so much for this review, especially the honest review of the drawbacks. I've been concerned about the oil change and most reviews I've watched just kind of breeze over that.
What a great video. thanks for taking the time to explain everything. I just heard at the end of the video you were talking about turmeric. Actually, what I did that and to cut a step is I just put the tumaeric and the ginger into a food processor and then freeze that, and then after that's done, then I just put it back in the food processor since i'm just going to make powder out of it
I LOVE my freeze dryer. For my wife and I, it was well worth the up-front cost. I feel it has more than paid for itself within this first year that we've had it. Keep up the great work you two do!!! ❤❤
Added: Your relay board will be about $95, unless the price went up.
My favorite food to freeze dry is chicken sausage if it were a ingredient. If it is a meal, it is tater-tot casserole.
@@TheProvidentPrepper we buy tubes of chicken sausage at WinCo. We just cook it and then freeze dry it.
We have a medium. I love it! I can use it to preserve produce from our garden and trees. I do a lot of canning, but now I have another way to preserve foods. With the freeze dryer I can finally preserve shredded cheese, sour cream, a lot of the eggs from our chickens and some meats. Our freezers are full and I worry about a long-term power outage. That would ruin everything in our freezers. Now I have another way to make these things shelf- stable. It is easy to use and it costs a lot less than buying #10 cans from someone else. I highly recommend the freeze dryer.
@@TheProvidentPrepper , thank you so much! I am a fan your channel. It always has tons of great information.
I absolutely love my medium Harvest Right with premier pump; however, it has brokenn down twice in less than a year. You have to pay for a help request which is erking. They have helped us get it up and running again each time with detailed videos and new parts. The flavor of the foods is like eating fresh foods. Grilled brisket takes like it just came off of the grill. Watch reconstitution, don't just dump water on it, do it sparingly and you can always add more; however, too much water flushes the flavor out. We can eat most of what we dry right out of the jar/bag without reconstitution, great for parties as special chips. I do think I have gotten my money back in what I have saved over purchasing the large cans of freeze dried food, but really hate the Customer Service we have needed twice within a year. Electric bill hardly changed so no real added expense there. Loved the tip o Wallaby bags, really love that idea. We get gusset only bags too, love them. Use your black and yellow cotainers also, love them. Don't forget, Mylar bags burn - great fire starter so don't throw away those bag cut offs, store them and use them later! I hate vegetables and we grind them up to put in recipes. I can now eat vegetables, powder is great for me!! Brisket is the best we've had.
Irritates me that they call it a ‘premier pump’ yet it’s just the average pump.
Thank you for the video, great information. My favorites are the sliced strawberries and bananas. I store my FD foods in mason jars w/o oxygen absorbers, instead, I use a mason jar vacuum sealer that comes with both regular and large mouth attachment caps. I can reseal them easily after opening. I am saving the mylar bags for when I am at the over abundant stage.
Try looking up "vintage food safe". These are wood cabinets with tin, copper or metal mesh to keep out rodents. You could use whatever organizers work for you inside such a thing. Metal shop cabinets might work as long as they seal tight enough. Mice can get through surprisingly small spaces.
Great video!
Totally agree with your assessments... I was able to make my grandbaby's baby food, teething biscuits, etc and avoided the worry over ingredients and recalls! Also, i like putting extra fresh veggies thru the processor to chop fairly fine and freeze dry... Then i can use them as seasonings!
You can find different colored bags, which helps me visually see if i have veggies-green, fruit-pink, dairy-white, meats-blue, etc.
I have considered buying a FD for a couple years. I’ve canned for 40 years but see advantages of FD. My hesitation has been 1)cost vs buying long term food storage 2) have met with 2 electricians and going to have to have modifications done on breaker box and add additional wiring 3)space to put it 4) dealing with oil and pump (I have permanent spinal and nerve damage and am disabled - not much use of one arm/hand)
If I buy one I will probably be mainly doing meats. I know even with electrical modifications it will have to be the small or medium unless I go with the other brand I recently saw your video on where there is no external oil pump to deal with. About how many pounds of meat do you think could be done in a week’s time?
I love your channel. Thanks for providing such great info. Even though I have been a big gardener and canner that just doesn’t seem enough for today’s world. Also with our health issues I need to have meals that can be made quickly and easily with food I have on my shelf. Sadly there are a lot of days I physically just can’t prepare a meal. Thanks again 😊
I’m getting a freeze dryer this month. Freeze drying does reserve nutrition but it’s fair to note the reason canning or dehydrating show lower numbers is because heating or cooking is what causes nutrition loss. Raw is always best. But once you cook say your freeze dried apples in apple pie you now have the same nutrition as say dehydrated. Some vitamins just decrease with heat. So raw fd apples are indeed better than dehydrated apples. Dehydrated were heated.
May not be cost effective but peace of mind is priceless
Im SO grateful for this video. Seriously considering this sale. Trying to figure out which size would be best. Not yet producing too much of our own food. Great to hear that the medium one finishes faster.
Regarding storage/rotating of mylar bags: I'm a substitute teacher and ALL the schools in my district are saving the small buckets for me (1gal)in which they get their frosting. I have all small/medium mylar bags sorted by contents. One bucket holds garlic, another has cheddar cheese, etc.They stack easily and because they are small, they are light weight. Of course, I love getting the buckets for free!!! :)
Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. If I had a freeze dryer I would love to freeze dry meats, soups and my garden (including apple and pear trees). I wish that I could empty my freezers by using a freeze dryer. I dehydrate and bottle all that I can.
Candy is so fun to freeze dry. It is such a fun gift to give. After that fruit. Strawberries, peaches , pears and raspberries. Such great snack foods
My Set-up is
1 Lg Harvest Right Freeze Dryer
1 VacMaster chamber vacuum sealer
Thousand mylar bags 3 and 5 mil
Oxygen absorber packs
Desiccant packs
My Goal was to make my 25 year survival food, with No additives
But it Was Not cheap
Love my freeze dryer i have had it 2 years and have preserved so much and yes I help others in my circle as needed
Almost 60 years ago I worked at General Foods Bird's Eye where our lab worked
with freeze drying foods. At that time
the freeze dried coffee was new, and we
tested Awake, an Orange Juice substitute.
It was an interesting experience until I
returned to start college and take ROTC,
because it gave more choices with the
upcoming Vietnam War.
Thank you for sharing this. I can't afford a freeze dryer yet, but this information was very helpful. I would love to be able to freeze dry organic eggs, we constantly loose power where I live and that would be nice to have on hand. So far, I've been dehydrating food - which works great with frozen organic food since the prep work is done for you (huge time saver!). Either way you can make powders from produce for smoothies, soups, nutritional drinks, etc. and they take up much less space (2-3 cups dehydrated = approximately 3 tablespoons).
My local City Mission has a Harvest Right and I was able to see it up close. It is something that I hope to purchase within the next 2 years. As others have said, it looks like a wonderful tool to help preserve food for long-term storage. Thank you for the video.
Label AND date each pouch, put them in the totes front to back with oldest date to the firont or back depending on how you normally use food.
You can vacuum seal the mason jars after you take a portion out and that should keep it fresh. I have a little attachment that goes on top of the jar that I hook up to a vacuum sealer and it sucks all of the air out.
Thank you for sharing. I’m still studying about how this all works. I have no idea as to rehydrate the food for cooking. Lots to learn!
If you have the bags that don't stand up you can always put them in a magazine box (the ones for storing magazines).
I do not have a freeze dryer but in listening to others that do, the one thing I would LOVE to try is cilentro. I've heard that it's fabulous and I love cilentro. Thanks for this video. I have been seriously thinking of investing in one and all the info was most helpful.
Freeze dry eggs whites, I have made a lemon meringue pie, love my freeze dryer. It was an experiment, I was surprised when it worked
I store in Mylar bags, jars
My pump is an oil less one
Love the fact, you can have a great meal in an 1/2 hour or less
Thanks for sharing
I'm looking at buying a freeze dryer today :). So happy to see my most trusted preppers reviewing this!
did you buy one? What do you think so far? How long before it pays for itself?
My favorite is fresh tomatoes!
They are versatile and tasty. You can use them to flavor and thicken.
This Video was just right for me, I live in Australia and am just about to buy a freeze dryer for my convenience only because I have to travel for about an hour to get most of the food that I prefer, but I live in a subtropical area that has a large food growing area, therefore I will be able to shop around and store my needs in my pantry making them readily available for years, making the purchase worthwhile, thank you foe excellent advice
Hi there, I'm also in Australia and wanting to buy one. Have you purchased one yet and from whom? Do you love it? Love your feedback pls.
I love your shows and bought a Harvest Right. Within 1 year, multiple breakdowns and a trip back to Utah for the second time. Well now, it is 15 months old, back in Utah at harvest time and they tell me they know what is wrong but do not have the part to fix it. I am heartbroken. Harvest Right employees have been courteous but now this machine has been inoperable since July and we are in the 3rd week of September with no ETA. I think folks need to be aware that this is not a plug and play item and has many quirks. I am not the only person having difficulties. The freight man who picked the machine up told me that he has had to return quite a number of them for others. All I know is, my monthly payment is due again and out of the 15 months I have "owned" it, it has run for less than 10. I suggest folks do their own research before making this decision- it is a fabulous machine...WHEN it works.
I'm so sad for you!! That is incredibly frustrating! It is not a plug and play device. Buyer definitely beware! I wish that Harvest Right took better care of their customers. I love freeze drying.
I have always wanted a freeze dryer! I just cannot convince my husband of 35 years to get one. I already drive him nuts with my food prepping. 😅 I seem to take up too much space with all the canning and dehydrating supplies as it is.
Look up how much the prices of food have gone up this year. Ask him if he plans to eat next year. If so, how much more of his income is he planning to spend for groceries? Ask where he is able to invest his money and get a 30% rate of return this year. How about 50% next year and 100% the following? Now, look up hyperinflation in Germany from 1919 to 1924. The cost of a loaf of bread went from 1 mark to 3,000,000 marks during that time. We are on that path, only worse. Their national debt was a few billion. Ours is trillions.
The point: Buy now while food is cheap and available. Freeze dry it and store it for when you will need it. It is the best investment you can make.
HI Kylene & John 😃
There are NO *stupid questions*, RIGHT?!? 😂 So, I'm going to be brave.
*Is it possible to freeze dry food that has already been dehydrated, in order to extend the life of the food?*
I have given very serious thought to purchasing a dehydrator for the last few years. Just waiting for the savings fund to be sufficient. Im SOOO CLOSE now, and MIGHT even be able to make that purchase this month.
I have already ordered an extra set of trays because I have seen so many channels say to freeze the food first, so your freeze dryer won't have to work so hard. They should be here any day now. 😁😁😁
Thank you for the many MANY educational videos!!! I have learned SO MUCH from you!!!
Love, prayers & God's blessings ❣❣❣🙏✝
A good chamber vacuum sealer cost $499 - $1500. I have had the unit a little more than a year and a half. Mine was around $1200.00, I am sure it has already paid for it's cost in the reduction of frozen foods loss and the reduction in food waste from left overs. My frozen meats now last for 2 years instead of 6 months. Good equipment is not always cheap. But I think it was worth the cost for the reduction of meat loss due to freezer burn.
Filing cabinet for storing and organizing the bags. Stackable and no issue with lifting.
Great video folks!!!
I don't freeze dry...yet. Looking forward to it and doing the research. I do know that I will be using mylar bags. I live in a major earthquake zone. I can't afford to lose everything because it's mixed with broken glass. Thanks for all your helpful hints. 😊
I have thought a lot about this, and I feel that as an off-grid homesteader they are not for me. I have lived this way my whole life and have a system in place where we can sustain our family pretty much self sufficiently for a couple years ahead without a freeze dryer. But most importantly, off-grid, I don't have the electricity to run one and don't want to spend more. That's a choice I make I realize.
I love though that freeze dryers exist for those who can use them and for who they work well for. I think it's wonderful!! I completely empathize with wanting to control the ingredients of everything you eat. That is so important.
I also love that you share your freeze dryer with your neighbors who can't afford a freeze dryer. That is so lovely. Good for you!!
What a well done video! I stumbled upon your channel and will check out your other videos :)
I also want to add that I totally agree with you that different types of preservation have their place and it's important to have multiple food sources and food preservation sources. Very wise.
Also problem in a garage in the winter with it being too cold. I have a small space heater to help with the cold issues. Only turn it on when needed.
I was thinking about the storage of mylar bags & am picturing something like you'd see at the dry cleaners. Maybe hang them on a rack of some sort that spins around? Oldest stuff in the front, newest in the back. They'd be off the floor (& bonus for not taking up floor space). I love how excited you both are about freeze drying. I was talking to my mom today about all the great things it could be used for, I think I'm going to have to send a link to this video to her.
After a rocky start. (issues with the compressor, received a completely new freeze dryer). I love my freezer dryer and am very happy I made the leap and purchased it. I bought the large.
Mylar bags can be organized in hanging file folder systems with a label on the outside. Easy to rotate and know what you have. It’s still not quite as “visual” but it works.