How to Preserve the Summer Harvest Without a Canner

Summer is in full swing, and if your garden (or your neighbour's garden) is bursting with fresh produce, now’s the perfect time to start preserving the harvest. 

But here's the best part: you don't need a canner, pressure cooker, or fancy equipment to get started!

In fact, some of the easiest and most delicious preserving methods require little more than your fridge, freezer, or a place to hang your harvest to dry.

Just one of our nearly daily harvests back in August 2022.

Whether you're growing your own food or stocking up from a local farm, farmers market or crop swap, here are some beginner-friendly ways to preserve the harvest without canning:

1. Refrigerator Pickling (Quick Pickles)

Quick pickled Jalapeño Pepper slices

Refrigerator pickles are tangy, crunchy, and ready in just a day or two. They’re perfect for cucumbers, peppers, onions, carrots, beans, and even sliced zucchini!

What you need:

• Veggies, cleaned and sliced
• 1 part vinegar (white or apple cider)
• 1 part water
• 1 tbsp salt + 1 tbsp sugar (per 2 cups of liquid)
• Optional: garlic, dill, mustard seeds, peppercorns

Process:

1. Pack veggies into a clean glass jar.
2. Boil vinegar, water, salt, and sugar until dissolved.
3. Pour over veggies, cool, and refrigerate.
4. Ready in 24 hours. Keeps up to 2 months.

2. Drying Herbs Without a Dehydrator

Bundles of sage and chocolate mint currently hanging in our kitchen

Fresh herbs are easy to grow, but they can bolt quickly in the summer heat, which can change their flavour. 

Drying them before they flower means you’ll have plenty of flavour for winter meals. 

If you don't mind the taste of herbs that are flowering, you can absolutely dry them too! 

How:

• Harvest herbs in the morning (before any wilting).
• Tie small bundles with string or twine and hang them upside-down in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area that is out of direct sun. Airflow is key to avoid any risk of mould growth. 
• Once completely dry & crisp, remove leaves and store in airtight jars (preferably - it will keep your herbs tasting fresher, longer).

Excellent options for this include: oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, mint, dill and yes, even parsley! 

 3. Freezing Vegetables (Blanch Optional)

July 2025 & after just 5 minutes of picking from our native black raspberry hedge; now off to the freezer!

Freezing is one of the easiest ways to preserve summer bounty - and you don’t have to blanch (boil briefly then cool) if you plan to use them within a couple months.

Great for freezing:

• Berries (freeze on trays first to avoid clumping)
• Chopped peppers (no blanching needed)
• Zucchini (grated or sliced—best if lightly steamed or blanched)
• Tomatoes (roast and freeze or freeze whole for sauces)
• Corn (slice off cob and freeze in bags)

Quick tips:

When freezing tomatoes whole, remove the core and slice an 'X' into the bottom of the tomato. Once thawed, the 'X' makes it much easier to remove the skin (if desired). 

And be sure to label your freezer bags and containers with the date and contents - you will forget what’s in there by November!

 

4. Freeze Greens for Smoothies and Soups

August 2021 - Thousandhead Kale from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
Huge harvests!

Large harvests of kale, chard, spinach, or beet greens rolling in? Wash, chop, and steam lightly (or just sauté for a minute), then freeze in portions.

Quick Tip: 

Press greens into silicone muffin trays or ice cube trays for easy single-use servings.

We love this method because it's simple and also a great way to sneak nutrient-packed greens into our boy’s smoothies without them even noticing!

5. Slow Roast and Freeze Tomatoes

Quick Roasted Tomatoes With Garlic And Thyme  photo courtesy of The Mediterranean Dish (Recipe linked below) 

Perfect if you don’t want to be bothered by peeling or canning tomatoes, but still want to enjoy phenomenal summer flavour - at any time!

Simple How To:

1. Halve your favourite tomatoes (can be a mix of all varieties!).
2. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and herbs of your preference.
3. Roast low and slow (225°F/110°C for 2-3 hours).
4. Cool and pack into freezer bags or jars.

Use them later in pasta, soups, or sandwiches for rich, concentrated flavour.

For an even more flavourful option, check out this recipe from The Mediterranean Dish. She uses sumac, which we forage for in our neighbourhood each and every year to top our homemade hummus! If you have never had it, it adds a very warm and lemony flavour.

Why Preserve at All?

Preserving the harvest:

•  Saves money
•  Reduces waste
•  Keeps you eating locally year-round
•  Builds food security (even on a small scale)
•  & simply tastes so much better! 

You don’t need to go “all in” to benefit. Even one jar of pickles or a few bags of frozen greens can make a difference come January.

Want More Help?

Need seeds, growing advice, or guidance on other forms of preservation? Check out our website www.sunnyhillhomestead.com for details regarding our free nation-wide seed library and our consulting services!

Let’s make the most of every tomato, cucumber, and herb this season brings!

With Love, 

Sarah & The Sunnyhill Homestead Family