Tips for drying food inside and outside

So you have a great backyard garden and now it's harvest season. Why not try drying your produce? Drying goods lets you store it for longer, keeping it fresh all winter without the use of chemicals.

This is the easiest way to dry most produce, as it needs no special equipment, is economical of time and labour and does not involve the use of any chemicals.

• Field pea (split pea) and broad bean pods can be simply left to dry on the bush then collected and stored in mesh bags in an airy spot.
• When you are ready to use the seeds, most of the shells will come away if the bag is shaken firmly; alternatively shell as you collect and store the seeds.
• To dry sultanas on the vine, cut the fruit-bearing canes at the base and leave to hang on a trellis; when dry, hand-pick the fruit or shake into bags.
• Onions can also be allowed to dry in the garden. Pull them up and let them lie on the ground in the sun for four to six days to cure. When the tops turn stiff and straw-like, plait them together with a piece of strong twine; they can then be hung up and stored for several months in a dry place.

Many people prefer to dry indoors for the convenience of being independent of the weather and away from airborne contamination.

• Because indoor drying continues day and night, it is also faster than drying foods outside, resulting in greater retention of vitamins and less chance of spoilage.

This is the simplest way to dry food indoors.

• Preheat oven to 60°C (140°F)by putting it on the lowest heat setting with the door half open and use a thermometer to check temperature; use the warming oven of a fuel stove.
• Spread pieces of food on oven trays, making sure that they do not touch each other.
• Place the trays on racks inside the oven, with the bottom tray at least 20 centimetres (eight inches) from the heat source, and leaving at least 10 centimetres (four inches) above and below each tray for air circulation.
• With the oven door just slightly ajar for ventilation, reduce the temperature to 50°C (122°F)and then gradually increase it again to 60°C (140°F).
• Make sure food pieces are exposed to this temperature for at least half of the total drying time.
• Regularly rearrange trays and re-position and turn food to ensure even drying.
• Drying is a slow process and can take from six to 48 hours depending on the density and moisture content of the food.

Now you can take all of those great vegetables from your garden and keep them all winter long. For best results, make sure they're stored in a cool, dry place for the season.

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