Read Online DIY Projects for the Self-Sufficient Homeowner: 25 Ways to Build a Self-Reliant Lifestyle by Betsy Matheson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Betsy Matheson
Tags: Non-Fiction
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food-drying screens. Metal screen materials could be coated with chemicals that contaminate food.
• Spread your food on the trays in a single layer so the pieces do not touch one another.
• Protect your food from insects with cheesecloth—drape the cloth over wooden blocks to keep it from touching the food, and weigh down all of its edges with scrap lumber so it doesn’t blow away.
• Place your trays on top of blocks at least six inches tall to promote air circulation on all sides.
Drying food outdoors will likely take at least two to three days, and perhaps longer. At dusk each day, bring the trays indoors. Cool nights can restore moisture, which not only slows down the drying process, it can also cause mold to grow. Better yet, if you have an indoor drying method—such as a food dehydrator or one of the other methods on page 90 —it’s a good idea to keep the drying process going at night if you can. The food will dry much faster and this lessens the chance of mold growth.
Solar Dryer
A solar dryer is a drying tool that makes it possible to air-dry produce even when conditions are less than ideal. This dryer is easy to make, lightweight, and is space efficient. The dryer makes a great addition to your self-sufficient home, allowing you to use your outdoor space for more than gardening. The dryer, which is made of cedar or pine, utilizes a salvaged window for a cover. But you will have to adjust the dimensions given here for the size window that you find. The key to successful solar drying is to check the dryer frequently to make sure that it stays in the sun. If the air becomes cool and damp, the food will become a haven for bacteria. In a sunny area, your produce will dry in a couple days. Add a thermometer to the inside of your dryer box, and check on the temperature frequently—it should stay between 95 and 145°F. You may choose to dry any number of different vegetables and fruits in the dryer, such as:
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Apples
• Squash
• Bananas
An old glass window sash gets new life as the heat–trapping cover of this solar dryer.
Building a Solar Dryer
CUTTING LIST
Insect Mesh—fiberglass 28-7/8 × 34-3/4"
TOOLS & MATERIALS
1" spade bit
Circular saw
(1) 1 × 8" × 8ft.
(1) 1 × 6" × 8ft.
Eye protection
(2) 1 × 4" × 8ft.
Stapler
1-1/4" deck screws
Drill
Staples
Insect mesh
Window sash
1-1/2" galv. finish nails
Brad nails
How to Build a Solar Dryer
1 Assemble the box. Attach the wider boards for the frame by driving screws through the faces of the 1 × 8" boards into the ends of the 1 × 6" boards. There will be a difference in height between these pairs of boards so that the window sash can sit flush in the recess created.
2 Install the mesh. Staple the screen to the frame. Then tack the retainer strips over the screen to the frame with 3-4 brad nails per side. Trim off the excess mesh.
3 Build the stand. Attach each 24" board to a 30" board (in the back) and a 22" board (in the front) with 1-1/4" deck screws. Then attach the finished posts to the frame with three 1-1/4" deck screws in each post.
4 Drill three 1" holes for ventilation in each 1 × 6" board equally spaced along the length of the board, leaving 5" of room on each end for the posts. Staple leftover insect mesh behind the ventilation holes on the inside of the frame.
5 Finish the project by sliding the window sash into place.
Drying Produce Indoors
Drying vegetables indoors allows you to carefully control the drying conditions and offers more protection from insects and changes in weather. An electric food dehydrator appliance is the simplest choice for indoor drying. If you don’t have a dehydrator, the next best option is in or around your oven, although any hot, dry area will do—possibly even your attic or the area around a heater or cookstove.
If you plan to dry produce in your oven, keep in mind that the process typically takes eight to
• Spread your food on the trays in a single layer so the pieces do not touch one another.
• Protect your food from insects with cheesecloth—drape the cloth over wooden blocks to keep it from touching the food, and weigh down all of its edges with scrap lumber so it doesn’t blow away.
• Place your trays on top of blocks at least six inches tall to promote air circulation on all sides.
Drying food outdoors will likely take at least two to three days, and perhaps longer. At dusk each day, bring the trays indoors. Cool nights can restore moisture, which not only slows down the drying process, it can also cause mold to grow. Better yet, if you have an indoor drying method—such as a food dehydrator or one of the other methods on page 90 —it’s a good idea to keep the drying process going at night if you can. The food will dry much faster and this lessens the chance of mold growth.
Solar Dryer
A solar dryer is a drying tool that makes it possible to air-dry produce even when conditions are less than ideal. This dryer is easy to make, lightweight, and is space efficient. The dryer makes a great addition to your self-sufficient home, allowing you to use your outdoor space for more than gardening. The dryer, which is made of cedar or pine, utilizes a salvaged window for a cover. But you will have to adjust the dimensions given here for the size window that you find. The key to successful solar drying is to check the dryer frequently to make sure that it stays in the sun. If the air becomes cool and damp, the food will become a haven for bacteria. In a sunny area, your produce will dry in a couple days. Add a thermometer to the inside of your dryer box, and check on the temperature frequently—it should stay between 95 and 145°F. You may choose to dry any number of different vegetables and fruits in the dryer, such as:
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Apples
• Squash
• Bananas
An old glass window sash gets new life as the heat–trapping cover of this solar dryer.
Building a Solar Dryer
CUTTING LIST
Insect Mesh—fiberglass 28-7/8 × 34-3/4"
TOOLS & MATERIALS
1" spade bit
Circular saw
(1) 1 × 8" × 8ft.
(1) 1 × 6" × 8ft.
Eye protection
(2) 1 × 4" × 8ft.
Stapler
1-1/4" deck screws
Drill
Staples
Insect mesh
Window sash
1-1/2" galv. finish nails
Brad nails
How to Build a Solar Dryer
1 Assemble the box. Attach the wider boards for the frame by driving screws through the faces of the 1 × 8" boards into the ends of the 1 × 6" boards. There will be a difference in height between these pairs of boards so that the window sash can sit flush in the recess created.
2 Install the mesh. Staple the screen to the frame. Then tack the retainer strips over the screen to the frame with 3-4 brad nails per side. Trim off the excess mesh.
3 Build the stand. Attach each 24" board to a 30" board (in the back) and a 22" board (in the front) with 1-1/4" deck screws. Then attach the finished posts to the frame with three 1-1/4" deck screws in each post.
4 Drill three 1" holes for ventilation in each 1 × 6" board equally spaced along the length of the board, leaving 5" of room on each end for the posts. Staple leftover insect mesh behind the ventilation holes on the inside of the frame.
5 Finish the project by sliding the window sash into place.
Drying Produce Indoors
Drying vegetables indoors allows you to carefully control the drying conditions and offers more protection from insects and changes in weather. An electric food dehydrator appliance is the simplest choice for indoor drying. If you don’t have a dehydrator, the next best option is in or around your oven, although any hot, dry area will do—possibly even your attic or the area around a heater or cookstove.
If you plan to dry produce in your oven, keep in mind that the process typically takes eight to
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