Late Summer Bit and Bobs.

[Westi]

Well I'm watering again! No rain expected for the next 10 days. At least the plants get some value from it now the temperature is more moderate.

[Primrose]

We discovered this morning that ice on the top rim of our tall freeer in the garage (which was packed full) had built up so much that it was starting to force the door open so the whole freezer had to be defrosted. Cue lots of saucepans of boiling water and a hairdryer,
I still had about three year worth of redcurrants in there so the oldest had gone onto the compost heap as I simply can't face making any more preserves and syrups!

We now have a nicely organised freezer again and an updated inventory. Menu planning will be much easier.and the freeer which is about 35 years old hopefully won,t have to work quite so hard for its living. I dread it packing up as none of the modern upright freezers seem to be suitable for storing in cold garages although I'm sure it probably uses more electricity than the modern energy effiient models.

[Primrose]

We,ve just put a new freezer thermometer into our ancient freezer and discovered it only seems to be running at about minus 14 degrees instead of the Minus 20 - 22 degree our more modern kitchen freezer runs at

Question: is this OK for food safety? . My understanding was that anything stored at less than 0 egrets is frozen and therefore safe. Am I deluding myself?

Its now packed full and I,d hate to have to dispose of stuff because it was unsafe.

[Geoff]

If you Google "best temperature for a freezer" there are a lot of references to minus 18. For example :

Initially, at the outset of modern freezing, -10°C was regarded as the safe temperature for storing frozen food. However, as we discovered more and more about the nature and benefits of freezing, lower temperatures were recognised as being more suitable. In the late 1930s, the American Fruit and Vegetable coalition advocated that a freezing temperature of 0°F (equivalent to -17.8°C) be maintained, largely on the basis that 0°F was a nice round number, rather than for any specific scientific reasons. It was quite some time later that the rounded temperature of -18°C became accepted as the standard food freezing temperature in Europe.

Experts have found that when stored at between -30°C and -18°C, the reaction rate for fruit and vegetables is two to three times slower. For sensitive substances in particular, this means that their vitamin content deteriorates significantly faster at higher temperatures. After one year of storage at -12°C, the vitamin C content in vegetables is only about 20% of the vitamin C content of those stored for the same period at -18°C.

The colder the storage environment, the better the quality of the frozen food. However, because maintaining lower temperatures involves greater energy usage, -18°C represents an optimum compromise between food quality and energy consumption.

It seems to me at the higher temperature it may be less nutritious but not dangerous, I haven't found any meat discussion.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Also, blanching before freezing halts the deterioration process helping preserve the vitamins and minerals and keeping foods in better condition for longer than just putting them straight in the freezer, although if you eat them within three months blanching is not always necessary.

[Pa Snip]

Just noticed 500 +, glad I get some input right. Thank you for the acknowledgement and encouragement good people

[Diane]

I'm hoping for giant veg next year - we've just de-sludged our pond and there's at least 2" of muck spread all over the surface of our small raised bed. Now....what would be the best veg to appreciate all that smelly stuff?

[Pa Snip]

Rhubarb. Sweetcorn, Peas, Beans

[Diane]

Thank you Pa...

[Primrose]

I decided today was a good day for cleaning my patio pots of summer geraniums. They still flowering though. Couldn't,t bear to throw them onto compost heap yet. No greenhouse facilities for overwintering apart from mini greenhouse for a few cuttings so have planted out in borders to enjoy their last colours until the frost gets them.

Similarly I.m awaiting my last two or three of courgettes "hatching" before I pull up the plants and plant my elephant garlic. Still wondering how long I,m going to leave the slowly ripening tomatoes on the outdoor plants.

[robo]

I bought a tobacco plant three weeks ago the state it was in when it arrived was unbelievable the roots where three inches above the pot the plant was held in the air by being taped to a stick which was jammed in the box ,I repotted it and it survived ,today I put it in a bag and it's now down the plot my intentions are to over winter it in the pollytunnel but I don't know if it will survive outside or is it better in the tunnel

[PLUMPUDDING]

The frost will kill it outside. They're quite tender. Don't know if you'll get away with over wintering it undercover.

[Stephen]

What a lovely sunny weekend it has been. I confess I listened to the cricket yesterday, just doing a few things about the house. Today, I'm posting from the 'lottie, which needs weeding.

[PLUMPUDDING]

You're lucky Stephen, it's been showery here and cool, but nice and warm in the few sunny spells. I'm still trying to pick and store all the apples. The Sunset are all starting to fall off and the pears are almost ready too. I was considering juicing some of the Early Worcesters as they don't keep. I think the neighbours are getting fed up with them.

[Stephen]

All those apples, sounds lovely.