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Exploring Low Tech Food Dehydration to Increase Profits on Small Farms

Exploring Low Tech Food Dehydration to Increase Profits on Small Farms. Experience with year one of a SARE Farmer Grant, at Jug Bay Market Garden in Maryland. Jug Bay Market Garden.

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Exploring Low Tech Food Dehydration to Increase Profits on Small Farms

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  1. Exploring Low Tech Food Dehydration to Increase Profits on Small Farms Experience with year one of a SARE Farmer Grant, at Jug Bay Market Garden in Maryland

  2. Jug Bay Market Garden We grow mixed vegetables, cut flowers and herbs on about seven acres in southern Prince George’s County. We market primarily though a CSA delivering to Washington, DC. We have been growing since 2001. Our Farm is Facing: 1) increasing competition & changing market 2) fresh produce and flowers going to waste due to seasonal time crunch 3) Insane increase in deer pressure

  3. The idea for this project emerged from: • Seeing the need to reduce waste on our farm and increase profits with value added products. • Pricing out commercial dehydrators and experiencing sticker shock at the jump from $30 home units to $20k for quality commercial dryers! • Research demonstrated that there are promising existing low cost designs available that have not been tested in our region. • Kale Chips are all the rage.

  4. The Two Dryers We built and tested two very different dryers with several farm products. 1) an extremely low cost low tech passive solar dryer designed by UC Davis Professors James Thomson and Michael Reid. 2) A homemade version of a commercial scale electric cabinet dryer designed by a UC Davis Grad Student.

  5. Construction Costs • Materials for Cabinet Dryer $500 • Materials for Solar Dryer $100 • Trays $300 or less • Labor for Building $1000

  6. Cabinet Dryer $500 in materials Includes fan, heater and side vent. Large capacity for 18 2 by 2 trays Dried tomatoes in 48 hours, kale in 12.

  7. Dried Herbs from the Cabinet Dryer, August 2013 Inside view of Cabinet Dryer with tomatoes and mint

  8. Summary of Cabinet Dryer

  9. Solar Dryer • Very low cost, can be built for under $100 • Uses the chimney effect to increase air flow over product and speed drying times • Dryer has been tested in many countries around the world for mangoes, tomatoes etc. • We found it very effective for greens but did not dry tomatoes and other high moisture crops fast enough.

  10. Solar Dryer 2’x2’ trays separated by about 3” preheat section Slide Credit: James Thompson, UC Davis.

  11. Solar Dryer Solar Dryer in use The chimney without plastic, solar dryer Solar dryer berm Under construction

  12. A Word on Drying Trays (Donut Screens) Why stainless? $286 for shared set of trays ($15 each for 18 with shopping around)? Modified designs to use them interchangeably Could go down to 18 by 18 to fit in a dishwasher Trays inside cabinet dryer, same trays used in solar dryer

  13. Summary of Solar Dryer

  14. Results We focused our testing on these six crops • We collected data on weight of products before and after drying. • We compared results between the two dryers • We recorded impressions from a team of tasters including chefs who support our farm. • This project will continue through 2014 and the grant will be complete early 2015.

  15. Sample of Tasting Results: Kale Chips We held a taste testing with 7 participants in December. We tested products on a 1-5 scale for appearance, taste, texture and overall impressions.

  16. Data Collection Sheet

  17. Product Potential Dried tomatoes and tomato basil mix received great reviews. Kale Chips: Packaged in plastic or sold “fresh” at market in paper bagshave great potential and are very popular. Sweet potato chips need another round of effort, texture was off but lots of potential, great flavor. Dried Flowers to add to Farmers Market sales are a good add-on.

  18. Packaging Note We used a basic kitchen scale and a Foodsaver vacuum sealer to pack the products in plastic bags and mason jars. We plan to develop a label and test different packaging this season. We received feedback that people would prefer glass or paper and want to work on that piece in 2014. Sample package

  19. Upcoming Needs and Plans • Get the farm certified as a “farm kitchen” to legally sell value added products in Maryland • Address moisture issues in solar dryer by putting it up on a platform or table. • Perfect and finalize recipes in consultation with food safety and chefs • Finish packaging, learn to use glass

  20. A Few Resources: ATTRA USDA UNC UC Davis I have lots of resources to share that I will post links on my website, thelettuceedge.com tanyatolchin@verizon.net @tanyatolchin

  21. Special Thanks to: All the rock stars at NE SARE The Great Farmer Scott Hertzberg for growing everything we dried My Tasting Team esp. Chef Tom Mueller, Pineapple Alley Catering Jim Thompson for all the advice from California Ross Williams, fish biologist turned dryer builder Maryland Organic Farmers, CASA and Acres USA for helping to share the findings

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