Some vegetables, such as root crops, you'll be able to store without freezing. In an Infosource article on storing root vegetables, (http://www.uwex.edu/disted/infosrce/769.... Mary Mennes outlines the procedure for storing carrots, which should be dug in late fall when the soil is dry. After cutting off the tops within one-half inch of the carrot crown, rinse them in water and let them dry. Then pack them in plastic bags perforated with small holes and store them in a cold, damp place between 32 degrees and 40 degrees F. The perfect location to store these is in an "extra" fridge, where you can also store your beets, kohlrabi and winter radishes.
Potatoes are another vegetable that can be stored for winter, although they take special handling. For starters, choose only late crop potatoes for winter storage and select only potatoes free of serious cuts and bruises. In the same article cited above, Mary Mennes advises to cure late potatoes by holding them in moist air for one to two weeks at 60 to 75 degrees F. and then lower the storage temperature to about 35 to 40 degrees F. for winter. Potatoes need to be stored in the dark to prevent them from turning green and keep best in moderately moist air; a basement storage room or cellar is ideal.
The best place for most of your harvest, though, is the freezer. Who would want to go through the winter without the taste of home-grown berries and tomatoes or have to wait until next summer to make pesto? Freezing herbs such as basil is incredibly simple; I just put mine into Ziploc freezer bags, making sure I squeeze out all the air, and voila! It's ready for defrosting and food processing. This works well with most herbs.
The trick to freezing berries is to make sure they're not all clumped together as frozen meteorites can defrost into mushy messes. In "It's a Breeze to Freeze" (the Vancouver Sun, Wednesday, August 25, 1999), Mia Stainsby reveals how to have good-looking berries fresh from your freezer; place your whole berries on a cookie sheet, being sure that they're not touching. Once they're frozen, put them in plastic containers, separating each layer with wax paper.
