434 - Too Much to Eat, Not Enough to Can? Small-Batch Ideas for Summer’s Harvest

The Beginner's Garden with Jill McSheehy

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20d ago 29:27

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You’ve got a few tomatoes, a handful of cucumbers, maybe a pepper or two—but not enough for a full-blown canning session. In this episode, I’m sharing practical and easy ways to preserve those small harvests so nothing goes to waste. From freezing and fermenting to quick pickles and creative herb uses, you’ll learn how to build your pantry one handful at a time.

Here’s what we cover:

🍅 What to do with a few tomatoes: freezing, roasting, small-batch sauce, and even fermented salsa
🥒 Cucumber overload? Make quick fridge pickles, relish, or a refreshing chilled soup
🫑 Freezing peppers and okra, plus how to dehydrate or pickle them in small batches
🥒 Zucchini and summer squash: shred and freeze, make chips, or quick pickle
🌿 Easy ways to preserve herbs: dry, freeze in oil, or turn into herb salts and pesto
🧺 Tips for efficient, low-stress preserving—even if you only have 15 minutes

💡 Tip: Don’t forget your soil! Late summer is the perfect time to recharge your raised beds with Organic REV. Visit OrganicREV.com and use code JILL10 to save.

📣 Want more step-by-step help? Check out my Harvest to Kitchen course and my Tomato Harvest to Jar resource at: 👉 journeywithjill.net/courses 👉 journeywithjill.net/tomato-harvest-to-jar

💬 What’s your favorite way to use a small harvest? Message me or comment on the podcast post to share!

My Products: 2025 Complete Garden Planner (plus several new editions!) https://shop.journeywithjill.net/

Vegetable Gardening for Beginners Book: https://amzn.to/3TZeJux

Products I recommend: Recommended Brands & Products page: https://journeywithjill.net/recommended-brands-and-products/

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Link to Beginner's Garden Podcast past episodes: https://journeywithjill.net/the-beginners-garden-podcast/

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524 episodes

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