I bought a Harvest Right. Within 1 year, multiple breakdowns and a trip back to Utah now for the second time. It is 15 months old and they tell me they know what is wrong but do not have the part needed to fix it and no ETA. I am not the only person having difficulties. The freight man who picked the machine up told me that he has had to return quite a number of them. My crops now have to be canned, dehydrated or conventionally frozen and who knows when I will get this machine back. Channels who will advertise for them get a freebie but this was a huge financial commitment for me and all I have is frustration to show for it and a monthly bill on the loan I took out to buy it. I love the process- it's fantastic and I have asked them to take a part out of one of their existing units, or send me one that runs but that is not their "policy". The freezing part of mine that does not work has a 3 year warranty and mine is 15 months old. I guess I wouldn't be as miffed if they had fixed it right the 1st time when it was 9 months old.
We like to use our Harvest Right Freeze Drier for making a Green Powder from our Garden Greens. Swiss Chard - Cabbage - 3 kinds of Kale - Parsley - Cilantro - Carrots - Beets and Celery and Spinach and Broccoli. We Freeze Dry these items and then grind it into a powder to take every morning and have our greens for the day don.. That has saved us a TON of money! As we don't have to purchase it anymore. Plus, ours we know is Organic - no bad stuff on it at all.
My husband and I were considering buying a freeze dryer so I joined some Facebook groups about it and it totally turned us off. Just letting you know this video was very timely so I ditched the groups and we're now very excited about diving into the freeze drying world.
I am glad you ditched the group and are back to thinking about getting one. I have had mine 2 1/2 years. I love it so much I bought my daughter one. I use mine for lots of left overs and fruit and vegetables when on sale. I hardly ever have food waste. Hope you get one.
I have a harvest right freeze dryer from 2017 prior to all the fancy stuff they do now- mine in the last model before they decided to make the software update-able . I did buy a premiere pump and the freeze dryer still works even though I don’t use it as much as I did the first five years. What is the best suggestion for this older type? Is there a trade in value? Should I just pass it down to my kids?
I am in those FB groups and I am one of the people who has had major problems with their machine. I bought new, 8 months later I needed a new screen, then a mother board, then another board, then another screen, then a door latch, then a new drain valve, and I'm sure there was more. But I still LOVE the machine and customer service. If you are least a bit handy you will be able to switch out the parts that go wrong. No regrets here. You just have to power through the issues.
I have had my freeze dryer for over a year now and what I love the most about it is that I can freeze dry items that don't last in the refrigerator for long. Cilantro, green onion, chives, mushrooms, spinach are my favorite things to have on hand. A lot of these can be used as is because you still have the crunch and the flavor and don't notice so much that is isn't fresh. I reconstitute mushrooms in warm water then use both the mushrooms and the water in my cooking. I store all my food in mason jars that I seal with a foodsaver for short term (2 years or less) storage. I love my freeze dryer and have done candy on occasion. My favorite candy to freeze dry is peanut brittle because after its been freeze dried it no longer sticks to your teeth.
We love our freeze dryer! I can a lot of things, but freeze drying has opened up the door to so many new things I can add to the shelves...and none of it is candy! I want real food. Last week we freeze dried a ton of avocados I got at Aldi for 49 cents each. They are beautiful and so easy to do! Yesterday I did 6 lbs of shredded Mozzarella cheese and it is even easier than the avocados. A couple weeks ago I made Yogurt bites and they are so delicious. None of those things could be added via canning. Now you can have more of your every day food choices made shelf stable. I love just buying a few basic items fresh each week and then buying sales for canning and freeze drying. In addition to this channel and the information given here, I love these 3 TH-cam channels for freeze drying: Phil at 4800 feet, SchoolReports and John in Bibs. I have learned so much from them.
I have a Harvest Right freeze dryer and have had it for over a year. You can't beat the freeze dryer when preserving herbs. Think slimy cilantro because you didnt use it fast enough and it spoiled. I freeze dry it and basil fresh straight out of the garden. Love it and i have experienced excellent customer care!❤
@@Iluvchknz would it have been better for if I listed "everything" I've freeze dried? As a cook good herbs are seasonal and hard to get. I'm sorry i didn't spell it out for you!🤦♀️
@@JorbecI think that you almost have to have a large garden or are a homesteader or have a big family to make it worth your while. Or if you are big on food prep.I have two but I have a big garden and preserve my harvest. I also sell freeze dried candy at farmers markets in summer so for three seasons they are pretty much going all Of the time. The candy is paying for them lol
I live in a townhome and own several HRFD’s. I had 4 of them in my former condo in So Cal so you can own them in a small home. I saved for 2 years back in 2014 to get an original knob model. It is amazing how much they’ve progressed. ( I still have my knob model and my sisters have 2 of my other knob models.) I just got an XL pro last May and a small pro in July. These machines are amazing! I’m thankful everyday that Dan decided to bring these to market. 😃
Not only freeze dry bananas but I also freeze dry banana peels, powder them up for my garden. Tomato peels, apple peels, lemon & orange zest, great for flavoring powder & tomato powder for thickener, paste, so many things. Love my freeze dryer, two year strong!
Thank you for the great ideas!!!!! I haven’t heard of any of those but will definitely try them. I like a book called cooking with scraps and your ideas would fit right in. Thanks
Over Christmas I freeze dried eggnog and it was such a hit! I prefroze it to keep it from “exploding” and processed the dried eggnog into a powder to reconstitute but also left some crumbled in 1/2” pieces for my grandkids to nibble on. Such a treat!
I really like my Harvest Right. I was building a home during the pandemic and supply chain issues. It took way longer to build than expected so I utilized the layaway plan to hold the Harvest Right when it was on sale until I could move into the new home. I really really appreciated being able to do that. I've wanted a freeze dryer since they first brought it to the market and planned space and the proper electric for the large model. I even added space for a huge upright freezer in the Harvest Right room to hold the trays. I changed the design of my kitchen island to make processing easier. All of this isn't necessary but I was so sold on the idea of a Harvest Right it became a major factor when designing my home.
Just made several batches of bone broth and freeze dried it. It turned out soooooo good! Also just did my first batch of ground beef! Love my freeze dryer!
Wow this was great info, he said stuff I had never considered before as in running the freeze drier or dehydrator for a few hours compared to running the deep freeze for months, that was great, thanks so much for this.
Hello! I have a freeze dryer but I don’t utilize it as much as I should. I love herbs, garlic and fruit in it. And saving marinara when I forgot my acid 🤦🏻♀️. I’d love to see you use and cook with your freeze dried items. I see so much FD items on your shelves I’d really like to see what you do.
I cant believe I missed this video when it was uploaded. Such great information. Thank you! We love our HRFD and I cant wait to get Carolyn's book on freeze drying the harvest, due out next month.
I saw Kim, wife of HAXMAN, put her liquids and or sauces in ziplock/glad freezer bags and pre froze them and was able to put as much as 3x as much on just the one tray. Thought I’d share just incase. I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS AND ALL YOU DO FIR YOUR FAMILY!
Just watched your video. I've had mine for about 6 months now and love it. Nice to hear from someone from Harvestright. Looking forward to your cookbook, it will be a smash.
Brent is my guy at HR, I am on my second unit. The hurricane that damaged my home ruined my first one. I only got my second one after they sent me all new parts to try to save it. THAT customer service sold me on the company. I stand as the underwriters laboratory tester for HR (running joke). I got obsessed with it and if I could fit it in the dryer it got freeze dried. Thank you both for the upload.
I had to put mine on layway but got it paid off oct 2023. I am listening to you and processing onions to get going now. I love doing my onions garlic and herbs
Thank you, Carolyn and Matt. This video is very timely! I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way. I recently began gearing up toward purchasing a fancy dehydrator, by educating myself and setting aside the necessary funds because as a single senior citizen I couldn't quite justify the expense of a freeze dryer. That said, I much prefer freeze dried compared to dehydrated foods, across the board, so watching this video and learning a lot more about it has completely changed my mind. I'm also very glad you addressed the issue of electricity, because I live in an older home and was worried about this very subject. I will now delve deeper into the world of freeze drying, and learn as much a I can. The holidays are past us now, but I'll look for future sales and definitely utilize the awesome opportunity for layaway. Much appreciation for all you do for us.
I am single and living in an older home (1949). I just bought a small HR freeze dryer in November. I absolutely LOVE it! It’s the perfect size for one person. Because it is on my kitchen electrical circuit, I can’t run the microwave when I’m running the FD, but everything else works great. I’ve now got shelves and shelves of amazing FD fruit, veggies, meat, and herbs.
We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our HR freeze dryer!! It has helped us preserve so much food that we are running out of room to keep it all. It addition to freezing and canning, it is the favorite tool in my food storage arsenal! SO worth the investment.
We have two sets of trays and one set of lids for the freeze dryer and that works out so well. You can have a steady stream of food ready to go whenever the freeze dryer is free. Don't forget to clean the freeze dryer after every load. Cleanliness is just as important in freeze drying as it is in canning.
I have a harvest right freeze dryer and I love it 🎉. I had 2 flats of canned tomatoes that were just past their date and I have extended the shelf life on them all in one batch in my freeze dryer😊😊😊 thank you harvest right 👍👍
I been having a medium freeze dryer for a year and I love love love it! I bought it mainly for drying fruit and making meals for a relative who lives out of state but we have come to rely on it for most things. I especially love it for cooked foods because most of the reconstituted foods taste and have the same texture like I cooked it. I wish I would have bought a large though so if you’re considering getting one, please consider a size bigger than you think you’ll use.
I liked my first harvest, dry freeze dryer so much. I got a second. I highly recommend to people if you’re going to purchase one go ahead and at least get the medium. The minute I started using it I knew that I should’ve gotten “the large so I ended up getting two mediums, which worked out great because then I can do two separate loads at a time. Yes, I’ve had some issues but Harvest Right has been amazing and helping me get them fixed. Also, the Felix fix does work and she is amazing in answering your questions on how to deal with issues that arise. I absolutely love my machines and it has saved me so much money. Unfortunately, anything you buy is not gonna work perfectly all the time. This machine is easy to work on. if you’ve been on the fence, go ahead, you got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I would’ve had my first breeze dryer two years in March and the second one I purchased in October.
I don't weigh my food, but on liquids like mike or orange juice, i measure how many cups per tray for when I mix it up again. I also count how many eggs per tray. But thats all. On eggs I also separate some so if down the road I only need egg yokes, i have them. I freeze them each sperate in tiny muffin pans, so once again I have an exact count for recipes.
I just bought a freeze dryer. The large one, waiting to get my power source and plug in correct. I should be up and going soon. I've been watching all of your videos and hoping that I can learn from you all❤
I have two of them.. One with an oil pump and one with a oilless. We had lots of problems with the oil pump (this one was about five years old)...not sure what happened but inside of the unit was covered with oil and some sort of grit. We will be buying another oilless pump for that unit. No mess and no problems with the oilless. WORTH the extra money especially if your running it daily as we do...
We are off grid and we are getting a freeze dryer. We will need to work in the timing of the freeze dryer, but I am so excited. Limiting freezers in off grid is so important.
Love this chat! I am a family of one. I have an extra set of trays that I fill with leftovers until I have enough to run a batch. I absolutely love it!! No more waste!
I have been waiting one one for years but have been living overseas due to being active military. I retired from the military and am now permanently living state side. Finding out that they have layaway allowed me to get the XL and it was so easy to do. For an added bonus the gentleman I talked to was so nice.
We invested in our FD just before the culture crazy started. LOVE doing cooked meat - we say it's like the stock market - we bought low (meat $) and we will be eating high. 😂 Many great tips! Thank you for the great and helpful detail in your warm, gracious way ... as always! 🙏🤗
I love this! Great information. My husband bought me a freeze dryer for Christmas and I've had so much fun learning what can be done with it. I'm so excited to preserve from my garden in this year. I really hope to preserve zucchini to have throughout the year. I have yet to find a way to preserve to consume as a side that isn't mush.
I so wish I could purchase a freeze dryer. I am absolutely obsessed with eating freeze dried apples, but they’re so expensive from the store. I bought them as treats, thank you for bringing this video on because I had no idea you can buy one as a layaway and make payments on it until I can pay for it. I love that I’m going to look into that.
Go in with a couple of people and split it. I rent mine out. I've freeze dried thousands of dollars worth of food so now my neighbors pay me to freeze dry their stuff.
Great conversation however He did not go into any problems people are having with their freeze dryers ie air leaks that happen frequently and there is no one available (eccept via phone) this is difficult)
Wow, thank you for this!! You covered a few questions that have held me back the past few years....and gave ideas that tipped the balance to positive. It's an investment, but....my labor in the garden is too! The canning of that produce is something the rest of my family doesn't want to do. Honestly, there are some extended family members that won't eat home-canned food....for whatever reasons. And, yes the freezer is an on-going expense and can't be transported to extended family easily. This is easier, and more likely that they'll use....and lasts longer! I have a bit more confidence in such a purchase! Thank You!!
I literally JUST got my Harvest Right freeze dryer delivered on Friday last week and I am beyond excited!! I haven’t set it up yet because my husband is building me a butler’s pantry JUST for the freeze dryer!
Greetings and Gratitude from Grass Valley California! Great Talk! We will be getting one this year. Super excited about the whole situation and already thinking about a second and ways we might share the technology!!! WOOHOO!! 🙏👍😎
I was so blessed to get a pro medium just a few months ago. So excited to have 1. Now I am working on getting a freezer so I can pre freeze so we are having it run not as long.
This channel is one of the reasons I invested in a Harvest Right. I thought it would pay itself back in 3-5 years, now I know it will only take 1-2. I don't remember the last time we ordered something from DoorDash because we just had to come up with something for dinner. Our grocery bill has plummeted because there are almost no more bags of herbs or celery languishing around. If I need cilantro, I either grow or buy a lot and freeze dry it....same for celery. And now that I am used to longer dry times, I actually use my actual dehydrator more as well.
We love ours…when it works ☹️. Our HR has NOT been dependable. I really want it to work but right now, yet again, it is a $3000 paper weight. We keep putting in tickets and the issues don’t get resolved for long. Just before thanksgiving we were trying to fix a white screen issue and we tried a fix they told us to which didnt work and then the tech just closed the ticket and stopped talking to us. I just wish it would work as well as all you you tubers. Sometimes I feel like they give you guys a better working product so more people want to buy them. I know sooooo many people who have a non working unit straight out of the box. I am sooo happy you are able to have 2 working units, and wish we were as lucky as you.
Any thought about freeze drying fermented foods? Does it still preserve the beneficial bacteria? I would love to store a years worth of fermented foods with out needing refrigeration.
We've done several batches of 'scrambled eggs.' It comes down to 18 eggs/tray = 90 eggs per batch. One of us gets the trays set in the freezer. The other 'whips' up 18 eggs. She brings out the whipped up eggs and pours it into the trays which are set in the freezer. You can get spacers to separate trays so they don't freeze together. This way you don't spill full liquid trays while moving them. Try a tray full of milk!! And get the premium pump!
While I love the freeze dryer and have preserved soooo much food that wouldn't have been possible any other way, I have to say I was shocked when my first electric bill arrived and my usage was almost double the same month the previous year. Drawing 20 Amps for upwards of 30+ hrs for a single session is far more power than a chest freezer already fully frozen which only cycles the compressor a few times each day. My kwh usage during the seasonal harvest Oct-Nov billing period was astronomical here in already overcharged NY and I literally pulled the plug last month and said no more freeze drying til summer when my electricity usage is nominal compared to winter heating season. Some people argued that theirs only cost @ $3-4/session. That's all well and good, but $3-4 for 20 sessions a month is a burden for some of us. And what costs someone in one region $3-4 might cost another like me $6-7. So, I'm thankful I got a ton of food FD when I did, but it will necessarily remain idle until the heating season is past and I can afford to start using it again.
That it a good plan. Too bad you can't just run it at night when rates are cheaper. Your extra cost per session should compensate elsewhere, it should save you money. Thanks.
@@reneebulkley1333 Im afraid that's not how it works. The sessions take anywhere from 24 to 36 hrs so there really is no way to run it just at night. Plus, there is no difference in cost per kilowatt-hour usage whether day or night. The meter simply logs usage as it is accrued and the utility charges per kwh accordingly. I've just resigned myself to only running it when absolutely necessary now that I have a good store of FD food already put up. And coincidentally my utility bill from Dec 5 to Jan 5 came just when I posted this and because I stopped using it @ 2 wks after that billing cycle, my electricity usage was already about 30% less than the previous billing period & @ 50% more than Dec 2022, despite the added use of my furnace in early winter. So I now have tangible evidence of my suspicions. So I'll just stick to my plan of only summer use.
Thank you for this video. My husband and I have discussed freeze dryers many times. Prior to this video we had decided they were not for us, but we may revisit this. I'll likely look up the cottage food laws in Wisconsin to see if that is something I can add to my tables.
I love my freeze drier! Just upgraded to the xl pro. Been playing with doing raw dairy. Have my concerns about fat content and how long it will last. Started making my own cheese and will be grating and freeze drying it soon. Anyone else doing raw dairy?
Hydrate the Lasagne by placing in a sided pan covering with foil tenting the foil... set it over a pan of hot boilng water in the oven. If you need to do it over a campfire do it in similar fashion to maintain the pretty....keep checking it...
I'm 68....someday before I die I plan to own one of these! Thank you for confirming my justification for the cost versus value of my desire. My husband teases me of changing my name to "I want" 😂
I just bought a refurbished one for about 1/2 of yhe original price plus it has the 3 year warranty is still with it. Otherwise I could not have done this. Right now I've had to rearrange my entire house to make room for it....geez!!! My house is tiny so there's that. I hope to get started here before long. Best wishes!
I like that you can do a payment plan. I'm on a fixed income and it's hard for me to save much money and so this might be a way that I could get a freeze dryer that I've always wanted thank you!
We have a large. No one admits this but it does heat the food much higher than my dehydrator. It heats the food much more than the lypholizer we used in a prior lab where I worked.
Also, I think the key to successful rehydrating is to abandon the MRE/camping mindset and actually cook it properly. I almost always rehydrate something with an active heat or steam source just as if it was a regular meal. No need to eat out of mylar bags unless you have to....
Also, freeze dried food takes up a lot of living storage space for us. Something we had not planned on. Big tubs with mylar bags are taking us over. Our dehydrated food seems much more compact.
I have type one diabetes and need sugar to treat low blood sugar, which is unhealthy! Candies, glucose tabs, juice. The stuff that is straight sugar and not good for you, I need it medically. I’m thinking of using a freeze dryer to dry fruits, the sugars become so condensed it’s perfect for treating low blood sugar! And it’s the healthiest option I can come up with!
I planned for three years to buy one of their units. Last November I ordered a large dryer with premium pump. It never reached vacuum. I allowed them to walk me through troubleshooting hoops. No matter what the mTor never dropped below 1200, most the time operating around 2100 to 2400. When they asked me to go to the hardware store to buy supplies and then alter their pump. I asked them to send a technician if they wanted to alter their product. They told me they didn't have anyone in my area (Atlanta metro.) GMAB. I asked for a return. They told me I'd have to pay freight for 225 lbs back to Utah and accept a 15% restock fee. My next call was to Discover. I paid for an electrician to install special outlet, paid for unpacking and installation and then had to manhandle the heavy unit to get it back on the pallet. They still had nerve to ask me to lift it and prepare it for shipping. It's out there waiting on pick up today. I watched the video but still suffer from PTS. Maybe I"ll try again next Black Friday. Their customer service is horrid.
I should add that I know they have a good product. Too many have them that work, but mine did not. The only problem I have with them is they had to be forced to do the right thing by me. I will try again later in the year.
Such a bummer you had a bad experience. We had a leak as well and it turned out to be some junk under the door gasket. We cleaned it out, put it back on and no problems since. I have an extra pump in case it fails
This is a COMMON problem with HR. It's a rip-off. I almost bought a large unit, but before I clicked "submit payment" I decided to do more customer review research. My goodness!!!! I can't believe they're still in business with the amount of lemons they sold and customers they abused. Awful company!!! The punk on this video is LYING.
I have an extra large pro I love it. I to was apprehensive based on the comments I read in freezer dry groups. I believe that as we see more freeze driers come out we will see the same problems as well. Unfortunately these companies are just growing and they don’t have service people all over the country yet so while they expand they simply dont have the service people in place and we need to depend on customer service to help us fix our own until. Im not sure if I would feel the same if I had a $5000.00 machine sitting in my garage because it’s not working.
I bought a Harvest Right. Within 1 year, multiple breakdowns and a trip back to Utah now for the second time. It is 15 months old and they tell me they know what is wrong but do not have the part needed to fix it and no ETA. I am not the only person having difficulties. The freight man who picked the machine up told me that he has had to return quite a number of them. My crops now have to be canned, dehydrated or conventionally frozen and who knows when I will get this machine back. Channels who will advertise for them get a freebie but this was a huge financial commitment for me and all I have is frustration to show for it and a monthly bill on the loan I took out to buy it. I love the process- it's fantastic and I have asked them to take a part out of one of their existing units, or send me one that runs but that is not their "policy". The freezing part of mine that does not work has a 3 year warranty and mine is 15 months old. I guess I wouldn't be as miffed if they had fixed it right the 1st time when it was 9 months old.
I feel like I’ve had issues too, it’s been super frustrating and their customer service isn’t that great!
We like to use our Harvest Right Freeze Drier for making a Green Powder from our Garden Greens. Swiss Chard - Cabbage - 3 kinds of Kale - Parsley - Cilantro - Carrots - Beets and Celery and Spinach and Broccoli. We Freeze Dry these items and then grind it into a powder to take every morning and have our greens for the day don.. That has saved us a TON of money! As we don't have to purchase it anymore. Plus, ours we know is Organic - no bad stuff on it at all.
This is actually my same plan ! Just bought mine.
My husband and I were considering buying a freeze dryer so I joined some Facebook groups about it and it totally turned us off. Just letting you know this video was very timely so I ditched the groups and we're now very excited about diving into the freeze drying world.
I am glad you ditched the group and are back to thinking about getting one. I have had mine 2 1/2 years. I love it so much I bought my daughter one. I use mine for lots of left overs and fruit and vegetables when on sale. I hardly ever have food waste. Hope you get one.
I thought the same ,I hoped I would of listened to the Facebook groups
I have a harvest right freeze dryer from 2017 prior to all the fancy stuff they do now- mine in the last model before they decided to make the software update-able .
I did buy a premiere pump and the freeze dryer still works even though I don’t use it as much as I did the first five years.
What is the best suggestion for this older type? Is there a trade in value? Should I just pass it down to my kids?
I am in those FB groups and I am one of the people who has had major problems with their machine. I bought new, 8 months later I needed a new screen, then a mother board, then another board, then another screen, then a door latch, then a new drain valve, and I'm sure there was more. But I still LOVE the machine and customer service. If you are least a bit handy you will be able to switch out the parts that go wrong. No regrets here. You just have to power through the issues.
I love my Harvest Right!
I have had my freeze dryer for over a year now and what I love the most about it is that I can freeze dry items that don't last in the refrigerator for long. Cilantro, green onion, chives, mushrooms, spinach are my favorite things to have on hand. A lot of these can be used as is because you still have the crunch and the flavor and don't notice so much that is isn't fresh. I reconstitute mushrooms in warm water then use both the mushrooms and the water in my cooking. I store all my food in mason jars that I seal with a foodsaver for short term (2 years or less) storage. I love my freeze dryer and have done candy on occasion. My favorite candy to freeze dry is peanut brittle because after its been freeze dried it no longer sticks to your teeth.
We love our freeze dryer! I can a lot of things, but freeze drying has opened up the door to so many new things I can add to the shelves...and none of it is candy! I want real food. Last week we freeze dried a ton of avocados I got at Aldi for 49 cents each. They are beautiful and so easy to do! Yesterday I did 6 lbs of shredded Mozzarella cheese and it is even easier than the avocados. A couple weeks ago I made Yogurt bites and they are so delicious. None of those things could be added via canning. Now you can have more of your every day food choices made shelf stable. I love just buying a few basic items fresh each week and then buying sales for canning and freeze drying. In addition to this channel and the information given here, I love these 3 TH-cam channels for freeze drying: Phil at 4800 feet, SchoolReports and John in Bibs. I have learned so much from them.
I have a Harvest Right freeze dryer and have had it for over a year. You can't beat the freeze dryer when preserving herbs. Think slimy cilantro because you didnt use it fast enough and it spoiled. I freeze dry it and basil fresh straight out of the garden. Love it and i have experienced excellent customer care!❤
Sounds great, but almost 3000$ so I can freeze dry my herbs doesn’t seem like good ROI.
I have one an think they are a huge waste of money
@@Iluvchknz would it have been better for if I listed "everything" I've freeze dried? As a cook good herbs are seasonal and hard to get. I'm sorry i didn't spell it out for you!🤦♀️
@@Jorbec some do. I don't find it to be but I agree you need to think about how and when you'll use it.
@@JorbecI think that you almost have to have a large garden or are a homesteader or have a big family to make it worth your while. Or if you are big on food prep.I have two but I have a big garden and preserve my harvest. I also sell freeze dried candy at farmers markets in summer so for three seasons they are pretty much going all
Of the time. The candy is paying for them lol
I live in a townhome and own several HRFD’s. I had 4 of them in my former condo in So Cal so you can own them in a small home.
I saved for 2 years back in 2014 to get an original knob model. It is amazing how much they’ve progressed. ( I still have my knob model and my sisters have 2 of my other knob models.)
I just got an XL pro last May and a small pro in July. These machines are amazing! I’m thankful everyday that Dan decided to bring these to market. 😃
Why soany?
@@LReno-di9cm , Some woman collect shoes…, I collect Freeze Dryers… 😂
Just Kidding… I’ve run a FD’d candy company since 2016. 😃
I've been canning for 47 years. It's so labor intensive. My freeze drier arrives on the 15th of May. I watched your video and it convinced me.
Hope it’s working for you!!
Not only freeze dry bananas but I also freeze dry banana peels, powder them up for my garden. Tomato peels, apple peels, lemon & orange zest, great for flavoring powder & tomato powder for thickener, paste, so many things.
Love my freeze dryer, two year strong!
Thank you for the great ideas!!!!! I haven’t heard of any of those but will definitely try them. I like a book called cooking with scraps and your ideas would fit right in. Thanks
Oh citrus zest for cookies etc, nice thinking 👍
Over Christmas I freeze dried eggnog and it was such a hit! I prefroze it to keep it from “exploding” and processed the dried eggnog into a powder to reconstitute but also left some crumbled in 1/2” pieces for my grandkids to nibble on. Such a treat!
@leewright1183 I can't wait to try that.
I really like my Harvest Right. I was building a home during the pandemic and supply chain issues. It took way longer to build than expected so I utilized the layaway plan to hold the Harvest Right when it was on sale until I could move into the new home. I really really appreciated being able to do that. I've wanted a freeze dryer since they first brought it to the market and planned space and the proper electric for the large model. I even added space for a huge upright freezer in the Harvest Right room to hold the trays. I changed the design of my kitchen island to make processing easier. All of this isn't necessary but I was so sold on the idea of a Harvest Right it became a major factor when designing my home.
Just made several batches of bone broth and freeze dried it. It turned out soooooo good! Also just did my first batch of ground beef! Love my freeze dryer!
Wow this was great info, he said stuff I had never considered before as in running the freeze drier or dehydrator for a few hours compared to running the deep freeze for months, that was great, thanks so much for this.
Hello! I have a freeze dryer but I don’t utilize it as much as I should. I love herbs, garlic and fruit in it. And saving marinara when I forgot my acid 🤦🏻♀️. I’d love to see you use and cook with your freeze dried items. I see so much FD items on your shelves I’d really like to see what you do.
I cant believe I missed this video when it was uploaded. Such great information. Thank you!
We love our HRFD and I cant wait to get Carolyn's book on freeze drying the harvest, due out next month.
I saw Kim, wife of HAXMAN, put her liquids and or sauces in ziplock/glad freezer bags and pre froze them and was able to put as much as 3x as much on just the one tray. Thought I’d share just incase.
I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS AND ALL YOU DO FIR YOUR FAMILY!
Just watched your video. I've had mine for about 6 months now and love it. Nice to hear from someone from Harvestright. Looking forward to your cookbook, it will be a smash.
Brent is my guy at HR, I am on my second unit. The hurricane that damaged my home ruined my first one. I only got my second one after they sent me all new parts to try to save it. THAT customer service sold me on the company. I stand as the underwriters laboratory tester for HR (running joke). I got obsessed with it and if I could fit it in the dryer it got freeze dried. Thank you both for the upload.
Carolyn can’t wait for your FD book ! 👏👍💕😊
I had to put mine on layway but got it paid off oct 2023. I am listening to you and processing onions to get going now. I love doing my onions garlic and herbs
The technology of the Harvest Right just gets better.
Thank you, Carolyn and Matt. This video is very timely! I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way.
I recently began gearing up toward purchasing a fancy dehydrator, by educating myself and setting aside the necessary funds because as a single senior citizen I couldn't quite justify the expense of a freeze dryer.
That said, I much prefer freeze dried compared to dehydrated foods, across the board, so watching this video and learning a lot more about it has completely changed my mind.
I'm also very glad you addressed the issue of electricity, because I live in an older home and was worried about this very subject.
I will now delve deeper into the world of freeze drying, and learn as much a I can.
The holidays are past us now, but I'll look for future sales and definitely utilize the awesome opportunity for layaway.
Much appreciation for all you do for us.
I am single and living in an older home (1949). I just bought a small HR freeze dryer in November. I absolutely LOVE it! It’s the perfect size for one person. Because it is on my kitchen electrical circuit, I can’t run the microwave when I’m running the FD, but everything else works great. I’ve now got shelves and shelves of amazing FD fruit, veggies, meat, and herbs.
Pros about freeze dryed that you don't need to go hard on it as it almost melts, dehydrated...you need to use those chmpers 😅 (which I have delicate).
We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our HR freeze dryer!! It has helped us preserve so much food that we are running out of room to keep it all. It addition to freezing and canning, it is the favorite tool in my food storage arsenal! SO worth the investment.
We have two sets of trays and one set of lids for the freeze dryer and that works out so well. You can have a steady stream of food ready to go whenever the freeze dryer is free. Don't forget to clean the freeze dryer after every load. Cleanliness is just as important in freeze drying as it is in canning.
I have a harvest right freeze dryer and I love it 🎉. I had 2 flats of canned tomatoes that were just past their date and I have extended the shelf life on them all in one batch in my freeze dryer😊😊😊 thank you harvest right 👍👍
I love my Harvest Right freeze dryer❣️❣️❣️
Thank you so much for this!! I was wondering about lasagna and pasta type meals being rehydrated!! Great video!!
I love mine! For pet owners in my family, I freeze dried liver for pet snacks. They so love it!
Just had my dogs raid a sealed Ball jar of beef liver off the counter…licked it clean.
OMG...this has been so helpful. Thank you soooo much for the information. This is something I have wanted for 2 years! ❤
I been having a medium freeze dryer for a year and I love love love it! I bought it mainly for drying fruit and making meals for a relative who lives out of state but we have come to rely on it for most things. I especially love it for cooked foods because most of the reconstituted foods taste and have the same texture like I cooked it. I wish I would have bought a large though so if you’re considering getting one, please consider a size bigger than you think you’ll use.
But the large needs a different socket. I went with the medium for this reason.
No big deal to get the larger outlet. Don’t let this stop you you from getting the larger units. Any licensed electrician can do the work😊
I liked my first harvest, dry freeze dryer so much. I got a second. I highly recommend to people if you’re going to purchase one go ahead and at least get the medium. The minute I started using it I knew that I should’ve gotten “the large so I ended up getting two mediums, which worked out great because then I can do two separate loads at a time. Yes, I’ve had some issues but Harvest Right has been amazing and helping me get them fixed. Also, the Felix fix does work and she is amazing in answering your questions on how to deal with issues that arise. I absolutely love my machines and it has saved me so much money. Unfortunately, anything you buy is not gonna work perfectly all the time. This machine is easy to work on. if you’ve been on the fence, go ahead, you got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I would’ve had my first breeze dryer two years in March and the second one I purchased in October.
I don't weigh my food, but on liquids like mike or orange juice, i measure how many cups per tray for when I mix it up again. I also count how many eggs per tray. But thats all. On eggs I also separate some so if down the road I only need egg yokes, i have them. I freeze them each sperate in tiny muffin pans, so once again I have an exact count for recipes.
Ohh, never thought of separating whites and yolks. BRILLIANT. thank you
I can't wait until I can get one! I love watching you use yours!
I just bought a freeze dryer. The large one, waiting to get my power source and plug in correct. I should be up and going soon. I've been watching all of your videos and hoping that I can learn from you all❤
This is so informative. We are looking into purchasing a freeze dryer and this is just great! Thank you so much for sharing!
I have two of them.. One with an oil pump and one with a oilless. We had lots of problems with the oil pump (this one was about five years old)...not sure what happened but inside of the unit was covered with oil and some sort of grit. We will be buying another oilless pump for that unit. No mess and no problems with the oilless. WORTH the extra money especially if your running it daily as we do...
Perfect timing on this video as I sit here waiting for the delivery on my first Medium Freeze dryer. Yeah for that book. 🎉😊 I have a lot to learn. 😅
I freeze dry whole milk and sour cream. I vacuum pack them. They are fine a year or two later
We are off grid and we are getting a freeze dryer. We will need to work in the timing of the freeze dryer, but I am so excited. Limiting freezers in off grid is so important.
I love mine! I've had it approximately three years. Always finding a way to use it!
Love this chat! I am a family of one. I have an extra set of trays that I fill with leftovers until I have enough to run a batch. I absolutely love it!! No more waste!
Me too! And I can buy in bulk which is so much cheaper. I even freeze dry nuts!
Thank you for this interview. It’s nice to hear from the manufacture. I’ve been considering the purchase of one, this moves me one step closer.
Do it!!
I have been waiting one one for years but have been living overseas due to being active military. I retired from the military and am now permanently living state side. Finding out that they have layaway allowed me to get the XL and it was so easy to do. For an added bonus the gentleman I talked to was so nice.
We invested in our FD just before the culture crazy started. LOVE doing cooked meat - we say it's like the stock market - we bought low (meat $) and we will be eating high. 😂 Many great tips! Thank you for the great and helpful detail in your warm, gracious way ... as always! 🙏🤗
I absolutely love my harvest right freeze dryer. I have done everything from my surplus of my chicken eggs to beef liver dog treats. Love it!
Sounds great!
I love this! Great information. My husband bought me a freeze dryer for Christmas and I've had so much fun learning what can be done with it. I'm so excited to preserve from my garden in this year. I really hope to preserve zucchini to have throughout the year. I have yet to find a way to preserve to consume as a side that isn't mush.
A Harvest Right Freeze Drier is on the top of my wish list!
I so wish I could purchase a freeze dryer. I am absolutely obsessed with eating freeze dried apples, but they’re so expensive from the store. I bought them as treats, thank you for bringing this video on because I had no idea you can buy one as a layaway and make payments on it until I can pay for it. I love that I’m going to look into that.
Go in with a couple of people and split it. I rent mine out. I've freeze dried thousands of dollars worth of food so now my neighbors pay me to freeze dry their stuff.
I’m on the layaway plan. The only requirement is to pay it off in 12 months. I got mine on sale and it makes it affordable to buy this way
Great conversation however
He did not go into any problems people are having with their freeze dryers ie air leaks that happen frequently and there is no one available (eccept via phone) this is difficult)
We just got ours . It was used and the owner was unhappy with it. I love it. It was less than half priced. Great buy.
@@shermdog6969 it can become your cottage industry
Love our Harvest Right!
Wow, thank you for this!! You covered a few questions that have held me back the past few years....and gave ideas that tipped the balance to positive. It's an investment, but....my labor in the garden is too! The canning of that produce is something the rest of my family doesn't want to do. Honestly, there are some extended family members that won't eat home-canned food....for whatever reasons. And, yes the freezer is an on-going expense and can't be transported to extended family easily. This is easier, and more likely that they'll use....and lasts longer! I have a bit more confidence in such a purchase! Thank You!!
The extra power used to freeze dry food would be covered by the saved food on the table
I literally JUST got my Harvest Right freeze dryer delivered on Friday last week and I am beyond excited!! I haven’t set it up yet because my husband is building me a butler’s pantry JUST for the freeze dryer!
Hope you enjoy it!
Love my Harvest Right Freeze Dryer!
Greetings and Gratitude from Grass Valley California!
Great Talk!
We will be getting one this year.
Super excited about the whole situation and already thinking about a second and ways we might share the technology!!!
WOOHOO!!
🙏👍😎
I was so blessed to get a pro medium just a few months ago. So excited to have 1. Now I am working on getting a freezer so I can pre freeze so we are having it run not as long.
Thanks for letting me learn more about the freeze drier.
I absolutely love my Harvest Right Freeze Dryer!!
I loved this video. Learned so much
This channel is one of the reasons I invested in a Harvest Right. I thought it would pay itself back in 3-5 years, now I know it will only take 1-2. I don't remember the last time we ordered something from DoorDash because we just had to come up with something for dinner. Our grocery bill has plummeted because there are almost no more bags of herbs or celery languishing around. If I need cilantro, I either grow or buy a lot and freeze dry it....same for celery. And now that I am used to longer dry times, I actually use my actual dehydrator more as well.
Same!! This channel is why we have one and love it.
Thanks for a terrific conversation. I’ve been considering a FD for a year… will check out the layaway plan.
We love ours…when it works ☹️. Our HR has NOT been dependable. I really want it to work but right now, yet again, it is a $3000 paper weight. We keep putting in tickets and the issues don’t get resolved for long. Just before thanksgiving we were trying to fix a white screen issue and we tried a fix they told us to which didnt work and then the tech just closed the ticket and stopped talking to us. I just wish it would work as well as all you you tubers. Sometimes I feel like they give you guys a better working product so more people want to buy them. I know sooooo many people who have a non working unit straight out of the box. I am sooo happy you are able to have 2 working units, and wish we were as lucky as you.
Oh no 😢 Now this scares me … can’t really afford one anyway and if it’s not going to to work 😢😢 I’m so Sorry this happened to you 💔💔
🎯
About the last question. I actually did rose petals for my kneeses wedding 😊
appreciate your presentation! Helpful!
Any thought about freeze drying fermented foods? Does it still preserve the beneficial bacteria? I would love to store a years worth of fermented foods with out needing refrigeration.
We've done several batches of 'scrambled eggs.' It comes down to 18 eggs/tray = 90 eggs per batch. One of us gets the trays set in the freezer. The other 'whips' up 18 eggs. She brings out the whipped up eggs and pours it into the trays which are set in the freezer. You can get spacers to separate trays so they don't freeze together. This way you don't spill full liquid trays while moving them. Try a tray full of milk!! And get the premium pump!
“Phil at 4800 feet” did experiments on adding 1/4tsp of salt per egg. It really helped the texture and taste of the reconstituted egg.
@@chrismullin8304 I saw that. He tried sugar as well if I recall.
While I love the freeze dryer and have preserved soooo much food that wouldn't have been possible any other way, I have to say I was shocked when my first electric bill arrived and my usage was almost double the same month the previous year. Drawing 20 Amps for upwards of 30+ hrs for a single session is far more power than a chest freezer already fully frozen which only cycles the compressor a few times each day. My kwh usage during the seasonal harvest Oct-Nov billing period was astronomical here in already overcharged NY and I literally pulled the plug last month and said no more freeze drying til summer when my electricity usage is nominal compared to winter heating season. Some people argued that theirs only cost @ $3-4/session. That's all well and good, but $3-4 for 20 sessions a month is a burden for some of us. And what costs someone in one region $3-4 might cost another like me $6-7. So, I'm thankful I got a ton of food FD when I did, but it will necessarily remain idle until the heating season is past and I can afford to start using it again.
That it a good plan. Too bad you can't just run it at night when rates are cheaper. Your extra cost per session should compensate elsewhere, it should save you money.
Thanks.
@@reneebulkley1333 Im afraid that's not how it works. The sessions take anywhere from 24 to 36 hrs so there really is no way to run it just at night. Plus, there is no difference in cost per kilowatt-hour usage whether day or night. The meter simply logs usage as it is accrued and the utility charges per kwh accordingly. I've just resigned myself to only running it when absolutely necessary now that I have a good store of FD food already put up. And coincidentally my utility bill from Dec 5 to Jan 5 came just when I posted this and because I stopped using it @ 2 wks after that billing cycle, my electricity usage was already about 30% less than the previous billing period & @ 50% more than Dec 2022, despite the added use of my furnace in early winter. So I now have tangible evidence of my suspicions. So I'll just stick to my plan of only summer use.
Yes, I understand.
If not the oil free version, Drain all the oil from your pump if not using for an extended time.
@@carriebeard-R.I.T.S thanks! Hadn't even thought of that.
Thank you for this video. My husband and I have discussed freeze dryers many times. Prior to this video we had decided they were not for us, but we may revisit this. I'll likely look up the cottage food laws in Wisconsin to see if that is something I can add to my tables.
Thanks for this video. Hey Carolyn, are you going to include your instructions on freeze drying water in your book too? 🤣
I thought of using a bamboo steamer to rehydrate cooked food. But haven’t done that
I bet steaming would be a great way to hydrate.
This great content. Thank you SO much
Thank you for doing this video. Can’t wait for your book to come out.
I love my Freeze Dryer!!! I'm currently working through freeze drying lots and lots of yummy kumquats! Delicious!
Ad usual,, you have produced a fabulously informative video! I can't wait to get a copy of your freeze drying book when it comes out!
I love my freeze drier! Just upgraded to the xl pro. Been playing with doing raw dairy. Have my concerns about fat content and how long it will last. Started making my own cheese and will be grating and freeze drying it soon. Anyone else doing raw dairy?
Yes, I do raw A2A2 milk all the time and it comes out great!
Hydrate the Lasagne by placing in a sided pan covering with foil tenting the foil... set it over a pan of hot boilng water in the oven. If you need to do it over a campfire do it in similar fashion to maintain the pretty....keep checking it...
Thanks for the info, I’ve been wondering about that
Do you put things in the freezer first until you have enough to fill up all of your trays? You answered thank you.
Really really helpful. I have wanted one for a few years, just need to make room. I do love the layaway option! It makes it very budget friendly.
Excellent and helpful video! Thank you!
I'm 68....someday before I die I plan to own one of these! Thank you for confirming my justification for the cost versus value of my desire. My husband teases me of changing my name to "I want" 😂
I just bought a refurbished one for about 1/2 of yhe original price plus it has the 3 year warranty is still with it. Otherwise I could not have done this. Right now I've had to rearrange my entire house to make room for it....geez!!! My house is tiny so there's that. I hope to get started here before long. Best wishes!
I like that you can do a payment plan. I'm on a fixed income and it's hard for me to save much money and so this might be a way that I could get a freeze dryer that I've always wanted thank you!
I have a small freeze dryer … Really love it ! It can do so much for you . ! Don’t be afraid to try something new 💕👍🏡 .
Great video for those thinking about getting one. I would love to have heard his answer about dealing with problems.
I always add 12 hours of extra dry time.
Love my freeze dryer. But I would advise against spending the extra money on the oil-less pump. I went through two in two years.
I am so looking forward to getting my hands on your Freezing book. Thank you.
We have a large. No one admits this but it does heat the food much higher than my dehydrator. It heats the food much more than the lypholizer we used in a prior lab where I worked.
I love the eyeball method of re-hydrating. What is the best method of storing once you freeze dry your food?
More on that here: homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-store-freeze-dried-food/
Also, I think the key to successful rehydrating is to abandon the MRE/camping mindset and actually cook it properly. I almost always rehydrate something with an active heat or steam source just as if it was a regular meal. No need to eat out of mylar bags unless you have to....
I do the same thing all left overs go to freeze dryer for homemade mre's
Also, freeze dried food takes up a lot of living storage space for us. Something we had not planned on. Big tubs with mylar bags are taking us over. Our dehydrated food seems much more compact.
What an awesome session.
Love my freeze dryer, want longer storage. Plan to preserve many of the annual herbs and not have to grow every year.
I have type one diabetes and need sugar to treat low blood sugar, which is unhealthy! Candies, glucose tabs, juice. The stuff that is straight sugar and not good for you, I need it medically. I’m thinking of using a freeze dryer to dry fruits, the sugars become so condensed it’s perfect for treating low blood sugar! And it’s the healthiest option I can come up with!
My 1st batch was raspberries and that’s fav of my boys. Totally saves money
Excellent information. Thank
You!
Excellent video! I just got one and wow, very informative
I planned for three years to buy one of their units. Last November I ordered a large dryer with premium pump. It never reached vacuum. I allowed them to walk me through troubleshooting hoops. No matter what the mTor never dropped below 1200, most the time operating around 2100 to 2400. When they asked me to go to the hardware store to buy supplies and then alter their pump. I asked them to send a technician if they wanted to alter their product. They told me they didn't have anyone in my area (Atlanta metro.) GMAB. I asked for a return. They told me I'd have to pay freight for 225 lbs back to Utah and accept a 15% restock fee. My next call was to Discover. I paid for an electrician to install special outlet, paid for unpacking and installation and then had to manhandle the heavy unit to get it back on the pallet. They still had nerve to ask me to lift it and prepare it for shipping. It's out there waiting on pick up today. I watched the video but still suffer from PTS. Maybe I"ll try again next Black Friday. Their customer service is horrid.
I should add that I know they have a good product. Too many have them that work, but mine did not. The only problem I have with them is they had to be forced to do the right thing by me. I will try again later in the year.
Such a bummer you had a bad experience. We had a leak as well and it turned out to be some junk under the door gasket. We cleaned it out, put it back on and no problems since. I have an extra pump in case it fails
This is a COMMON problem with HR. It's a rip-off. I almost bought a large unit, but before I clicked "submit payment" I decided to do more customer review research. My goodness!!!! I can't believe they're still in business with the amount of lemons they sold and customers they abused. Awful company!!! The punk on this video is LYING.
I have an extra large pro I love it. I to was apprehensive based on the comments I read in freezer dry groups. I believe that as we see more freeze driers come out we will see the same problems as well. Unfortunately these companies are just growing and they don’t have service people all over the country yet so while they expand they simply dont have the service people in place and we need to depend on customer service to help us fix our own until. Im not sure if I would feel the same if I had a $5000.00 machine sitting in my garage because it’s not working.
I had the same issue, but great HR service. They sent we an email on how to adjust the door and it worked like a charm.
This is soo good. Thanks for sharing
Wow I love that idea with saving leftovers
So long. I am going to bounce. was excited