Testing the New FREEZE DRYER!

Medium Harvest-Right Freeze Dryer: bit.ly/2TIsQe8 I got to play around with a harvest preserving tool that I NEVER thought I'd get my hands on...a HOME FREEZE DRYER from Harvest Right! I grew up going to the local science center and begging my parents to eat freeze dried ice cream...and look where we are now, baby!
In this video I'll unbox, set up, test, and then finally freeze dry some fresh garden produce from both mine and Jacques' garden.
00:00 - Intro
00:13 - Delivery
00:34 - Unboxing
03:07 - Setting It Up
05:44 - Checking The Setup
06:40 - Testing The System
07:23 - Initial Freeze
08:10 - Harvest Prep
12:53 - Putting In The System
14:12 - Taste Test
IN THIS VIDEO
→ Medium Harvest-Right Freeze Dryer: bit.ly/2TIsQe8
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[@epichomesteading]

What should I freeze dry next?!

[@lillypatience]

Kale Basil Pesto!

[@Cereal_Ki11er]

Maybe sweet potato?

[@joannsilva4715]

Banana's!

[@zaria5785]

Figs

[@Dad26Boys]

Try a cooked meal!

[@Ricochetmex]

I was laughing hard on the taste test, the way you were describing things: “I’m having AN experience” “…is like it get compress into a smaler flavor molecule” 😅

[@epichomesteading]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Toodle.Pipp001]

As the cost is prohibitive for most, would be great for community food growing groups. Like the way old villages would have one big oven for everyone to bake their bread and roasts in.

[@fignewton0000]

I love this idea! It reminds me of the public bath houses in Asia

[@anthonymojarro8129]

Be dope but people are scared of communism or any sign of socialism

[@gloriouspopemantom373]

@@anthonymojarro8129 Looking to get one, dont think people would mind, I will charge food or cash for the "rent".

[@viceb7]

My thoughts too! Perfect for a co op type situation of gardeners... Surely that exists right?

[@trishcraig723]

As long as you aren't selling anything, you could try a share buy. Read up on it. Who's house will it be at or what building. There is upkeep and cleaning and access to the building to consider. The shortest run we have had so far since getting ours is 38 hrs. There is no fast turn around. Will each user have their own set of trays to use? Since pre freezing all your ptepared foods is best to shorten cycle time, will you have a community freezer? Will it be big enough for multiple users to store their product for their turn? This guy was supposed to wait 24 hrs before start up. He doesn't say he did. He has no drain hose set up. After spending 5 grand, reading the directions is important.

[@weathermitimbers]

The vacuum pump should be plugged into the back of the freeze dryer, with the pump's power switch left in the "on" position. During normal operation, the freeze dryer will send power to the pump so it will kick on after the freeze cycle is complete and then cut off power when a proper vacuum is achieved. Having the pump running during the freezing cycle, or the warming/drying cycle, can pull moisture into the pump, which can cause damage in the long term. You also risk causing premature wear on the pump if you keep it running constantly. I briefly worked at Harvest Right and heard some absolute horror stories of customers who completely ruined their pumps because of water contamination. There are also Facebook groups where people share their experiences and advice on using the freeze dryer.

[@marinadoerksen8107]

Why doesn't Harvest Right explain how to use the freeze dryer if it's so easy to destroy?

[@cheryllovestoread]

I want a freeze dryer. So jealous. 🤩. That strawberry powder you described at the end would make some yummy natural strawberry milk 🍓🥛

[@epichomesteading]

Oh good idea!

[@katep4485]

at least with dehydrated powdered fruit it won't really mix into the milk like quick. It will just float to the top.

[@bvec97]

The banter between you and mr garden hermit takes the channel to another level. I used to think you were just a smart, keep-to-yourself person. Now I have a lot of respect for you as an authority figure in the community. All love ❤️

[@epichomesteading]

Wow, thanks!

[@bvec97]

@@epichomesteading thank you! It’s always a pleasure to learn from someone committed to restorative agriculture ❤️

[@MayraRodriguez-id5rm]

Yess! I'm on my way to buy one! FYI, silica packets do not absorbs oxygen, it absorbs humidity. Oxygen absorbers absorbs oxygen and those work better in mylar bags. Silica packets work good in the bowls or mason jars etc. 👍

[@cucumberboi945]

Omg imagine doing this to peaches how intense the flavour would be and crispy it would be like candy lol. Never tried it but u bet it would taste guuuuud! Lol

[@pamelamercer1124]

Ice cream, peaches and eggs. Beat the eggs and put them in raw. Powder when they come out. 1:1 with water to rehydrate. You will not be able to tell they were freeze dried. 18 - 24 eggs per tray.

[@epichomesteading]

WOW that's awesome. I'll try

[@greenecrayon]

I can imagine pulverizing the basic ingredients for a soup base and saving that for quick soup stock. Saves space and I bet it makes the cooking process quicker because the water can get to everything more readily

[@thatsalt1560]

Yes, here in former Yugoslavia they add a blend of MSG, salt and freeze-dried vegetables to all food all the time. Your suggestion is a more versatile and "natural" version of that.

[@anshbhatnagar251]

Something that would be interesting would be a freeze dried dragon fruit. Since they’re relatively bland fresh, I wonder if they have a nice flavor when freeze dried and the flavor is compressed.

[@staceymoniz]

I love that Jacques smells each one before tasting... I would do that, too... Everyone is gonna want that now, and by everyone, I mean ME!!

[@joelhowe]

I've read that if you withhold water from tomato plants for a couple of weeks before harvesting that the flavor is concentrated and magnified. I've never tried it myself, but a similar phenomenon might explain the added burst of flavor you got from the freeze-dried tomatoes. I look forward to seeing what you try next!

[@angekfire]

When you opened the containers of the freeze dried stuff you mention the silica packets draw the air out. The silica actually just helps draw out moisture to keep them from re-hydrating, if you want to remove oxygen, there are little packets that look similar called "oxygen scavengers".

[@belele-la3389]

I love the contrast between the high tech-ness of the freeze dryer, and you just chucking the strawberry stalks behind you. 😂

[@belele-la3389]

I wasn’t expecting it to look so much like a washing mashing and need so much space. Would it be worth having a dehydrator AND this? You should do a blind taste test!! And do a meal maybe? And let Jacques have some more strawberries! 😂

[@Aries162]

I love the putting it together part. My grandmother who I loved more than anything used to call the instructions that came with stuff "the destructions" - and from how bad she (and I) manage to mess stuff up she was right lol. Thx for keeping it real. ~Amy in SD

[@epichomesteading]

[@joannsilva4715]

You two guys are so silly! Kevin with flipping the strawberry tops in the air, & you both munching on the samples! I dehydrate and blanch & freeze. Freeze dryers are so costly & canning is a lot of work! Oh but the rewards of our fruits of labor! 💚🌎

[@epichomesteading]

True! Nothing like pulling it out of the pantry and enjoying after all of that hard work.

[@phyrewillow6463]

I’ve had mine for a few weeks now, and I love it. I really love how my herbs came out. Much more flavor! This is great for preserving garden harvest. I’ve also been making bigger meals and just freeze drying the leftovers for convenience meals. Just did broccoli cheese soup and it came out great

[@RuthStash]

Invest in their silicone mats for the trays, they are wonderful. Also pre-freeze your trays with food on it, saved so much time in the freeze dryer

[@epichomesteading]

Appreciate the tip!

[@JustMe-mn4gr]

Is there a way to get the strong chemical smell out of the silicon mats?

[@bryonyhellis]

Loved the tasting session with Jacques, you two crack me up 😆

[@mumstheword8]

I love watching the two of you guys! You guys get along really well. It's like 2 best buds. Great episode.

[@thelees-livinginhislight]

I’m literally in awe of all your juggling right now. Praying for continued energy and ideas! Great job Kevin! We appreciate your content!

[@ellenkuang8853]

We have 2 vacuum roughing pumps in our lab with one that runs 24/7 to keep our mass spec vacuumed down. If your freeze dryer is gunna be run pretty regularly while you work inside, I def recommend some sorta noise cancelling mechanism like headphones or something to protect your ears. They're the only reason my hearing isn't completely gone by now after 4 years of that pump running nonstop while I'm working in lab. 😅

[@epichomesteading]

I think I'm going to run it in the garage from now on!

[@Clarinda787]

Some flavors are intensified with freeze-drying. You are going to LOVE that machine! I've been freeze-drying raw eggs, tons of cooked chicken, lots of candy, fruits & veggies, and getting ready to try milk & broth. Anything liquid needs to be frozen before going into the FD'r. Some liquids will explode into a huge foam mess if you don't pre-freeze them! When reconstituting FD'd foods, I always use hot water or if making soup just drop it into the soup and let it reconstitute as it heats.

[@grandmatuesday1184]

Super happy for you and also excited about the freeze dryer videos to come.

[@matthysloedolff]

I'm a chemist and have used a freeze dryer before for my research. Ever since using one I wanted one for home use. I loved this video so much. You would definitely get a subscriber (me) if you make another channel solely consisting of freeze drying stuff. I've used a high vacuum oil pump for most of my PhD. If you want to get the most out of your pump, make sure you change your oil when it starts going dark. If you notice two layers in your oil when your pump has turned off it might be due to some water from your food accidentally ending up in the pump. To get rid of this, you need to balast the pump. There should be a knob on the pump for that. Make sure it is pulling a decent vacuum and then switch to balast and let it run like that until the water has evaporated. If your pump is really good, you wouldn't notice too much of a loss in vacuum.

[@epichomesteading]

Thankyou...I def will take these tips!

[@SueBMiller60]

I’ve owned a HR FD for 3 years. One of my favorite FD snack is cherry tomatoes with chopped basil, salt and pepper. Sometimes I FD my capers salad but the balsamic vinegar can get a little sticky. Have fun, it’s an adventure for sure.

[@stevenlehmann4432]

Always great to experiment with your harvest.

[@honeylemon5839]

Such a good move, Kevin! My next ( when?) purchase will be a freeze dryer. I am so excited for you. Have fun freeze drying!! 😄👍

[@velvettedelaney]

Omg, the 2 of you snacking and talking about ‘wow, that flavor pops’ is like the most hilarious diy tv show! 😂😂😂

[@RiannaNicole]

This is what I love about you Kevin! Set up, use, and review!

[@epichomesteading]

[@Kievlar]

Jacques too funny towards the end! You two have a great rapport! ❤

[@cherokeerose12]

There is no end to what you can do with one of these .....iv been investigating about these for a while now and I will say harvest right so far has been the best reviews

[@tanyaparker-callsign.kk7ic238]

Thank you for this video we just purchased one yesterday and find your video a great treat✈️👍🏾💕💕💕👍🏾✈️ best practice to test

[@iwanttomake9262]

Love the interactions between you guys its so friendly and entertaining lol

[@lvs6775]

Yees. I’ve been waiting for a comprehensive video on this freeze dryer.

[@susiebrown7553]

I have had one for a few months now. I have freeze dried cucumbers, tomatoes, scrambled eggs, bananas, apples, peaches, blueberries, pineapples and strawberries. I love it!! Nothing goes to waste anymore. Have fun with it!

[@MaN-pw1bn]

You're as giddy as I was when I got mine, love it! You're definitely going to want to put the freeze dryer on a cart or elevate it, helps with draining when the cycle is complete!

[@carolclarkson4859]

We have one of these freeze dryers and love it. We freeze dry everything. You can load the trays more than you did. Really interested to see more of you do. The results have been impressive for fruits, veggies, meats, eggs, and milk. We did some camping meals that turned out awesome as well. We did biscuits and gravy. Awesome name for your freeze dryer.

[@UrbanHomesteader101]

I had a freeze dryer for over a year now my favorite thing I love about it is I preserving garden goodies. Also my favorite "bought" freezed dried food was dragon fruit. I growing a plant in hopes of being able to replicated that.

[@brendamier9349]

Thanks for showing how to do this I always wondered how to frezz dry!

[@Ms.W35]

You’re inspiring me to pull out my dehydrator and save up for a freeze dryer! Costco has some freeze dried herbs and stuff and the garlic is AMAZING. I use it in everything.

[@hazardsmurf1230]

just bought mine. great video. thanks for sharing.

[@ewakraft5770]

The vegetable like carrots beets etc, I would roast quick in the oven and then freeze dry. So much tastier. U often do the same before a heat dry.

[@jimmydean8470]

I loved going to the Science Center field trip as a kid. I bought cool rocks, gems, fossils and, of course, freeze dried ice cream from the shop.

[@DancingHorseFarm1]

Thank you for showing the whole process, from set up (which I always thought was a lot harder), to end product. Looks like a lot of fun!

[@DancingHorseFarm1]

I'd be interested to know what kind of maintenance it needs.

[@epichomesteading]

Glad it was helpful!

[@thelees-livinginhislight]

I love how you use natural products in your home. Good on ya for practicing green living.

[@kathiepahner1603]

I have had my FD for a few months now and I love it.

[@brandieb5475]

I just got mine last thursday! been running it nonstop. awesome investment!!!

[@jocelynlarsensackett3237]

I've been looking at this freeze dryer for years debating on whether to get it or not. Thanks for doing a video on it so I can see it in action.

[@jenniferjsaracino]

I love freeze dries strawberries. They are so expensive to buy. Not that it makes a freeze-dryer cheaper. Other fruits would also be tasty.

[@iwanttobelieve5970]

I buy a lot of it for my two year old granddaughter who loves fruit and loves freeze dried fruit. It is helluva expensive. But, I don't have the money to invest in a freeze dryer. I dehydrate some things but yeah, I agree with you.

[@epichomesteading]

Yeah it's $$$ - I will do a cost breakdown at some point!

[@Mister_Stork]

Awesome, can’t wait for more dehydration experiments 😯

[@sarahbell6915]

Love the idea of freeze drying, especially the whole meals. That would save so much in terms of potential waste of leftovers spoiling. But the cost on one of those units is still just a little too rich for my blood. One day, one day. Curious about the maintenance/upkeep on them though. Like how often do you have to replenish the oil in the pump, what kind of cleaning is required (just the pans or are there internal components that need to be cleaned between uses), what the life of the pump is like, etc.

[@epichomesteading]

I totally hear you on the cost, trust me! I'll do many more vids w/ this!

[@Jen.O]

I have the same questions--a round table of seasoned experts with tips on using it would be cool, IMO

[@rebeccahosie7145]

Freeze dried strawberries in cereal for the win! I've been eating them that way for years. Its delicious

[@rockyusa2012]

Great review 👏

[@mkmoody2870]

Freeze dry onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes and herbs, blend into powder for a salad dressing base. Lots of spice mixes and dressings/dips mixes could be made. I keep freeze dried minced shallots and diced peppers to toss into sauces and soups

[@cynthiaarmstronghopefulhom9672]

Your face and the sounds that accompanied to your taste test was so comical. Thanks for making me laugh out loud.💞😂

[@sofiasalemi4260]

Hello ! Happy for you that you got one of those babies :-) you could do a Collab video with a chef, him sharing ideas about how to freeze dry and then cook with your freeze dried produce ! That would be awesome

[@jomkebunchannel8584]

Love to see your interaction with jacques. You guys are so funny. Haha.

[@lmichelle6244]

😅 I've got a bunch of stuff I need to freeze dry Kevin! I live I Fallbrook so it's going to take me about 45 mins to get to your house 🤣jk.. CONGRATS on the freeze dryer though! ML 🌱❤

[@epichomesteading]

Bahaha 😛

[@notmyfault6835]

I'm in San Marcos with a garden full to be freeze dried... Let's rideshare down together!! 😉👩‍🌾😏🙌

[@lmichelle6244]

@@notmyfault6835 🤣 lmboooo... I'm just going to bust out my dehydrator😊, but freeze dried in my opinion tastes so much better.

[@nicolekhairullah3322]

You guys are so fun to watch!!! 🍓🍓🍓😄

[@lindsaywhite6679]

Such a great video as always! Making me drool. By the way, I buy freeze dried strawberries and powder them to make my son’s favorite cupcakes (or cake) with and add it to a cream cheese frosting as well for berry berry cake…it’s just amazing!

[@Ottawajames]

20:20 Looks like you had a Royal visitor...an endangered Monarch butterfly stopping by. Must have found your milkweed!

[@epichomesteading]

They're everywhere!

[@Ottawajames]

@@epichomesteading Not in my neck of the woods... I hadn't seen any in years until I saw 2 this year, although I'm much farther NorthEast than you are.

[@hightechfarmers]

Have a large harvest right and love it. Recent Onion harvest into diced onion and onion powder. I'm going for zucchini next and will have chips and shredded (for bread). Find it the easiest way to get most of large harvests in the garden. Can never eat it all fresh but now...maybe. Peaches are almost ready and looking to try that as well.

[@jjthedog1647]

Kevin yeeting the top part of the strawberry is gold 😆

[@kymm4894]

Fun educational video. Thanks.

[@tineejohnston9737]

It looks like a dryer I think 🤣🤣🤣 fun watching you Kevin experimenting lol ❤️❤️❤️

[@williamreeder3660]

Great video .... thank you for sharing

[@debbiebrugman4543]

I read a comment on another video where a lady used freeze dried tomatoes on her sandwich. She spread mayo on the tomatoes, but not next to the bread, then the rest of her ingredients. By lunch time the tomatoes had rehydrated. She said her sandwich was perfect.

[@freakingbored]

love the plant daddy + jaq banter

[@thyme4coffee203]

Yeah, I been wanting one since John Kohler got his years ago. Now, this makes me want one even more.

[@michellekrantz888]

You guys make a great team! So funny!

[@melaniehouston6633]

LOL! TY Kevin and Jaques!

[@melissarecord7102]

That looks so tasty. Right now my dehydrator is as good as I can afford. Maybe some day we can snag a freeze dryer.

[@MagisterCobb]

Have you ever used a straw to cap a strawberry? You take a straw and poke the berry in the center of the berry and push up to the top. It takes the cap off without losing any of the top of the berry. You lose a bit from the core but it is far less than what you usually lose from the top and way quicker.

[@thelees-livinginhislight]

Loving the honest review 😂 I’m rolling over here.

[@notmyfault6835]

North County San Diego growing zone 10b checking in 🌱🌱🌱 You know, you could recoup the dehydrator cost by scheduling people to come over and dehydrate their crops for a nominal fee! I'm available any time next week... 😉👩‍🌾😏!! Seriously though... 🤔😍🙏

[@funkqueen1]

you are so lucky to have so many toys!

[@pauhy5601]

@Epic Homesteading,you& Jacque seem happy together ,together,ha ha -slicing the fruits and veggies on your channel?. Every subscribers must see that.

[@vlong7112]

The banter cracks me up 😂

[@pamelamercer1124]

I've had my FD for less than a year. There is a bit of a learning curve on which veggies to blanch and not. Fruit are excellent.

[@linda-MyLifeAndOtherAnecdotes]

What brand did you go with? Are they all that loud? How long does the process take on average?

[@pamelamercer1124]

@@linda-MyLifeAndOtherAnecdotes there is only the Harvest Right brand for home use. They have 3 different vacuum pumps you can choose from and the noise varies with each. They list the decibel levels on their web page. On average, I would say about 24 hours a batch. But the whole pitted cherries I have in now are more like 36 hours. It depends on how densely packed the trays are and what you are FD.

[@awsomeman253]

The music at the start is a bop

[@minimalistcriminalist2722]

Welcome to your new addiction! Its gonna be awesome to see everything you can freeze dry.

[@lobeckdr]

this should be done for kids in school - you are both like kids in science class!

[@brianne8258]

There are strawberry hullers it makes taking crowns out very quick.

[@shanacurtis4379]

If you have an abundance of zucchini or cucumber you can slice them thin and sprinkle any seasoning you want. Then dehydrate them. They are delicious, just like chips but healthy.

[@nic18906]

One of my favorite ways to do cherry tomatoes is to marinate them in balsamic vinegar for a day or two and freeze dry them, works great for salads.

[@UnaChefenlaCocina]

Good device, friend, so it's nice I was delighted to see this video because I had no idea that this device existed in a big way, I'm staying at your house for more videos and thank you very much friend

[@trishdavi7049]

Yes thee is a link to the free dryer!

[@TL-cm5bd]

Great video! Thanks for all the info. Im actually considering getting one to freeze dry raw meat for dog treats/food. Im sure I’ll be spending $2000 on freeze dried treats from the store in just two years so it wound be worth it over his lifetime and we could use it for us too.

[@tannenbaumgirl3100]

An oil less pump is available....but you did not mention, same with the cover before the door is closed. Beets don't mature in flavor, the just grow larger by the day, they do have an earthy flavor, which I'm sure intensifies when dried or freeze dried.

[@MelissaFloyd]

Now just think, freeze dry some greens with various vegetables and powder them turning it into a homemade smoothie mix. Meal on the go for sure. Freeze dry and powder herbs, peppers, flowers (nasturtiums) for grinding and seasoning foods. You can create an "Epic Everything Garden" seasoning :)

[@steadyfaithsteadyhome2385]

Hi Kevin, great video! Love all the content you are putting out. We purchased our harvest right not too long ago and haven’t set it up yet. I saw that it is recommended to use the system on a designated 20amp circuit. I’m curious if you are running yours this way? Or if it will work on a 15amp circuit? Thanks again man!

[@fufufuaru]

16:14 those colors!! very tempting to snack on them lol

[@nancyseery2213]

Boy, do I want one of these so-o-o-o-o-o bad!!!

[@JustMe-mn4gr]

If you can figure out the best way to freeze dry lemons, that would be great!

[@weathermitimbers]

I'd suggest cutting them into thin slices. Wedges are not likely to work. You want as much surface area exposed as possible.

[@williammaxwell1919]

Are you guys channelling Cheech and Chong's (I won't reference L&H or others who came before) slapstick comedy? Because if you are, you've nailed it! The repartee you two have is so fun to watch.

[@staciegulizia4144]

So cool! Cog Hill Farms (KZbin channel) has been freeze drying a lot lately. They freeze dried some figs. Maybe you could try those.

[@jadestar1580]

Great unboxing, testing video. Wish they were more affordable. Please try reconstituting them for us. Thank you for the video. 🍓

[@epichomesteading]

Shall do!