[maryambaker]

i can try hard but i can't keep my fresh fruit and vegetables from being kept in the store

 

[sailingdog]

The wire baskets may be damaging the fruit/vegetable skins, and storing certain fruits and vegetables together are going to cause problems. Apples should generally not be stored with other fruits, since they give off the ethylene gas that causes other fruits to ripe and spoil more quickly IIRC...

Yes, the bags do work.

 

[JiffyLube]

I store vegetables in a three-tiered wire basket in the v-berth and the vegetables get plenty of air but still they mildew and spoil. My son sleeps in the v-berth and he doesn't want to share his room with mildewed vegetables. My refrigerator is so small the vegetables can't go in there. Any ideas where and how to store fruit and vegetables? Do those fancy plastic storage bags work?

My wife got some of those green storage bags once, and she didn't think she saw much difference in storage times...but some people swear by them.

 

[Ulladh]

Try a Bartram Box.
John Bartram in the 1700's shipped plant samples and seeds in boxes packed with sphagnum moss (peat) from Philadelphia to customers England.
This method can also be used to store seed potatoes over winter and works great for green apples. The peat moss must be kept dry.

 

[robfinora]

I read an article once in one of the sailing mags about this. Sailingdog is right. Do some online research about storing fruit / veggies. If you store certain types of fruits and vegetables together in the same compartment - they will extend the shelf life of each through the chemical compositions that compliment one another.

 

[saltydawg]

It's the January 2009 of Cruising World. Pages 60-63 Beth Leonard has a great article on this very topic complete with charts of each food item and what to do. I'll see if I can scan mine and link it here.

 

[WanderingStar]

I've also read that washing them in a mild bleach solution will kill the rot and mold spores on the surface.
Lyn Pardey has a chapter on fruit in "Care and Feeding of Sailing Crew"

 

[wind_magic]

Have you considered dehydrating them ? They won't be fresh, but they will still have most of the good stuff in them, and they will store great if they are dry for long voyages.

I second the Pardey book recommendation.

 

[wind_magic]

Also you might want to find a good book on root cellars, because that is essentially what you are after. There was a time in this world before refrigeration, before canning, when most of the harvest was stored in a root cellar. We essentially have root cellars down in the bilge of our boats.

 

[LWinters]

I Love Debbie Meyer Green Bags!!!!!!! No, they don't sponsor or give me bags for free, but I seriously pull out a soapbox when I see this topic come up. I took a head of lettuce from the USA to Mexico and ate it a month later. Cilantro, usually 2 - 4 days at best, but in a green bag, 7 days. The list literally goes on and on. These things let me stuff my boat with veggies when I provision and eat fresh fruits and veggies for weeks without having to track down potentially non-existent stores in Central America.

There is one trick to the bags, the fruits and veggies must be completely dry before you put them in for storage. If there is any moisture you will get mold growing on the outside of the fruits and veggies long before they ever start rotting. It also eliminates the old problems with apples ripening everything else too fast. The bags absorb so much of the ethylene gas ripening produce emits you can put apples in the bags and store them right along with the rest of your produce.

I wish I would have bought three more boxes of them before I left the States. I reuse everyone of the bags I have as they are pretty tough. Don't skimp on the ziplock type knock offs. I tried them and they don't hold up. OK for one time use. DMGBs have proven themselves to me over five months on s/v Jargo. They really will save you a fortune in rotten produce when cruising.

OK. Stowing the soap box. Sorry for the rant.

 

[wind_magic]

Lee,

So how do you use them, are they one of those containers that you suck all of the air out, do you store them in a refrigerator of some sort, how does that work ? I have never seen them or used them, don't even know where to get them.

By the way, nice website, and amazing journey, look forward to reading about your progress along the way! How do you like your SPOT, is it working out well ? Maybe you put that over on the SPOT thread we had, I don't remember seeing your comments there.

 

[llsitton]

Green Storage bags

We are just now planning our trip but I have already bought the green bags from Debbie....alot of them. I use them at home and they are amazing. I do not wash the vegetables and fruits before I put them in the bags because they need to be dry. I wash them after I take them out of the bags, just before I use them. It increases the life of veg and fruits for weeks.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Take a look at "Voyaging On A Small Income" by Annie Hill. There are some very helpful hints and guidelines in the appendices, as well as entertaining and educating stories in the main chapters. I sail on a 33 foot double ender, and having no refridgerator, and between Annie Hill and Lyn Pardee, I have read some pretty good advice....I might just test the green bags out myself this next cruise...

 

[carl762]

Have to look into those green bags.

I do know you're interested in storing fresh foods, but have you thought about drying foods as well? Been doing it for years for creating my own backpacking/camping foods. Use a vacuum packer and sealable bags. Also I cook up rices, beans, sometimes whole meals and pack those in vacuumed bags. Then, when time to cook, I put the whole bag in boiling water to heat. Keeps the pot clean and you can use the hot water to clean the counters, tables and other dishes you use.

Still haven't had time to experiment with drying meats yet.

so how do you use them, are they one of those containers that you suck all of the air out, do you store them in a refrigerator of some sort, how does that work ? I have never seen them or used them, don't even know where to get them.

Foodsaver makes the containers you can suck the air out of. I have a set of them and use one for keeping salad fresh longer. I remember seeing a kit years ago, with an actual hand pump you could use. I use the electric version at home. Vacuum packers are cheaper than ever. I spent a little extra on a good one.