8 Ways Get a Huge Fruit Harvest and Use it Up

A huge fruit harvest can be such a joy. Perhaps you headed off to the nearest ‘you-pick’ farm, cleared out the farmer’s market, or have fruit trees and berry bushes of your own to pick from.

Wherever you garnered your fruit bounty, you now need to know what to do with it. There are jams and pies and preserves that can all keep you in fruit long after the trees have given up for the year.

If you are looking to grow a huge fruit harvest for yourself or looking for ideas as to what to do with one when you get it, these OGP articles can help guide you along the way.

1. Mulberries

Mulberries come from the Morus genus of the Moraceae family, which makes them more closely related to figs, breadfruit, and jackfruit! Mulberry trees produce an incredible harvest of soft fruits that can be enjoyed as jam, wine, and tea. Mulberries are vastly nutritious, and a tree can make a beautiful addition to your garden if you have the room and time to maintain it. Read on to learn How and Why You Should Grow a Mulberry Tree.

2. Apples

A couple of apple trees in the yard would more than cover most of our annual needs. Even one tree would likely supply a ridiculous surplus of apples. Luckily, there are many ways to enjoy apples and just as many ways to preserve them. While it’s always nice to give a few away or bake someone a pie, picking an overcast autumn day to stay inside is worthwhile, and putting away a little produce for later. Here are 8 Ways to Preserve Apples This Autumn.

3. Elderberries

Elderberry shrubs (Sambucus nigra subsp. Canadensis) are native to the United States. The elderberry fruit is generally ready to pick by late summer when the clusters of them turn dark. The berries are only around ¼” in diameter, but a mature tree can produce 10-15 pounds a year. For those with a wet spot in the yard, elderberry shrubs are a great choice for growing something edible. These plants put out berries very quickly. But,  elderberries aren’t something just everyone has handled. We have to learn what to do with them. Check out these 7 Ways to Use All Those Elderberries You’ve Grown.

4. Blackberries and Raspberries

It’s that time of year again.  Berries have started popping up in supermarket produce sections, and tables at farmer’s markets are lined with boxes of them.  For those of you with your own berry patches, you may have noticed your blackberries and raspberries all ripening up nicely, and even after you have shared with the birds, there is still plenty to go around. Read on to learn more about Blackberries and Raspberries: Health Benefits and Foraging Tips.

5. Persimmons

For those who haven’t had the pleasure of eating a good persimmon, they have an extraordinarily sweet taste reminiscent of caramel often with hints of cinnamon and spice. However, eaten too early, some persimmons are very astringent and unpalatable, and when ripe, they don’t ship well, which is why they aren’t common in supermarkets. In other words, the best way to eat persimmons is probably to grow them at home. Here is a great guide to Persimmons: How to Grow and Eat Them.

6. Plums

Plums don’t get nearly the press that apples, cherries, and peaches get, but they are delicious. They are small, highly productive trees, usually pruned to about 15-20 feet. They have beautiful white and pink flowers in spring, and in late summer/early autumn, they put out sweet colorful fruits. In other words, what’s not to like? Read on to learn All About Plum Trees: Often Overlooked but Always Enjoyed.

7. Blueberries

The fact that berries are crazy healthy for us is no news flash. Blueberries, in particular, are worthy of raving about. They are good for the brain, reduce the risk of cancer, help the cardiovascular system, and the list goes on. They are also a good source of vitamins and minerals. Not to mention, they are delicious and add great flavor to smoothies, pies, pancakes, and more. They even store well in the freezer. Take a look at How to Grow Blueberries at Home.

8. Jam

Well, that’s where fruit purees might just be the better option. Using sugary and/or pectin-rich fruits like apples, grapes, plums, and pears to thicken and sweeten our fruit blends allows us to create spreads without adding sugar or pectin. Using fruits like these— skin and all— to fine-tune the flavor allows us to stick with whole foods and get all the positives of eating fruit without the downside of jam. Plus, once the process is perfect, it’s a much easier method of preservation. Learn more about Why Fruit Purees are a Better Choice than Making Jams.

Related Content:

• 15 Plant-Based Savory Recipes That Include Fruit
• Kakadu Plums: The Superfood Known to Have the Highest Vitamin C Content of Any Fruit
• Easy-to-Grow Fruits for Even the Smallest of Spaces
• A Quick Guide to Standard Fruit Trees Grown in the USA
• 8 Tips for Growing More Fruit in Your Backyard

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