So what do you do with your fruit if you run out of bottles to can it in or are looking for a way to store it that takes less space. The answer is to dry them. Drying fruit preserves most of the nutritional value of the fruit.

There are a lot of commercial dryers on the market. I do not have a favorite one. Mine came from a thrift store several years ago and I know there are much nicer ones on the market now.

You can also dry your produce in the oven if you can set the heat low at about 120 degrees.

Another way to dry fruit is the ancient way. Just lay it our  in the sun on a clean surface and let nature do its thing.

To dry the fruit first wash it in clean water.

Then remove the seeds

Next cut it to a size that will dry before it spoils. A good size is no thicker than 1/4 inch.

Now place them on the drying trays.

Check them from time to time to be sure no mold forms and no bugs get into them.

If you are drying them outside it is best to cover them with cheese cloth so insects can not eat them or lay eggs on them.

You can make them as dry as you like. I like mine to be firm and flexible about like leather. That way I can eat them anytime. If they are dried hard there is less chance of spoiling.

When you pick up the fruit it should not be sticky. If it is sticky it is not dry yet. Some of the fruit will be ready before others. As the fruit drys move the dry product into a sealable container. I use sealable freezer bags and the plastic jars my peanut butter comes in.When they are dry but still flexible I place them in containers. I leave them on the counter for a few days. This lets the remaining moisture equalise in all the fruit in the bag.

 If you see moisture forming on the inside of the container they are too moist. Also moisture inside the bag can be an indication of insects living in your product. Inspect your container. Ff you see small dark flecks in the bottom of the bag or on the fruit you have bugs. You may even see little worms crawling on the product. Bugs are never good. You can freeze them and let them thaw out several times to kill them and the eggs. Most of the time it is more work than its worth to try to save the container of fruit. If I have bugs in my dry goods I just feed them to my chickens, fruit and all.

If there is no indication of bugs with the moisture on the inside of the container place the fruit back out to dry. Then after it is dry return it to the container.

After the fruit has set for a day or two I put the containers into the refrigerator in the back. I store them there so they are easy to find and continent when I put my lunch together.

You can cook with the dry fruit as you do with canned fruit. To rehydrate them place them in a clean container and cover them with water. they will absorb the water and be used in cooking. Do not expect them to be firm or crisp. They will be limp and soft. The flavor will still be about the same as fresh.