Solar Food Dehydrator!

This past week at Beardsley Community Farm I got to work on constructing a Solar Food Dehydrator so that we can preserve large amounts of our produce to extend our donation season with out using any extra electricity. When finished we will be able to dry blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, greens, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and much much more!

The first step to building the dehydrator was to find a simple design for it. After some research we found one designed by Larisa Walker for the humid Midwestern summers and thought it would also work well in Tennessee. The dehydrator is placed on a frame of two by four boards to lift it slightly off the ground. On this frame, tilted to a fifteen degree angle rests a square of corrugated metal roofing. On top of the roofing lay the screens. The designer suggested using food grade stainless steel screens but we were not able to find any so we built our own screens using metal grills. It is food grade and while it might not be able to hold small pieces of food it should work wonderfully for tomatoes and herbs. The next layer of the dehydrator consists of a three by three foot frame ( I am holding the almost finished product in the photo above) that has clear glazing attached to one side and will have a black painted piece of aluminum flashing attached to the underside. (The photo below is of Ben and I working on the bottom frame. I am also sporting my new sunbonnet! )

When the dehydrator is set facing south, this is how it works!
The sun will shine through the clear glazing onto the black metal causing it to heat up. The metal stops the sun’s light from reaching the drying vegetables (it can discolor them if it does) but it radiates the heat towards the food helping it to dry. Since the whole dehydrator is at an angle warm air rushes up the grooves in the corrugated metal roofing that is under the screens and circulates through the food, sweeping away moisture that could cause the food to mold. When we first try our new contraption we will let the food sit in it for several days and then voila! dried preserved food to help us through the winter!

Have a great week! ~ Kirsten

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