It's a long dark winter here in Portland. No one can dispute that a cup of cheer is needed almost daily as we deal with the tilt that comes with being a Cascadian.

So pour another glass of your home made raspberry wine and pop some chestnuts over the fire. Served some pickled fennel, quince paste with smoked salmon on some sort of cracker and you are golden.

Because foods and medicines are not all in season all the time, and there are seasons in which few things are available, many preservation techniques have been developed for extending the harvest.

Different methods of preserving plant foods and medicines

• Canning

• Drying

• Fermenting

• Pickling

• Preserves

• Tinctures

Choosing a method of preservation

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