We had an old oven that died (and believe me, that sucker will not be coming back to life!), so we are salvaging the glass from the inside of the oven door for our dehydrator. We have purchased some lumber to build the frame and are following the instructions from a DIY projects book that we own (see our media section for that particular book). Wish us luck as we journey towards solar food dehydration!
Pros and Cons of Dehydration:(as found on this website)
- Pros
-They take up less storage space than canned and frozen foods.
-It isn't hard and doesn't require a lot of time or attention from you.
-Can be an inexpensive method (depending on which method of dehydration you choose).
-They are a good addition to 72 hour kits and MRE's (Meal-Ready-To-Eat) that you put together yourself.
-Solar Dehydration requires no electricity (which means you save money for other preps).
- Cons
-Some areas don't have a suitable climate for this method of food preservation.
-Drying via oven can be expensive
DIY:
- Inexpensive Food Dehydrator with Recycled Parts
- Solar Food Dehydrator From Cardboard Boxes
- Making Your Own Solar Dehydrator
- Food Dehydrator That Runs Off Of Electricity
- Home Made Dehydrator
- Dehydrator From Household Items
- 8 DIY Dehydrator Plans
Dehydration Links:
- FAQ Dehydrating Foods
- Dehydrating Food: Table of Contents (includes recipes)
- For Long Term Storage
- Complete Dehydrator Cookbook
- The Dehydrator Bible: Includes Over 400 Recipes
Anyone with experience in this area? Do you have any tips, tricks, or advice for those of us with a desire to get going on food dehydration? Any reviews on methods of dehydration that you've tried? Feel free to drop us a line!