Pink Tractor magazine recently featured the story of how two different customers benefited from having a freeze dryer.

In September 2017, David and Karen Smith were met with devastation with flooding caused by Hurricane Irma left them with 8 feet of water in their house in the Jacksonville, Florida suburb of Middleburg. It was a disaster that would have decimated the food supply of most people who endured such a calamity, but the Smiths were prepared.

For the previous year, Karen had been freeze drying food using the home freeze drying machine she had purchased from Salt Lake, Utah-based Harvest Right LLC as a means of saving money in retirement by freeze drying leftovers and buying items in bulk.

For the eight months that it took the couple to rebuild, the Smiths were able to frequently eat the previously prepared foods. Reserves included bone broth, kefir, soups, stews, hamburgers, cooked shrimp, cheese, chicken, fruits and vegetables.

“I started out doing this because it allows you to control the ingredients you put in your food, and I am a big sales person, so I always try to stock up when I see things on sale,” Karen Smith said. “Along the way I have also become a disaster prepper.”

Another user sold on Harvest Right is Donna Hoaks, an electrician and self reliance/preparedness instructor from Lafayette, Indiana.

She has been pleased with the hundreds of dollars in immediate cost savings she has realized since purchasing her Harvest Right unit earlier this year. Much of what she freeze dries comes from her own homestead, as she has nine fruit trees, 33 raised vegetable and herb beds, a strawberry patch, and a small vineyard. She also buys fresh food items in bulk.

“You know the food will taste good and maintain its nutritional value once it’s rehydrated, and it provides a significant cost savings,” said Hoaks, whose family family favorites include her smoked mac and cheese and freeze-dried ice cream.

Like Smith, Hoaks relied on canning to preserve foods prior to purchasing her Harvest Right unit. That method came with its own challenges.

“I always struggled with rotation,” Hoaks said. “If it’s not rotated within a certain time frame, you lose some of it … By freeze drying, you remove all that worry and you know that whenever you use the food, it’s going to be good.

We love hearing about how our customers benefit from the use of their freeze dryer.

Read the full article (on page 8) here.