Sundried tomatoes? Do I need to cover them?

[ABHanna4d]

Ive been having a BLAST with dehydrating!!! I did the tomatoes outside as long as I could, but as soon as shade hit them so did the flies.
I also did some pototoes and eggplant and the bugs couldnt have cared less about those 2. I did them outside as much as I could and then brought them inside to finish them off when the sun set. I just did less quanitites at a time so I could double drying screens (one on top and one on bottom of each layer of veggies) this way the flies couldnt have access.
Thank you all for your advice! I cant wait to see whats next

 

[Ariel301]

I put multiple vegetables/fruits in my dehydrator at once and it works ok. I would not put something super juicy and strong on the tray above something else that you would not want it to drip on, because that might give you a weird flavor combination.

I have had no success with sun drying tomatoes here, too many problems even though we have the extreme heat. Bugs, sand blowing around, birds/squirrels/chickens stealing the food right off the trays. I saw the recipe also for doing them in the car, but all I got was a tray of moldy tomatoes and a stinky car. So I'm sticking with the dehydrator for now, working on eventually building an outside solar dehydrator that uses the sun to heat inside a box that the bugs, dirt, and animals cannot get into.

 

[ABHanna4d]

I put multiple vegetables/fruits in my dehydrator at once and it works ok. I would not put something super juicy and strong on the tray above something else that you would not want it to drip on, because that might give you a weird flavor combination.

I have had no success with sun drying tomatoes here, too many problems even though we have the extreme heat. Bugs, sand blowing around, birds/squirrels/chickens stealing the food right off the trays. I saw the recipe also for doing them in the car, but all I got was a tray of moldy tomatoes and a stinky car. So I'm sticking with the dehydrator for now, working on eventually building an outside solar dehydrator that uses the sun to heat inside a box that the bugs, dirt, and animals cannot get into.

I would love to heat more about your solar dehydrator! That sounds like a very excellent solution! I've been wanting to make a solar oven, is there a way to have a dual purpose solar unit?

 

[Ariel301]

A friend of mine built one to dry huge batches of herbs that she sells. I want to have her explain to me how it works so I can build a little one. It looks like a big plywood box, painted black to absorb heat, with a slanted glass door on it to catch the sun, and trays inside to put the stuff on. I'm not sure what all else is involved, but I will share when I do know! Out here in Arizona, we've got plenty of free heat and sun, so it should be just the thing.

 

[freemotion]

Air flow is important in a non-electric solar dehydrator. That is why I crack open two windows when I use my solar dehydrator, aka the car! I will often finish a batch in my little electric dehydrator, but a lot can get done in a car parked in the sun on a hot day. If you have a vehicle with a rusted out floor, it works even better. If not, be sure the vent in the front is open and not set to recirculate.

You can get a yard of tulle (for wedding veils and such) at the fabric store for $3 not on sale, and it works great for keeping flies off food. I use it a lot when I am drying or aging cheeses in the kitchen for several days. I also use it to line plastic trays that I use in my car for dehydrating. I use trays that were made to hold soda cans, I've also used the trays that you get when you buy lots of plants at the greenhouse after scrubbing and bleaching them.

I would put a towel or newspaper or something down on the seat of the car first if drying tomatoes, just in case of drips in the early stages.

 

[elf]

My mother dried apples on towels on a barn roof with more towels over the top. I guess tomatoes might stick, being wetter, but they might do well that way after partial drying. They had to be taken down at night and if there was rain, but she had large quantities and this worked for her. Seems like it took about two days if it was hot weather. She re hydrated those apples in the winter for the best fried pies ever.