[Snoop]

Ordinarily yes, the sun would do the job (no electricity in the outhouses) but we are having freaky stormy weather and we can't even get on the land so things are starting to rot. A lot of people have died (at least 16) and been made homeless in Bulgaria...which is mad when there are hundreds of empty houses in all the villages, due to flooding. 25% of crops have been lost. So I shouldn't moan about such a small thing, we have been lucky.

Crumbs, Tosca. That's dreadful. I had no idea you were experiencing weather like that. It always looks so idyllic in your photos, it's hard to imagine the weather could get so bad. I hope it all improves.

[tosca100]

Snoop, it is unusual, it is even windy which we rarely have. We have hot and brilliant in between though, but we can't get on the soil for the wet. Serbia, Hungary and Romania have also had their problems.

Hopefully better by the end of July. Good job summer is long here.

[New shoot]

The plot raspberries are in full production, so after a harvesting trip this morning, the dehydrator is off and running 

The wonderful smell is driving me mad though.  I'm geting hungrier and hungrier 

[Madame Cholet]

Can't wait till I have surplus soft fruit to dry next year hopefully

[Annen]

Don't know if it counts as a harvest, but I harvested my £5 Morrisons voucher and bought Bramleys, 2 pineapples, and 2 bunches of bananas.  The Bramleys are sliced, dried and stashed, the pineapples are sliced and in the dryer and the bananas are next.

[New shoot]

£5 worth of free fruit.  Sounds like a great harvest to me   

I'm going to get some pineapple for the next time I do raspberries.  BQ mentioned it and I've been keen to try it ever since.  I reckon they will take about the same time to do i.e. ages    Still its no real work on my part and the results will be worth it.

The french beans are next.  I have some bigger ones from the plot that missed getting picked, as I was working and didn't get there for a few days.  They will be great for slowcooker stews over the winter or cooked in a tomato sauce as a side dish 

[RJR_38]

I have been thinking about a dehydrator for a while but a couple of questions:

1. Does it hike up your electricity bill? All this talk of 12-14 hours switched on sounds expensive...
2. Does the base of the unit get hot? Our kitchen is tiny and there is no way I could have a gadget out on the work top for 12 hours so it would have to go on the desk in the spare room - would this be feasible?

[devonbarmygardener]

I have been thinking about a dehydrator for a while but a couple of questions:

1. Does it hike up your electricity bill? All this talk of 12-14 hours switched on sounds expensive...
2. Does the base of the unit get hot? Our kitchen is tiny and there is no way I could have a gadget out on the work top for 12 hours so it would have to go on the desk in the spare room - would this be feasible?

Ditto the above questions

[New shoot]

From my experience

1.  No.  Mine doesn't seem to affect the electricity bill much at all and it is a fairly sizable machine.
2. No again.  The base gets gently warm, but not hot.  I have run mine on a pine dining table overnight without any problems.  You could always put a tea towel under it if you were worried about it standing directly on a polished surface 

Ditto the above questions

I think someone may have been a bit premature in mocking Surbie and Lardman for being easily led     

[Annen]

1. Don't know, I don't keep that close a check on it, but I haven't noticed anything unusual in the bills.
2. Mine gets quite warm, but not hot on the outside.  I would think a desk would be safe enough. 

But you do need extra space beside it so you can put the lid and trays down on a level surface.  The trays on mine are not very strong and some have cracked (Andrew James is replacing them free as a goodwill gesture as it is only a month out of warranty) and you need to remember to carry them with both hands. 
Also you need storage space for the dried foods, I use plastic baskets from the £ shop to keep ziploc bags tidy, coffee jars, jam jars.  Glass is best but bulky, little jars for crumbled chilli, big jars for sliced onions or beans.

[RJR_38]

Ooh you bad people... I have succumbed! There was an Andrew James one on amazon shaping had good reviews so I bought it. It was the big rectangular one as it was reduced down by quite a bit. Hopefully the trays will be ok....

[devonbarmygardener]

From my experience

1.  No.  Mine doesn't seem to affect the electricity bill much at all and it is a fairly sizable machine.
2. No again.  The base gets gently warm, but not hot.  I have run mine on a pine dining table overnight without any problems.  You could always put a tea towel under it if you were worried about it standing directly on a polished surface 

Ditto the above questions

I think someone may have been a bit premature in mocking Surbie and Lardman for being easily led   

 
Never!!
I was just curious is all

[snowdrops]

 
Has anyone made one? Sounds like it is something I could get Mr S making, he's just finished a CNC router.

[surbie100]

Never!!
I was just curious is all

You say that now, but I know you're being sucked in...I can feel a tremor in The Force!

How long do you leave your pineapple NewShoot? I put mine on for 12 hours, 2mm thick and it comes out as crisps again, not leathery/sticky.

[tosca100]

Has anyone made one? Sounds like it is something I could get Mr S making, he's just finished a CNC router.

OH was going to make one this year, but other things took priority. Anyway it was too humid a lot of the time. But we certainly get enough sun generally. I tried leaving the trays out but often that made it rain.