As to the squash and all…the pieces strung up by the fireplace in the one photo (second to last) are all squash (I used a buttercup), but pumpkin would’ve also been preserved the same way (it is, after all, technically a squash). Apples, as well. The last photo shows a pumpkin (obviously) with another one that was dried flat, which was just another way to preserve it. Of course, doing so could really only be accomplished if there was a bake oven in the house, and not everyone had one. In this particular case, there IS one in the Israel Crane House kitchen, and so it was very appropriate, as that’s how it might’ve been preserved. However, the Crane oven hasn’t been fired up in years, so I did this at home (in my modern oven…see my 12/2/2011 post for pics & info). Also, and more importantly, preserving any squash by drying it flat involves several more steps and takes alot more time, so stringing it was most likely the more common, and the more preferred, method.

As for where to find information on preserving foods for winter, a good place to start might be historic cookbooks. Receipts (recipes) for preserving fruits, vegetables, meats, and so on can be found in Hannah Glasse, Amelia Simmons, Mary Randolph, and others. There’s info in various books about historic foodways, as well. Of course, talking to other people who do it, or visiting other historic sites, particularly in the fall when such activities are taking place, can be highly informative, as well.

And don’t forget, many of what we eat everyday started out as, and were considered, “preserved foods” in earlier centuries: preserved milk becomes cheese; cucumbers become pickles; preserved raspberries become jelly or jam; cream becomes butter; preserved meat is smoked sausage or ham and beef jerky; etc.

Hope this helps!