Each year I have difficulty deciding what to do with my surplus veggies. The popular share plan and exchange program are fraught with trade imbalances and potential friendship-ending negotiations, so preservation seems a good option.

While I don’t always practice what I preach, here’s a primer on how to preserve your carefully tended crops.

Head for the Cellar

Cold storage in a root cellar is perhaps the first method of preserving produce. Most of our energy-efficient homes don’t lend themselves to cold storage, but a basement with a dirt floor can be used for short-term storage.

Lay the produce on shelves, being careful not to let items touch. Some fruits and vegetables that store well are potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, cabbage, apples and pumpkins.

Make Room in the Freezer

Freezing is a simple means of preserving food. The reduced temperatures prevent microorganisms from growing. Some vegetables should be blanched before freezing to prevent loss of color, flavor and nutrients. Blanching also helps to destroy microorganisms on the surface of the vegetable. Good foods for freezing include herbs, blueberries, sweet corn, green beans, broccoli and cauliflower.

Dried to Last Longer

Drying is another easy way to preserve food. The idea is to remove moisture without cooking the product. Traditionally, produce is dried outdoors, spread on racks, screens or tables while the sun and wind do the work. I’ve sun-dried tomatoes with great results.

Foods can also be dried in conventional and microwave ovens and in food dehydrators. I’ve used my dehydrator to dry tomatoes and herbs and even cut flowers. When using dried foods in recipes, remember they have a more intense flavor.

Dr. Sue Hamilton, director of the UT Gardens, writes the gardening column for Tennessee Home & Farm.