Solar Dehydrator

Project Overview

A solar dehydrator is a sustainable, low-tech solution for preserving fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more—using only the power of the sun. By harnessing solar heat and airflow, these devices gently dry food while maintaining its nutrients, flavor, and shelf life without relying on electricity or fuel. Perfect for off-grid homesteads, urban gardens, or anyone interested in self-reliance, solar dehydrators reduce food waste, extend harvests, and support a regenerative lifestyle. Whether crafted from reclaimed materials or precision-built with plans like those from Paul Wheaton, solar dehydrators are a beautiful fusion of ancient wisdom and modern ecological design.

Project Image

What We Hope

We hope these resources will be helpful to you and spark your imagination as we all try to steward creation well and care for people at the same time. We want to be a demonstration ground for what you can do with something small and see the potential of every person, place, and thing. As Wendell Berry said, "There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places" and it's our calling as the image of God to be about that sacred work of putting th world back together again.

For more information or to get involved, contact:

 admin@rootsministries.org

 615.415.9759

 341 Thelma St. Madison, TN 37115

Collaborative Efforts for Collective Good

Our project in pictures

A solar dehydrator is a sustainable, low-tech solution for preserving fruits, vegetables, herbs, and more—using only the power of the sun.

Discover other our programs and Initiatives

Wood Fired Pizza Oven

We want to build a rock-and-cob wood-fired pizza oven from the stones we’ve found in the garden—turning toil into table, and harvests into community.

Goal:

$250

Barrel Garden Workshops

One way we want to educate our community and distribute more food is to build barrel gardens together

Goal:

Garden Saturdays

May through October, every Saturday from nine to noon we pick, wash, weigh, and stage the garden produce for use thoughout the week.

Goal:

High Tunnel Climate Battery

We installed a climate battery under the ground in the high tunnel to store daytime heat in the ground and keep our plants warmer on winter nights.

Goal:

$500

Demonstration Farm

Our approach to gardening is “permaculture meets market gardening”. We grow in the ground, in raised beds, and in aquaponic systems.

Goal:

Developing more demonstration farms across Middle Tennessee and the Southeast

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