Solar drying allows vegetable farmers and sellers to reduce losses and sell leafy vegetables out of harvest season since vegetable spoil quickly days after harvest.
Well dried kale leaves produce cracking sound when touched but over dried kale leaves turn brown and this lowers its quality.
Drying process
Harvest lower green leaves, remove insects and dirt however do not pick green leaves, so that the plant continues to grow, wash hands with soapy water, sort good leaves and remove stalks as they are tough to eat then wash kales twice with clean hands and water to ensure that they are completely clean and insects removed.
Soak leaves in salty Luke warm water to make them tender and stir to make sure leaves become evenly soft but do not boil water as this makes kale lose nutrients, after transfer leaves to cold water to refresh them, then place leaves on raised mesh for water drainage and evenly spread to solar drier nets for drying.
After 2 days check if leaves are dry by toughing these must produce a cracking sound. Park, seal leaves in polythene bags then put in air tight container to prevent dust, moisture and for extra protection, lastly store the parked kale leaves in a clean room without direct sunlight.
