Freeze Dry Buddy help
Quick answers to the most common Freeze Dry Buddy questions. If you hit something that isn't covered, we respond in one to two business days.Getting Started
What is Freeze Dry Buddy?Freeze Dry Buddy is a freeze drying batch log, pantry tracker, and Brandon-authored settings library for home Harvest Right owners. You log a batch, the app saves the settings, and your pantry fills up as you go.
Do I need an account to use Freeze Dry Buddy?No. You can log batches and use Brandon's recipes without signing in. Sign in with Apple is optional and lets us restore your data more reliably and identify you for support.
Which devices does Freeze Dry Buddy support?Freeze Dry Buddy runs on iPhone and Android phones. iPad is not currently supported.
Does it work with my freeze dryer?The app is built around the settings home Harvest Right owners actually use. You can log any machine — small four tray, medium five tray, large six tray, extra-large seven tray, or other — and we keep the settings the same regardless of brand. Note that Harvest Right is a registered trademark of Harvest Right LLC; we are not affiliated with them.
Logging Batches
What does the log form capture?Food, machine model, tray count, pre-frozen yes or no with optional freezer-time bucket, initial freeze temp, extra freeze hours, drying temp, planned and actual extra dry hours, total run time, fresh weight (in grams, ounces, or pounds), packages produced, outcome label tied to the food class, rehydration ratio if the food rehydrates, storage location, and notes.
Why do you ask about pre-freezing?Pre-freezing changes how much extra freeze time you need to add inside the machine. The app uses your answer to set a smart default — about 2.5 hours for unfrozen foods, none for already-frozen — but you can always override.
What's the difference between planned and actual extra dry?Planned extra dry is what you set on the machine. Actual extra dry is what you ended up using (often more, after a tray check). The app stores both so your history reflects what really happened, not just what you intended.
Can I log a batch I already finished?Yes. Tap Log my own batch from any tab and fill in everything from memory. Your pantry updates the same way as a freshly completed batch.
Pantry and Days Preserved
How does the pantry work?Every batch you log lands on the right shelf, grouped by food. Each food jar fills with category color as your stored weight grows — different foods reach 'full' at different weights because herbs and meat aren't the same density.
What is Days Preserved?Once you have at least one batch in fruits, protein, carbohydrate, and fats, the pantry stops showing pounds and starts showing days preserved instead — total calories on hand divided by your household size, divided by 2,000 calories per person per day. We round down so the number always understates rather than overstates your readiness.
Why is Days Preserved hidden until I have all four food groups?A pantry full of one food is not a real preservation pantry. Showing Days Preserved before that crosses the line into fiction. Once your pantry is balanced, we trust the number.
Brandon's Library
Where do the recipes come from?Every recipe in the library was written by Brandon Whiteleather of Whitepepper Farms — his settings, his prep steps, his pull cue, and (where available) his actual hero photo. We started with 24 of his cards and we add more as he sends them.
Can I save my own recipes?Yes. Tap the bookmark on any recipe you want to revisit, and they show up under the Saved filter. You can also log a custom food that's not in Brandon's library — it'll show up in your pantry like any other.
Can I tweak Brandon's settings for my machine?Yes. When you start a batch from a recipe, all the settings pre-fill from Brandon's recipe but every field is editable. After three batches of the same food, your personal averages start showing up so you can see how your machine differs from his.
Pro Subscription and Billing
What does Pro unlock?Pro unlocks Brandon's full recipe library, next-step recommendations, additional library filters, and CSV export of your entire batch history. The first batch you log is free for everyone, forever.
How do I cancel my subscription?Open iPhone Settings, tap your name at the top, tap Subscriptions, tap Freeze Dry Buddy, and tap Cancel. You keep Pro access until the end of the period you already paid for.
How do I get a refund?Apple handles all refunds for App Store purchases. Request a refund at https://reportaproblem.apple.com/. Foundry cannot issue App Store refunds directly.
I paid but don't see Pro features.In the App, open Settings and tap Restore Purchases. If that does not work, please email hello@builtbyfoundry.io with your App Store email and we will investigate.
iCloud Sync
Does my data sync across devices?Yes, if you're signed into iCloud on your iPhone. Your batch log, pantry, profile, and saved recipes sync to your private iCloud Key-Value Store. Foundry never reads it — it's scoped to your Apple ID.
How do I turn sync off?Open Settings inside the App and toggle Sync to iCloud off. You can also sign out of iCloud at the system level via iPhone Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud.
I reinstalled the app and lost everything.If iCloud sync was on and you're signed into the same Apple ID, your data should appear within a minute of opening the app. If it doesn't, email hello@builtbyfoundry.io and we'll help recover it.
Privacy and Data
Is my data private?Yes. Batch logs, pantry contents, and notes live locally on your phone using MMKV. If iCloud sync is enabled, the data is encrypted by Apple and scoped to your Apple ID — Foundry has no access to it.
How do I delete my account and data?Email privacy@builtbyfoundry.io from the address tied to your account and we will remove or de-identify your active data within 30 days. Backups are purged within 90 days. iCloud-synced data is controlled by you via your Apple ID.
Do you send my data to any AI training pipeline?No. We do not send your batch logs, pantry contents, notes, or any other data to AI providers for training. Brandon's recipes are written by Brandon, not generated.
Troubleshooting
Notifications aren't firing.Check that notifications are enabled in iPhone Settings → Freeze Dry Buddy → Notifications. The app uses local notifications only — there's no remote push, so you don't need an internet connection for reminders to fire.
The app is crashing.Make sure you are on the latest version from the App Store and restart your device. If the crash persists, email us with your device model, iOS version, and what you were doing right before the crash.
I don't see a recipe for a food I run a lot.Brandon adds recipes as he produces them. In the meantime, you can log a custom food and the app will give you a jar in the right pantry category. Email us the food you want next and we'll pass it to Brandon.