I agree, a quality issue, not safety, and I think your beans, peas, kale would be the first of those things you mention to show diminished quality - or at least that's been my experience with my upright, manual defrost freezer. The berries? I often keep them two years with no noticeable difference in them at all, not in taste or appearance.

There is a rather large group here that cheats a bit with the last application and applies a synthetic fertilizer for the reason you stated. I believe other apply their last dose earlier and then leave it at that till the spring. However, I have encountered others on the web - including a scientist - who are adamant that the micro herd are active enough to keep the process moving along during the winter, albeit at a slower pace. As for me, I put down some Scotts Organic Choice Lawn Food a couple weeks ago and will probably spread the rest of the bag sometime soon, if only to get rid of what is left in the bag.

Is this a regular long term storage freezer, or the freezer compartment of your self defrosting refrigerator.... I've kept ham a year in my manual defrost upright freezer, well wrapped. I use the vacuum sealing Foodsaver for some things, but I'm adept with butchers freezer paper too. I've frozen them whole for baking, pieces for smaller meals and chunks with a bone for soups. All fine. We did get a gift ham this year though that had no use by date on the box. I called the meat company (Portland Oregon) and they said by the lot number it was good refrigerated until about April. They said not to freeze it, and not to rush the cooking time. I followed their directions and baked it yesterday, 8 full hours at 275F. Delicious. And all my dinner guests went home with leftovers which could then be frozen.

I've never tried freezing pollen BUT I got some seeds many years back from Cliff Orent that he had forgotten in his freezer for more than 3 years. He told me that and offered them to me if I wanted to give them a try. I did and lo and behold more than half of them germinated! So never say never, lol! Also, I was worried about my short season and if my hips were ripe enough too. I mentioned this on the Rose Hybridizers website and was told by several people that as long as there was any color showing on the hip it was probably ripe enough and to try the seeds. And you know, not all rose hips turn color when they are ripe. So if your hips are in the 90 to 120 day range of maturity I would harvest them and try them anyway.