canning

Ever store food only to have it spoil a few days later? There might be a reason for that: Improper storage can definitely lead to faster food spoilage. This really sucks considering it's a waste of money. Not to mention food waste is very bad for the environment. If you'd like to prevent food from rotting or molding before you can get your hands on it, here are some important storage tips to remember. 

The apples are dropping, the squash is ripening, and its tomato harvest time! If you are one who enjoys putting up your fresh food for winter, your kitchen may be a busy place this time of year.

Garden fresh flavors never last quite long enough. The growing season comes and goes in a flash, and mid-winter cravings for the freshness of some fresh, lively flavors can be painfully unquenchable. Prolong delightful summer flavors from the garden by making any of these freezer-friendly recipes. Feed your belly first…and then feed your freezer! Your winter belly will thank you down the road.

As the main canner and preserver in my family, I spend a few days in the autumn preserving as much of our harvest as I can. I usually end up with about 30 jars of pickled cucumbers, pickled beets, canned tomatoes, and pickled dill beans.

 A big part of off-grid living is learning to be as self-reliant as possible. One of the many ways to become more self-reliant is to grow, harvest, forage, and store as much of your own food as you can manage.

If you’ve ever grown your own food, you understand the hard work that goes into it. One of the things you never want to see is your harvest go to waste. Believe me, I know the sorrow of not being able to figure out what to do with my harvest fast enough before it is no longer fresh. On the flip side, this circumstance has really encouraged me to learn and try out different ideas for preserving whatever I grew. And now I am here to share them with you! Here are five ideas to preserve your garden harvest.

It’s officially berry season, which is why right now is the perfect time to make jam. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients equals a flavorful jam that you can eat right now or store for winter when berries are, well, not so fresh.

This activity is not only fun for the culinary adventurous, but also for the child in all of us that loves running through a field of berries and picking until our hands simply can’t anymore. Growing up in Kansas, I spent many summer days visiting berry-picking farms. And if you’re lucky enough to grow your own berries, then this activity is a no brainer.