Food safety is something that every person who plans to store their own food should learn about first. Not just the techniques to ensure that your food is safe, but also the signs that there may be a problem, as well as the different food borne illnesses and their symptoms. Food borne illnesses are not as uncommon as you might think, and while chances are good that you will never have a problem with the food you preserve, part of the reason that will be so, is the precautions that you ... [ Read More ]
Best Tips to Store Home Canning Jars
Once you pull your food out of the canner, you might assume the job is done, that your canning is safe and that food borne illnesses are no longer possible. But there are still some Canning storage best practices to keep in mind as you get ready to store your food. Where not to Store your Canning Jars A lot of people talk about using walk in closets, under bed storage, and a variety of other creative places to store their food. While that might seem like a great idea to use these ... [ Read More ]
Step By Step Making Tomato Sauce The Easy Way
When I first started making tomato sauce I wondered frequently if it was really worth all of that hard work. A can of tomato sauce back then anyway was 50 cents and it seemed like a lot of effort to go to just to make a can of sauce I could buy for so little. I have learned a lot since then, not only about the benefits of making my own food but also that making tomato sauce does not have to be so hard. Back then I would quarter my tomatoes, cook them down a bit and run ... [ Read More ]
Weekend Homestead Windup – School is In!
School starts tomorrow and with it a lot of thoughts about this past season and plans for the days ahead. School starting means fall is on its way and that leaves time for new projects. It has been a while since I have done a homestead update, and a couple of weeks ago I decided that I need to try to make weekly updates as long as there was something for me to say each week. To that end I have decided to do a weekend homestead windup which will encompass all of my ... [ Read More ]
Part 3 Basic Canning Series – Step by Step Guide to Using a Pressure Canner For the First time Canning Potatoes
In the last two articles in this series(Part 1, Part 2) we have talked about choosing a pressure canner as well as many of the safety guidelines you should use when canning your produce. This article will take you through the steps of canning one at a time. In this example I am going to be canning potatoes. Potatoes are easy to can much like any other vegetable, and make a fast easy addition to soups and stews. There are two different types of "packs" that you are likely to see when canning ... [ Read More ]
Pressure Canning Basics Part 1 – Choosing a Canner
Once you have decide to give pressure canning a try there comes the question of what equipment you will need as well as what to do. While most canners come with instructions, many of the instruction booklets are not very clear, especially if you are a beginning canner who has never done any canning before. This article is intended for beginners and is a step by step tutorial on choosing a canner, getting ready to can and canning for your first time. What You Use a Pressure Canner ... [ Read More ]
10 Reasons to Give Pressure Canning a Try
One thing I hear more than anything else is new canners talking about being afraid of using a pressure canner, this fear while understandable is unfounded in that the concerns they may have regarding these canners have long since been addressed. I cannot encourage new canners enough to give this process a try once you do you will never look back. Canners are much safer than they have ever been, and the chance of an accident when canning jars of food is extremely low. All canners ... [ Read More ]
Sweet and Spicy Pickled Beets
I have been working madly to keep up with all of our harvest lately, with the worst yet to come, I am still doing a pretty good job of getting everything done. A lot of our harvest has been going into the freezer, due to cost issues, and not having enough canning jars for this big of a harvest, but I decided to make some sweet and spicy pickled beets for my daughter and mother in law these are one of their favorites and they look forward to them every year. These beets offer a ... [ Read More ]
Should I Can or Freeze my Garden Harvest?
One of the most common questions asked at harvest time is whether to put produce in the freezer or to can it. The answer to this question will vary depending on who you ask, preppers like to can most of their produce because it keeps without the need for electricity, while those who are more concerned about nutrition often say it is better to freeze it since it goes through much less heat and cook time, and preserves nutrients better. In addition to freezing and canning you can also dry your ... [ Read More ]