As homesteaders, we are constantly busy, aren't we? There is so much to do on our properties that needs attention, and all of it seems to be RIGHT NOW. Despite the fact that we have plenty of food at our fingertips from growing food in our gardens, chicken coops, and perhaps even our livestock, the one thing our homesteads can't really give us back is time. Let me show you how ...
PRESERVING FOOD
How to Dehydrate Potatoes for Convenience Food
Life is just busy, no way around it. And homesteader's lives tend to be a little more busy than other people's, but that could just be a matter of opinion. Whatever has your life busy, busy, busy, there's definitely that temptation to stroll through that boxed convenience aisle! We throw caution to the wind in exchange for the ability to quickly get something delicious on the ...
How to Dehydrate Tomatoes for Everyday Use
Having a well-stocked pantry is 100% necessary for the home cook that is striving to stay away from precooked, prepackaged, and fast food. He or she is seeking to create better, more healthy, and flavorful meals like chili and spaghetti without having to run to the store, or worse yet, order in when one item hasn't yet been replenished. Tomato products are one of those items ...
How to Dehydrate Food for Beginners
It's an hour before dinner and you have no earthly idea what you are making for the family. Is there any macaroni and cheese? Nope. Spaghetti sauce? Nada. Canned beans? Yep, but no cheese or tortillas. Ever been there? You won't have to be once you learn how to dehydrate food! Imagine always having on hand the items you need for a recipe. I'm not talking frozen or canned ...
Pressure Canning Carrots is Safe and So Easy!
The other day I found a fantastic deal on carrots, .20/lb! The carrots are nice-sized, but 25 lbs is a lot of carrots, even after canning 21 quarts of my mom's soup (you can see that recipe here, if you're wondering about it). Canning carrots is how I decided to handle the last 15 of those 25lbs! Pressure canning carrots is one of the easiest home canning jobs you ...
How to: Safe Delicious Pressure Canned Ground Beef
Canned ground beef isn't for everyone, and believe me, I wasn't sure it was for me either! However, over the years as I have learned to can it according to one of the recipes in the Ball Blue Book, I have really learned to rely on it as a staple in my kitchen. I mentioned the other day that we can use home-canned meats in many different dishes, like spaghetti, chili (my ...
How to Can Meat Safely at Home
As I've mentioned in some of my other canning and preserving posts, there is nothing like having your own home-canned food on the shelf, especially if it's the kind you have grown or raised on your own property. If you raise your own meat livestock, knowing how to can meat is one of the vital skills you will want under your homesteader's belt. At Stone Family Farmstead, ...
How to Can Tomato Sauce Safely
There's nothing like putting up our own homemade sauces, salsa, and other preserved foods from the veggies that we grew with our own hands, and our own efforts. Learning how to can tomato sauce is one way that we can preserve all the work we put into growing tomatoes, as well as the lovely flavors that only fresh, homegrown tomatoes can bring to the ...
How to: Water Bath Canning Tomatoes [Easy]
Canning tomatoes is one of the most foundational kitchen skills a gardener could learn. 'Putting up' the garden bounty ensures that there will be plenty of healthy, pesticide-free food on the shelf for use in sauces, salsas, and dishes throughout the rest of the year. You may remember when I posted about freezing tomatoes for canning later in the year. Because of the ...
Best Ideas for Using Green Tomatoes Up Quickly
Green tomatoes are one of those garden products that you wouldn't think has much use. They don't look appetizing, and they aren't ripe, and they haven't developed all their best nutrients, so what do you do with them? I had no idea until this year, and this year I've got a few ideas for using green tomatoes up my sleeve! One super cool thing about living in Southern ...
How to Can Food Safely for Beginners
Are you ready to begin canning your food at home, but are not sure where to start? I've got you. This is my best explanation for learning how to can food, so make sure you bookmark it for future reference! You may have heard that canning is dangerous or scary. It isn't. It's actually very easy, so rewarding, and once you've got all of your equipment, it will definitely ...
How to Make Fig Wine at Home {Step-by-Step Instructions}
Summer is the season when many delicious fruits are harvested. Sometimes the windfall more than provides more than enough jam, frozen fruit, fruit leather, and other fruit products until next harvest. A great way to use up all of your extra figs is to learn how to make fig wine at home. A few years ago, we were invited to a friend's farm to harvest figs from her huge tree. ...