At our farm, we process all our meat from field to fork. Processing your meat at home is more time-consuming than using a local butcher, but for us, the advantages far exceed the time spent. Philip has spent years studying and practicing butchering techniques. While there is certainly some skill required in identifying muscle groups…
When it comes to home canning, properly preparing your jars is essential to ensure safe and successful food preservation. Whether you’re canning fruits or homemade jams, taking the time to properly clean, sterilize, and prepare your jars can make all the difference in preventing spoilage or contamination. Preparing your canning jars is simple and gives…
Being prepared for an emergency is something that every family should strive for. No matter where you live emergency situations happen! Natural disasters, severe weather, power outages, medical emergencies, and unexpected job loss are just a few of the unpredictable life events we all experience. In some situations, you may be able to prepare for…
Butchering chickens at home allows you to control the quality and freshness of your meat. It’s a simple process that can be done discreetly in a suburban neighborhood. The right tools make a big difference to ensure an efficient and humane process. While the right knife comes down to personal preference, consider these features when…
Canning is a great way to produce quality convenience food right at home. Whether in an apartment or on a large homestead, preserving your food at home ensures only the best quality ingredients enter your pantry. While making homemade meals can be time-consuming, using home-preserved canned goods can make meal prep easier! Canning kidney beans…
When you begin your home food preservation journey, you may find yourself baffled by the many types of salt. Canning salt vs table salt, rock salt, pickling salt, and sea salt are just a few of the varieties you may encounter. How does one choose which is best? While the choices may seem overwhelming, let’s…
Making homemade fruit leather in a dehydrator might seem a bit intimidating, but it’s simpler than you think! This healthy snack uses only a handful of ingredients. The best part is knowing that your homemade fruit roll ups are free from preservatives, excess sugar, and artificial dyes! While there are several methods of drying the…
Being good stewards of the land and our resources is an important part of our off-grid lifestyle. As an avid hunter, Philip works hard to provide meat for our family each year. Before our move to the homestead, we were limited not only by space of what we could transport for processing but also limited…
Wild game is a great way to add high quality meat to our diet. Philip is an avid hunter, who dedicates himself to providing our family with plenty of venison to last the entire year. By definition, venison refers to the meat of all antlered animals: including deer, moose, caribou, antelope, and elk. However here…
As you begin your home canning journey it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the necessary equipment and canning jargon. Not to mention, so many home cooks like gadgets! It’s hard to tell what equipment you really need, what will make your job easier, and what is simply extra. Whether you are looking at ways to…
