Is there anything better than fresh produce? I think not. Whether you grew it yourself and are enjoying the literal fruits of your labor, or are hauling home a big bounty from the local farmer’s market, the flavor and quality make it worthwhile. Likewise, there’s nothing worse than busting out your veggies a few days … Read more
I think every homesteader by now understands the importance of storing food for a rainy day, or just storing it to prevent waste. Whether you’re preserving and stashing produce or other food that you grew yourself, or just stocking up on grocery store staples, it’s a great idea and a good way to improve your … Read more
If you’ve spent any amount of time in survival and prepping circles, you’ve probably heard of pemmican before. Knowing nothing else about it, you might be under the impression that it is basically old-fashioned beef jerky. But that isn’t quite the case! Pemmican is an ancient food first developed and used by Native Americans, and … Read more
If you think of meat with a long shelf life, what do you think of first? I’ll bet you’re probably thinking of spam, canned tuna or chicken, or some other home-canned animal protein. All good answers, to be sure, but what you might not know is that long shelf life meat is hardly a modern … Read more
Powdered milk is one of those pantry staples that everyone has, but if I’m being honest, I feel like most people don’t know how to use it. It’s nice to have just in case, but when’s the last time you actually reached for it? When was the last time you made it and drank it? … Read more
One thing that I think we all take for granted these days is the ubiquity of food preservation technology. Whatever you bring in, whatever is left over, toss it in the fridge or in the freezer, and forget about it until it’s time to eat. But food preservation was a very different thing prior to … Read more
Honey is an amazing food. Aside from the fact that bees make it, it can last virtually forever under the right conditions without spoiling. It’s true! Well-known accounts talk about honey being retrieved from an ancient Egyptian tomb as well as somewhere in the country of Georgia, that was still edible, if crystallized. So, aside … Read more
One of the things you start to notice after you do more and more of your own cooking, is just how inferior so many of our store-bought goods are. The major revelation for me was trying spices I had grown and processed myself. There’s just no going back… And while I haven’t grown my own … Read more
I don’t know about you, but I use entirely too much garlic when I’m in the kitchen. I can’t get enough of the stuff! Fresh garlic, of course, but it’s garlic powder that I reach for from time to time. And even better, it’s my own garlic powder that I’ve made at home! I didn’t … Read more
Powdered milk is a fixture in most kitchens. It’s used in all sorts of baked goods and other dishes, as a shelf-stable substitute for liquid milk and also as an emergency preparedness ration. It is easy to prepare without electricity, nutritious, and it doesn’t taste too bad once you get used to it. There’s a … Read more
Lard is a once-popular cooking ingredient that has been around for centuries. But with so many things, it has fallen out of favor today in place of “modern” industrialized oils and other trickery. Many of us, your author included, can remember our parents and grandparents keeping a big jar or crock of lard handy around … Read more
Are you interested in learning how to make a rack for sun-drying produce? If so, you’re in the right place. But first, why bother sun drying at all? Dehydrating food like fruits and vegetables to save for later use is one of the oldest and simplest ways of preserving food. It allows you to save … Read more
Pemmican is a Native American survival dish that has been around for centuries. Used as a long-lasting, high-calorie food suitable for long journeys afield or in storage, pemmican is made of dried meat and rendered animal fat, and sometimes with other ingredients like berries or herbs. Pemmican often served as a sort of survival ration … Read more
Do you want to know how to store meat without electricity? It is actually a lot easier than you may think. There are a number of methods that you can use. In this article, we will discuss 14 different ways to improve the shelf of your meat without relying on electricity. From the simple to … Read more
There is a lot of debate over whether sugar goes bad in heat. Some people say that it does, and others say that it doesn’t. So, what’s the truth? You can bake with sugar and there aren’t any problems, but what about leaving it at a lower temperature for longer? Does sugar go bad in … Read more
Root cellars might be old fashioned, but they still work wonderfully for storing food and other goods. This is because they maintain a generally constant, cool temperature and constant humidity level, both helping the gods kept in them to last longer than they would otherwise. This simple but highly effective method of preservation has been … Read more