We're living, learning, and loving right where we are.
Our Preservation Options
WIth a limited budget and so many moving parts we try to keep things really simple and attainable by utilizing preservation methods that we are familiar with and that our children can participate in. Also, we use what we have and when you are gifted a pressure canner that's been used for multiple generations you put it to good use for at least one more!
Drying herbs is the easiest presevation method we use. This can even be accomplished by the younger kids. We often hang herbs in bundles or lay theym across a flat surface and keep fans running to help the process.
The next process we use frequently is the dehydrator. This process allows to to control the temperature and time for drying out items. preserved via dehydrator has a longer shelf life and is less likley to have issues with mold contamination. We put our dehydrated foods into canning jars with a moisture absorbing packet and then vacuum seal the lids.
And that brings us to the pressure canner. With a little practice and a raliable source for food safety you can stock your pantry with shelf stable foods from meats to desserts and everyything in between!
Creativity in the Process
Limitations certainly exist when it comes to food preservation and we're not immune to such things. Living in in such a humid climate makes air-drying an unrealistic option for much of the year. Often times you'll find herbs and medicinals hanging from the banister in our home since we do control the climate indoors. We only have one smaller dehydrator which just cant handle the numerous items we'd like to process at one time. We often have to freeze an item and then dehydrate it once space becomes available. Canning is done with my inherited pressure canner which only holds 7 quarts, making for some pretty long days when pressure canning meats. It also puts a lot of heat into the house so we try not to pressure can indoors during the hot, humid, Southern Illinois summers! Again, we often freeze our meats until both space in the pressure canner and my time become more available for the task. Most every hurdle has a way to work around it and often times it's just a matter of shifting resources, work locations, or implementing more than one preservation method for a particular food. Creativity is at the core of homesteading and that is highlighted when it comes to presrving foods for future use.
Contact
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If you'd like to know more about what we're doing, what resources we use, want to support our work, or would like to schedule a class with us please, fill out this form and we'll be in touch!