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When we did our planning for 2020, I sure did not expect a pandemic at the top of my list. One of the benefits of being a homesteader, though, is general self-sufficiency and preparedness should help you out regardless of what the world throws at you. Even still, there was a great deal learned from the past month. 1. Learn from purchase and out-of-stock trends. A respiratory infection causes a toilet paper shortage? Just something to chew on as you think about your self-sufficiency and resilienc …

Quick History of Mother's Day For over 100 years, the second Sunday of May has been set aside to honor mothers. Showing appreciation for mothers first happened in the United States in 1908, and Mother’s Day became an official US holiday in 1914. Traditionally, Mother’s Day is a day of flowers, cards, and phone calls to show mothers how much they matter. At my house, Mother’s Day usually coincides with our last frost date, so the day has morphed into back-breaking labor as every …

Making Sauerkraut with Turmeric Whether this is your first batch of sauerkraut, or you are looking to expand your current stock of sauerkraut recipes, golden kraut is a terrific option. Beyond the stunning golden-yellow color that lights up every dish, turmeric has a number of health benefits, and preserving qualities. In fact, I tend to never get mold or Kahm yeast on my turmeric sauerkraut because of its antimicrobial properties. Not sure what I’m talking about? If this is your first tim …

Foraging Wild Violets Have you ever wanted to forage your own wild violets for culinary use? When it comes to foraging, violets are an excellent plant for beginners. This sweet-smelling flower is extremely common, easy to identify, and can be used in many different recipes including candied violets, violet sugar, violet vinegar, violet lemonade, violet simple syrup, violet jelly, violet honey, and dried violets for tea. Viola odorata, also known as the Sweet Violet or Wood Violet, is one of the …

Raising Chickens for Eggs Keeping chickens at your home is a good way to produce protein-rich food on a small amount of land (even within city limits), and helps to transform kitchen scraps and garden waste into beautiful eggs. I love to see my children interacting with our backyard chickens, and raising chickens for their eggs is a delightful and adorable journey. While there are SO many aspects to getting started raising chickens, I am going to focus here on egg production, storage, and ideas …

R&H Staff Hints & Tips For Dehydrating Food Drying Guidelines Drying times will vary depending on the room temperature, relative humidity and moisture levels in the food that you are drying. If the moisture level is high, the drying time will be on the high end of the range. Keep in mind that drying times are also affected by the amount of food placed on the dehydrator shelves. Overloading the shelves will slow the drying time and may produce poor results. When dehydrating foods, it is i …

MAKE YOUR OWN KOMBUCHA Kombucha is surprisingly easy to make. If you are just getting started brewing your own Kombucha or you are trying something new with your homemade Kombucha, we have the tips and tricks to help make the process effortless. What is Kombucha? Kombucha is an effervescent, slightly tart, slightly sweet fermented tea that has been consumed for thousands of years. It is known for its tangy, fizzy flavor and believed to have many health benefits including digestion, inflammation, …

Food Dehydrator, Oven Drying, or Sun Drying? Dehydrating your own fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and meats is an essential way to extend your harvest and enjoy delicious foods year round.A couple of fruit trees, a hunting trip, or a successful mushroom hunt can yield far more than one can eat in a week, and freezer space can fill up fast.The price of sun dried tomatoes alone can justify investing in a food dehydrator that can process pounds of dried tomatoes overnight!But where to start? Which m …

From starters to scoring patterns, you may have tried your hand at a loaf or two of sourdough - or perhaps you simply watched your friends take the challenge. While it is true you could spend years perfecting your sourdough game, with a few tips and tools you too can achieve the chewy, crispy-crusted loaves of your dreams. Sourdough Starter You may have heard of heirloom sourdough starters that are decades old, or your friend’s beloved starter lovingly named and tended to. Sourdough starte …

Did you have a bumper apple harvest this year or do you enjoy vising apple orchards each fall with your family? If so, I highly recommend making a batch of Apple Jelly out of part of your bounty! This sweet, fresh apple jelly recipe is a great way to preserve some of your apple harvest to enjoy in the dead of winter. If you’re trying to be more self-sufficient, making homemade jams and jellies is a great place to start. Each year I make a goal to make, grow, can, or produce enough of at le …