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
Beef jerky is a popular, tasty treat that’s perfect for anywhere and everywhere. Depending on whether you buy it at your local butcher or make it yourself, you want it to last. So, here’s the question: how long does beef jerky last? Store-bought beef jerky will last anywhere between 9 months and 2 years if … Read more
Native Americans’ lives back in the day were hard, as they focused much of their energy to find and preserve food. They grew various crops, and were able to forage for natural growing plants that were good to eat. They were also prolific hunters. Despite their ability to supply food, it was hard to have … Read more
Ramen… 2-minute noodles, instant noodles, whatever you call them, this is one heck of a foodstuff! This is quite possibly a hiker’s best friend, while out on the trails because it’s lightweight, it doesn’t take up much space in your pack, and it’s easy to prepare. Additionally, it’s great for household meals and snacks – … Read more
I’ve always liked biltong, it’s one of South Africa’s favorite snacks; it’s easy to get as most butchers have it in stock and it equally easy to make. I’ve made some myself many times, and it’s one of my favorite foods to make. Now, beef jerky is the American equivalent, and many people think they’re … Read more
Preserving onions is not usually high on the top of a homesteading garden “to do” list simply because they keep so long with extra effort and processing. When bushel after bushel of tomatoes, peppers, green beans, and other garden staples must be canned or dehydrated, onions often get lost in the shuffle… and ultimately go … Read more
Potatoes have been a staple crop for centuries. Thankfully, they are an inexpensive and easy to grow vegetables that consistently produces a bumper crop. But, storing the potatoes so they do not rot and are both good and safe to eat for the winter and spring (until a new crop can be harvested) is a … Read more
There’s nothing that quite says fall like fresh apple cider. Every fall we gather together and pick apples on our homestead. We drag the old cider press out of the barn, brush the cobwebs off and clean it up so that we can make our very own apple cider. Everyone gets involved from the oldest … Read more
Preserving eggs with mineral oil is both an inexpensive and speedy process, but you can only use this old homesteading method when dealing with farm fresh eggs. Because commercial manufacturers of eggs wash the bloom off of the shell and refrigerate them, rubbing mineral oil onto the shell to protect it from air and bacteria, … Read more
What should you include in your food stockpile, be it for survival or for the winter? A very good question. You want the food to be nutritiously, and you don’t know exactly what the emergency may be so you have to plan ahead. In a medium or long-term survival situation, you may not have running … Read more
