Tag: homesteading for beginners

  • Grow What You Actually Eat

    Grow What You Actually Eat

    There’s a lot of noise in the gardening world.

    Grow this heirloom.
    Try this exotic plant.
    You need 17 varieties of squash.
    Look at these purple striped tomatoes.

    And listen — experimenting is fun. Trying new things is part of learning.

    But this post isn’t for the experimenters.

    This is for the person who grows their little heart out… harvests armloads of produce… and then stands in the kitchen thinking:

    “What am I supposed to do with all of this?”

    If you’re short on space, short on time, or just getting started — you don’t need to grow what everyone else is growing.

    You need to grow what your family actually eats.

    You Don’t Owe Anyone an Explanation

    There’s this quiet pressure in gardening culture to grow certain things.

    Like if you don’t grow zucchini, are you even gardening?

    If you don’t have rows of squash, pumpkins, kale, cabbage, cucumbers, herbs, and specialty tomatoes… are you doing it wrong?

    No.

    You don’t owe anyone an explanation for what you choose to grow.

    If your family doesn’t eat squash, don’t plant four squash plants.

    If no one in your house likes eggplant, skip it.

    If your kids won’t touch kale, don’t dedicate precious space to it.

    Your garden should serve your household — not Instagram, Pinterest, or whatever social media platform you are comparing yourself to.

    Start With What You Already Buy

    If you want a simple starting point, walk into your kitchen.

    Open your fridge.
    Open your pantry.

    What do you buy over and over again?

    That’s your list.

    If you go through:

    • salsa weekly
    • pasta sauce monthly
    • peppers constantly
    • lettuce every week
    • potatoes every few days

    Start there.

    Growing staples you already use does three powerful things:

    1. It saves you money.
    2. It reduces waste.
    3. It increases your confidence.

    There’s nothing more motivating than walking into your pantry and pulling out food you grew — and knowing it will actually get eaten.

    Space Is Valuable — Use It Intentionally

    When space is limited, every square foot matters.

    Every container.
    Every raised bed.
    Every row.

    If you only have room for six plants, make them count.

    Ask yourself:

    Will this realistically get eaten in my house?

    If the answer is no — it might not be the right crop right now.

    You can always experiment later when you have more time, more space, or more experience.

    But in the beginning?

    Grow food with purpose.

    This Isn’t About Playing It Safe

    Let’s be clear — this isn’t about never trying anything new.

    It’s about being intentional.

    If you love experimenting, go for it.

    But if you’re the type who will:

    • plant everything
    • harvest everything
    • then feel overwhelmed and discouraged

    Start smaller.

    Start practical.

    Let your wins build momentum.

    What If You Grow Too Much?

    It happens. Especially with tomatoes.

    And here’s the beautiful thing about gardening:

    Extra harvest is never wasted.

    You can:

    • Feed it to chickens or livestock
    • Share with friends and neighbors
    • Donate to a local food bank
    • Preserve it for later

    Confidence Comes From Repetition

    When you grow the same crops year after year:

    You learn them.
    You understand their timing.
    You recognize their pests.
    You improve your yields.

    Patterns emerge.

    And gardening starts to feel easier.

    Not because it is perfect — but because it is familiar.

    Grow For Your Life — Not Someone Else’s

    If you love salsa, grow tomatoes and peppers.

    If you eat salads daily, grow lettuce, spinach or kale.

    If your family runs on potatoes, grow potatoes.

    And….if you don’t eat something?

    You don’t need to justify why it’s not in your garden.

    Your garden isn’t a performance.

    It’s a tool.

    Start with what you eat.
    Build confidence.
    Expand when you’re ready.

    That’s how sustainable gardens are built.

    Small steps.
    Intentional crops.
    Real food on your table.

  • From Freezer to Pantry: How I Pressure Can Turkey for Long-Term Storage

    From Freezer to Pantry: How I Pressure Can Turkey for Long-Term Storage

    After we finished processing our turkeys this season (you can read about that here), I set aside some of the breast meat specifically for canning. I love having ready-to-eat meat on the shelf — it’s perfect for quick meals, soups, and dips, and it gives me peace of mind knowing exactly where our food came from.

    Why I Can My Own Meat

    Freezer space fills up fast around here, especially after butchering season. Canning lets me preserve our homegrown meat safely without worrying about power outages or freezer burn. And once you learn the process, it’s actually simple — it just takes time and attention to detail.

    My Preferred Method: Cold Packing

    Everyone has their own favorite way to can meat, but my go-to is cold packing. That means I fill the jars with raw turkey (or chicken, pork, or beef) and let it create its own juices during the canning process. No broth, no water — just meat, salt, and time.

    Step-by-Step: How I Pressure Can Turkey

    1. Sterilize your jars, lids, and rings.
      I run mine through a hot dishwasher cycle or boil them briefly before I start.
    2. Cube your turkey into 1-inch pieces.
      This size helps the heat penetrate evenly during processing.
    3. Add salt (optional but recommended).
      I use ½ teaspoon per pint or 1 teaspoon per quart.
      It adds a touch of flavor and helps with preservation.
    4. Pack jars tightly, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
      Use a funnel to keep rims clean while filling.
    5. Wipe rims with vinegar.
      This removes any grease and ensures a good seal.
    6. Add lids and rings, finger tight.
      Don’t overtighten — just snug enough to stay in place.
    7. Process in a pressure canner:
      • Pints: 75 minutes
      • Quarts: 90 minutes
        Adjust for your altitude and follow your canner’s manual carefully.

    The time matters — it’s what ensures the heat reaches all the way to the center of each jar.

    After Canning: The Cooling Process

    Let your canner cool naturally (no rushing it). When the pressure drops completely, remove the jars carefully and let them rest undisturbed for 12–24 hours.
    You’ll hear that satisfying pop as the lids seal — one of my favorite homestead sounds.

    Check the seals before storing, and if any didn’t seal properly, pop those in the fridge and use them within a few days.

    Safety First

    • Always inspect before eating — if something smells off, toss it.
    • Don’t consume anything with a broken seal, discoloration, or fizzing liquid.
    • When in doubt, throw it out.

    Why It’s Worth the Work

    Canning meat takes time, but it pays off every single time I grab a jar off the shelf. Whether it’s turkey salad, soup, or a quick casserole, it’s ready to go — no thawing, no cooking, no stress.

    After several days of work — butchering, resting, and canning — I’m reminded why we do it. Knowing what goes into our food, how it was raised, and how it’s preserved means everything to us.
    And honestly? It’s the kind of work I’m grateful for.

  • Diy Homestead Projects to save money

    Diy Homestead Projects to save money

    When it comes to homesteading, one of the most rewarding and cost-effective strategies is taking a DIY approach to your daily needs. Whether it’s building structures, creating tools, or even crafting your own food storage solutions, DIY projects can save you a significant amount of money, reduce your reliance on commercial products, and give you a deeper sense of connection to your homestead.

    Here are some essential DIY projects that can help you save money, improve your homestead’s sustainability, and add to your self-sufficiency.

    1. Building Your Own Chicken Coop

    Raising chickens can provide fresh eggs, meat, and even fertilizer for your garden. However, purchasing a pre-built chicken coop can be expensive. Instead, building your own coop is a cost-effective and rewarding project.

    • Basic design ideas: A simple chicken coop can be constructed with basic materials like wood, nails, wire mesh, and corrugated metal. You’ll want to ensure the coop is secure to protect your chickens from predators and has adequate ventilation, nesting boxes, and roosting areas.
    • Upcycled materials: You don’t always need to buy new materials. Many homesteaders repurpose old pallets, fencing, or scrap wood to build their coops. This helps keep costs low while promoting sustainability.
    • Expand over time: If you’re just getting started, build a basic, small coop that can house a few chickens. As your flock grows, you can always add additional space or features to accommodate more birds.

    By building your own chicken coop, you’ll save hundreds of dollars compared to purchasing a pre-made one, and you can customize it to suit your needs perfectly.

    2. Making Your Own Compost Bin

    Composting is an essential part of homesteading. It allows you to recycle food scraps, yard waste, and other organic materials into nutrient-rich compost that can improve your garden soil. While compost bins can be bought at the store, making your own is a much cheaper and personalized alternative.

    • Easy DIY compost bin: You can build a simple compost bin with wood pallets, chicken wire, or even old barrels. One of the easiest methods is to create a three-bin system with wooden planks. Each bin can house different stages of compost, allowing for a continuous cycle of decomposition.
    • Repurposing materials: If you’re handy with tools, you can repurpose old pallets, wire mesh, or other scrap materials around your homestead. This will save you money and keep your composting system affordable.
    • Composting tips: Keep a good mix of “green” (nitrogen-rich) and “brown” (carbon-rich) materials in your compost. Green materials include things like grass clippings and vegetable scraps, while brown materials include leaves, straw, and wood chips. Turning the compost regularly will speed up the process, and you’ll soon have nutrient-rich soil for your garden.

    A DIY compost bin can help you reduce kitchen waste, improve your soil health, and keep your garden flourishing—without spending a lot of money.

    3. Constructing Raised Garden Beds

    Raised garden beds are an excellent way to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers, particularly in areas where the soil quality isn’t great. While pre-made raised bed kits can be pricey, you can build your own for a fraction of the cost.

    • Affordable materials: You can build raised beds using untreated wood, bricks, cinder blocks, or even upcycled materials like pallets. The key is to choose materials that are durable and won’t leach harmful chemicals into the soil.
    • Simple design: Raised garden beds can be as simple as a wooden frame filled with rich soil and compost. You can create a basic rectangular shape or get creative with curved or tiered beds to maximize space.
    • Benefits: Raised beds allow for better drainage, improved soil quality, and less strain on your back when gardening. They also make it easier to manage weeds and pests. Plus, if you have limited space or poor soil conditions, raised beds can be a game-changer.

    Constructing your own raised beds can save you money on store-bought planters and provide you with a more controlled growing environment.

    4. Building a Solar Dehydrator

    Preserving the harvest is one of the most important aspects of homesteading, especially when it comes to preserving fruits, vegetables, and herbs. While electric food dehydrators are great, they can be expensive to purchase and run. A solar dehydrator is an eco-friendly, cost-effective alternative that uses the sun’s energy to dry your food.

    • Building a solar dehydrator: Creating a solar dehydrator can be done with inexpensive materials like plywood, wire racks, glass, and plastic. There are many free plans available online for DIY solar dehydrators that can dry fruits, vegetables, herbs, and even meats.
    • Advantages of solar drying: The beauty of using a solar dehydrator is that it doesn’t rely on electricity, reducing your energy costs. It’s also a sustainable and low-tech method that ties into your homesteading goals of self-sufficiency.
    • Preserve food naturally: Once your dehydrator is built, you can begin drying your produce. Dried fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be stored for months or even years, allowing you to enjoy your garden’s bounty year-round.

    By building a solar dehydrator, you’ll cut down on electricity costs while preserving your harvest naturally.

    5. DIY Rainwater Collection System

    Water is essential for your garden, livestock, and household needs, but it can be expensive if you rely on municipal water sources. One way to cut costs and become more self-sufficient is by collecting and using rainwater.

    • Simple rainwater collection setup: You can set up a rainwater collection system using a rain barrel, some basic piping, and a downspout diverter to funnel water into the barrel. For larger homesteads, you might want to create a more extensive system with multiple barrels or a storage tank.
    • Using rainwater in your garden: Rainwater is free, and it’s often better for plants than tap water because it doesn’t contain chemicals like chlorine or fluoride. Using rainwater for irrigation can reduce your water bill significantly, especially during the hotter months when your garden needs more water.
    • Extra benefits: In addition to watering your garden, you can also use collected rainwater for other tasks around your homestead, like washing your car, cleaning tools, or even providing water for livestock.

    A DIY rainwater collection system is an excellent investment that helps you conserve water, save money, and support your homesteading efforts in a sustainable way.

    6. DIY Animal Feed and Treats

    If you raise animals like chickens, goats, or pigs, buying animal feed can quickly become a significant expense. However, you can save money by making your own animal feed or treats, particularly if you’re growing some of the ingredients yourself.

    • Homemade chicken feed: You can mix your own chicken feed using grains like corn, oats, wheat, and barley. Adding crushed eggshells, bone meal, or kelp can also provide essential nutrients. By growing some of these grains on your homestead, you can reduce your feed costs even more.
    • Homemade animal treats: Many animals enjoy homemade treats that you can make with ingredients you already have. For example, you can make grain-based treats for chickens or goats with oats, molasses, and herbs. These treats are a great way to provide your animals with extra nutrients while saving money.

    By creating your own animal feed and treats, you can cut down on feed costs while providing your animals with wholesome, natural food.

    Conclusion

    DIY projects on the homestead are a great way to save money, reduce reliance on store-bought products, and improve your overall self-sufficiency. Whether you’re building a chicken coop, crafting a rainwater collection system, or preserving your harvest with a solar dehydrator, these projects are not only cost-effective but also incredibly rewarding. Not only do you save money, but you also get the satisfaction of knowing that you’ve built something with your own hands and contributed to a more sustainable lifestyle.

    If you’re ready to dive into DIY projects, start small, gather your materials, and enjoy the process. With time, you’ll find that creating solutions on your homestead not only saves money but also enriches your life and brings you closer to your homesteading goals

  • How to Preserve Your Harvest Like a Boss

    How to Preserve Your Harvest Like a Boss

    Ah, the harvest. It’s the time of year when your garden (or small farm, or backyard plot of land that you’re totally pretending is a small farm) is overflowing with fruits, vegetables, and herbs. You’ve worked hard all season, and now you’re staring down a bounty that might just rival the best of them. But what do you do with all of that glorious produce before it turns into a wilty mess?

    Enter the world of preserving. Whether you’re canning, freezing, dehydrating, or pickling, preserving your harvest is like the ultimate way to give your summer garden a second life—in winter. You can enjoy those homegrown tomatoes, cucumbers, and berries long after the growing season has ended. But here’s the kicker: preserving your harvest is more than just a fun weekend activity. It’s a workout, a battle of willpower, and a test of endurance. And trust us, by the time you’re done, you’ll have earned every jar of jam.

    Ready to preserve your harvest like a boss? Let’s dive in.

    The “Canning Workout” Is Real (and It’ll Test Your Patience)

    You thought canning was all about “just popping some lids on jars and calling it a day,” right? Think again. Canning is a full-body workout. From lifting 50-pound bags of tomatoes to sterilizing jars (which requires you to stand in front of a hot, steaming pot for what feels like hours), you’ll get a workout that leaves you feeling like you just finished a marathon—except instead of crossing the finish line, you’re left with a kitchen covered in sticky syrup and a dozen jars of peaches that need labeling.

    After a long canning session, your arms already feel like jelly from lifting all those full jars in and out of the canner. Then comes the final step—lining up your shiny jars in the pantry like an army of glass soldiers, ready to help you tackle the winter months.

    After hours of chopping mountains of veggies and stirring pots of simmering sauce, your hands are cramped, your arms ache, and you’re wondering if this counts as your workout for the day. But when you pop open that jar of rich, homemade tomato sauce in the middle of January, every sore muscle feels worth it.

    Pro Tip: Try enlisting the help of your kids, spouse, or neighbors. The more hands, the less chance of you actually pulling a muscle in the middle of a canning session.

    Preserving Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

    When you think about preserving your harvest, it’s easy to picture a one-day project, but oh no, my friend. This is not a “weekend project” that’s done in an afternoon. This is a multi-day, multi-week, full-on operation. Canning, pickling, and freezing involve multiple stages: washing, peeling, chopping, boiling, and—don’t forget—the actual preserving process. You will be spending so much time in the kitchen, your kitchen timer will become your new best friend.

    Let’s break it down: You might start by blanching peas, then move on to chopping strawberries for jam, followed by making a huge pot of pickled beets that has to simmer for what feels like an eternity. And by the time you’re finally through the whole process, you’ll realize you’ve spent the entire day just getting the food ready for preserving.

    Yes. Yes, you did.

    Pro Tip: Break up the work over a few days. Tackle different crops on different days so you don’t feel like you’re drowning in jars of food (and emotions). It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

    You’ll Develop a Love-Hate Relationship with Your Freezer

    Ah, the freezer—your trusty companion in the preserving process. Whether you’re freezing herbs, berries, or entire meals (hello, freezer meals!), the freezer becomes a lifeline for extending the life of your harvest. But with great freezer space comes great responsibility. ( That’s how that saying goes…right?)

    You’ll soon discover that the freezer is a magical place, but one that requires a Tetris-like ability to organize. You’ll find yourself stacking and re-stacking frozen bags of peas, green beans, and berries like a pro, constantly trying to squeeze one more item in, all while hoping you won’t accidentally forget about that bag of corn you froze two years ago. (Spoiler alert: You probably will forget it, but that’s okay. It’s probably fine.)

    Pro Tip: Label everything. Seriously. Write down the date you froze it and what it is. Extra points if you make a list to put on the outside of your freezer so you know what’s in it!

    You’ll Have a “Canning Party” (But It’s Really Just You, Your Stove, and a Lot of Snacks)

    You’ve heard of a “potluck,” but how about a “canning party”? Okay, so maybe a canning party sounds like a fantasy. Maybe it’s just you, your giant stockpot, and your bestie (who happens to be your spouse) slaving away in the kitchen, but hey, that’s a party too, right?

    The beauty of canning is that it doesn’t require much—just you, your produce, and your undying determination. You’ll find that after a few hours of chopping and stirring, the only thing that keeps you going is the snacks you’ve brought to the table. We’re talking chocolate, chips, and maybe a glass of wine (if you’re feeling extra fancy). It’s the perfect combination of work and reward.

    And if you’re lucky, you might even get a “canning cheerleader” who runs in and out of the kitchen, bringing you refills of iced tea and high-fiving you for every jar sealed. That’s what we call a canning party—homestead style.

    Pro Tip: If you want to really make it a party, invite some friends over to help, and let them think they’re doing the work. If they don’t know the joy of “boiling water and jars” yet, it’s your chance to introduce them to the magic of preserving.

    You’ll Have Jars Everywhere (And You’ll Love It)

    After a successful canning or preserving session, you’ll realize that your kitchen now looks like a glass jar convention. Everywhere you turn, there’s a jar. Jars in the fridge. Jars on the counters. Jars in the pantry. It’s a beautiful, jar-filled chaos, and you’re living for it. It’s the sign that you’ve conquered the harvest and are ready to face the winter like a true homesteading champion.

    And yes, there will be a moment when you open the pantry and realize you’re actually running out of space. But that’s a problem for future you. For now, you’re basking in the glory of all those beautifully sealed jars filled with your hard-earned bounty.

    Pro Tip: Organize your jars in a way that makes you feel like a proud homesteader, like by color or type of food. You’ll want to be able to grab a jar of apple butter without having to dig through 16 jars of canned tomatoes first.

    Final Thoughts: It’s Totally Worth It (But You’ll Need a Nap)

    Preserving your harvest isn’t for the faint of heart, but the payoff is worth every drop of sweat. It’s a lot of work, it’s messy, and it’ll test your patience—but at the end of the day, you’ve got jars of homemade goodies that will remind you of summer, even in the coldest months.

    So grab your canning jars, dust off your freezer, and get to work. You’ve got this. And hey, don’t forget to take a break for a snack—after all, canning is just as much about enjoying the fruits of your labor as it is about the actual process.

    Happy preserving, and remember: every jar is a badge of honor!