Yearly Food Planning for Your Family

Planning a year's supply of food for each member of your family can seem a daunting task.  Want to grow a large garden, have an orchard and vineyard, grow your own crops, and produce your own oil and sugar?  How much meat, vegetables, fruit, sugar, oil, flour do we each consume per year?  What if …

11 Unique, Lightning-Fast Vegetables You Can STILL Grow From Seed

Written by: Mary Dyer Survival Gardening [ repost: http://www.offthegridnews.com/survival-gardening-2/11-unique-lightning-fast-vegetables-you-can-still-plant-from-seed/  ]   By the time August ends, your vegetable garden likely has a number of bare spots. This is a good thing, indeed, and a sign that the bounty of a successful harvest has enriched your dinner table and replenished your cupboards and freezer for the …

‘When Should I Pick It?’ — Harvesting Essentials For 12 Popular Vegetables

Written by: Kristen Duever  Every novice gardener has done it — picked too early or waited too long to harvest their vegetables. Even experienced gardeners have been known to let excitement get the better of them when they see that first tomato turning red on the vine. Since late summer and early fall is prime …

Preserve Your Harvest : Freezer Friendly Fruit & Veggies

Because we are homesteaders, we are always looking for: 1. Ways to Preserve Food and 2. Meal Time Savers! Here is a how to properly freeze your fruit and vegetables for use during the winter and when you are just to busy to do all that prep work. Freezer Friendly Fruit Prepare, peel and slice …

Seed Saving 101: How to Save Seeds

Seed Saving 101: How to Save Seeds Preserve your harvest from year to year with these easy seed-saving basics. [repost: http://www.motherearthliving.com/vegetable-gardening/seed-saving-how-to-save-seeds.aspx?newsletter=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=03.03.16%20MEL&utm_term=MEL%20eNews%5D By Tabitha Alterman September/October 2011 Growing an organic garden from seeds you saved yourself is the ultimate in gardening self-reliance. But that’s only one reason to take up this hobby. In addition to the …

Growing Broad Beans

Broad Beans, lima beans, fava beans and horse beans are a staple in our diet.  They are meaty, chocked full of flavor and frankly, delicious.  Do not eat them raw though... They are excellent cooked with deep flavored herbs such as sage, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Sow In early January; sow Broad Beans seeds indoors …

Home Meat Preservation with a Pressure Canner

Ease pressure on your lofty self-reliance goals by mastering the ins and outs of meat preservation at home. By Andrea Chesman Whether you raise your own meat, hunt wild game, or track down bargains at the store, the list of reasons to add home meat preservation to your skill set starts with money and ends …

Growing Arugula

Arugula is calorie low and nutrient rich. It is known to prevent cancer, prevent macular degeneration (eyes), is low in oxalate (an anti-nutrient), contributes to bone health, can aid in weight loss and is high in antioxidants, vitamin C, A, and K. Arugula is also mineral rich and is a good source of calcium, iron, …

The Very Best Vegetables To Grow In Drought Conditions

Written by: Jacki Andre Whether you live in an area susceptible to drought (hello American Southwest!) or not, chances are your garden at some point will experience dry conditions. If you’re fortunate, you can just hook up a hose and let your irrigation system run. But in some cases, water may be rationed or it …

Eat Your Weeds!

Eat Your Weeds! The Best Edible Weeds Easy-growing weeds are surprisingly tasty and packed with nutrients [repost - thanks Mother Earth Living: http://www.motherearthliving.com/food-for-health/eat-your-weeds-best-edible-weeds.aspx%5D By Amy Mayfield May/June 2011 With high levels of iron, potassium and beta-carotene, dandelion stimulates digestion and aids the liver. Long used as cleansing tonics, easy-to-find spring weeds are rich in vitamins …