TAKE STOCK – WEEK 22

As the gardening season is ramping up, we need to start now to get ready for the harvest. This week let’s TAKE STOCK of our Food Preservation skills and supplies.

If you are ready to expand your self-reliance skills, preserving your own food is a great next step.

There are many ways to preserve our own food: canning, dehydrating, freezing, fermenting, freeze drying, smoking/curing, and other methods.

There are many books to support your food preservation efforts but, if you are just getting started, begin by getting an all-around resource like The All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving. This will help you learn the basics and get started in each type of preserving. On the other hand, if you are well on your way to mastering one food preservation method, maybe it’s time to learn another method.

Each method has its own list of necessary supplies and start-up costs vary. Some methods are easier to master, others are harder to master. The important thing is to step forward and launch yourself into the thoroughly satisfying world of preserving food for your family.

WATER BATH CANNING (for high acid foods) – water bath canner, canning jars, canning lids.

PRESSURE CANNING – pressure canner (not a pressure cooker or Instant Pot), canning jars, canning lids.

DEHYDRATING – dehydrator, plastic bags, glass jars, and to increase storage time add a vacuum sealer and oxygen absorbers.

FREEZING – (probably the easiest method to get started) you will need a freezer, plastic containers, freezer bags, and to increase storage time add a vacuum sealer.

FREEZE DRYING – (this has a very high up-front expense, but the food lasts longer than any other method – up to 20 years if properly packaged) – freeze dryer, mylar bags, oxygen absorbers.

FERMENTING – salt, vinegar, fermentation lids, jars / crocks, weights.

SMOKING / CURING – smoker, salt, seasoning, freezer bags.

One great way to get started in your Food Preservation journey is to find someone who already does it. It’s a guarantee that if you bring a helping pair of hands (to peel, cook, blanch, etc.) there is someone willing to let you help them preserve food. Learn by doing!