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How to Make CheeseThere are a number of reasons to make your own cheese, the most obvious being that cheese is delicious. In all its varieties and textures, cheese is a wonderful food that complements and accentuates almost anything you pair it with. It’s also a fantastic way to extend the shelf life of extra milk from something that has to be refrigerated into a shelf-stable product that can be saved for months. Making your own cheese gives you total control of the ingredients, ensuring the onl …

How to Can Food Home canning is a time-tested way to preserve all kinds of different foods. So whether the garden harvest has just come in, you picked up an extra bushel of vegetables at the farmer’s market, or you’d like to give holiday jams and jellies as presents this winter, we’re here to help. We’ll lay out the information you need to get started canning food the right way, saving you time and money while putting up food for the rest of the year.We’re going to …

Fermenting in Mason JarsFor beginners, choosing a fermentation vessel can be as simple as going to your cupboard and pulling out one of the glass mason jars hiding in the corner. There are many great fermentation vessels on the market, but mason jars are by far the easiest vessel to use for several reasons - they are inexpensive, are available in many sizes, they are easy to find, and the clear glass allows you to see how your ferments are progressing. Another timesaving advantage of fermenting …

MAKE YOUR OWN KOMBUCHAKombucha 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, …

R&H Staff Hints & Tips For DehydratingFood Drying GuidelinesDrying 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 im …

Raising Chickens for EggsKeeping 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 f …

Foraging Wild VioletsHave 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 f …

Making Sauerkraut with TurmericWhether 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 time fermen …

What is a Probiotic Soda or Punch?Homemade sodas are vitamin-rich, fun to make, and economical! Unlike the sugary drinks you pick up in the store, at home you can make your own delicious and effervescent drinks using natural ingredients. These simple fermentations occur due to the natural yeasts and bacteria present in the air and on the fruit/substrate, which start to feed on the sugars present, and create the bubbliness of a soda. Because the bubbles come from a wild fermentation, you end up c …

Strawberry Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jam Made Oh So EasyNo homestead pantry is complete without homemade jellies and jams. Besides being so tasty to eat, they’re also very easy to make!If you’re intimidated by making your own jams and jellies, don’t be! Learn how easy it is to use the Jelly and Jam Maker from Roots & Harvest to make the perfect strawberry rhubarb vanilla bean jam and then get the creative juices flowing with so many more flavor combinations – many of which you can make from forag …