Homesteading

You should make some pickled cranberries while you can get fresh cranberries in the store. I’m sorry, Trace, pickled what? You heard me—pickled cranberries. It seems like seasonal produce no …

This past weekend, we had some friends over. We sat around the fire pit talking, and I was telling the younger folks among us how awesome the long-necked butane lighters …

Whether you’re heating your home with wood or enjoying an evening with friends and family around the fire pit, properly seasoned firewood is the key to a hot, clean-burning, crackling …

This is the best pumpkin butter you will ever eat. I know, it’s a bold claim, but it’s just that good. I’ve been making the same pumpkin butter recipe for …

Now that the kids are all too old to go trick-or-treating, I rarely do much for Halloween. My fall decorations are usually just that, fall-themed. You know, chrysanthemums, a few …

It happens to us all. We have this picture-perfect experience planned in our heads. You’ll wear a cute fall outfit with a cozy fall sweater; the kids will all have …

Warm and spicy, almost Christmassy, pickled beets are quite unlike most pickles. They go great with a charcuterie or cheese board, or layered on your favorite sandwich. And since we’re …

A quick note to our readers: We made the decision to pull this recipe from the website because it had a few factors that made it unsuitable for canning. First, …

When it comes to pickles, cucumbers are usually the first to come to mind. But if you’re a gardener or a gourmand, pickled red onion needs to be in your …

Quick pickles are incredibly popular these days. No fussing with canning in a hot kitchen, they take mere minutes to make, and they’re perfect for those who don’t have the …

Pickle season is here! And whether you plan on going all out and canning pickles to enjoy even in the winter months, or you’re a fan of quick and easy …

I’ve been making switchel for decades. Quite a few years ago, I introduced this summertime drink to the Rural Sprout community, and our readers loved it. As we head into …

It’s mid-March, and the soft magnolia buds are getting plumper and plumper. Any minute now, the fuzzy shells will no longer be able to contain them, and every single velvety …

You can keep your hot cocoa bombs. Hot apple cider is the way to go. And when you throw in a few spices, some pomegranate juice and honey, well, all …

If you do a lot of cooking, you likely go through herbs and spices much quicker than most. And if you’re anything like me, I’ll bet you go through garlic …

If “giftable” is a word, then allow me to declare this the most giftable advent calendar of the season. If you like fruit, if you like sweets, but especially if …

Whether you grow them yourself, buy a couple at the farmer’s market, or you’ve got a spare can of puree in the pantry, fall is the time for pumpkin in …

Mason jars are among the most useful containers available. They can be used for crafts, decorations, storing non-food items, and, of course, their intended purpose – canning food. It’s funny, …

Ah, the humble crab apple. How many of us have walked right past these tiny little apples growing in our yards and parks? Sure, they have beautiful blossoms, after all, …

Everyone has recipes for tomatoes – sauce, soup, salads, sandwiches, the list goes on and on. But when the garden season draws to a close and you find yourself staring …

At the beginning of the season, we’re all guilty of sweating our tomatoes. We continually peek at them, waiting for that first tomato to ripen to perfection. And when we …

When it comes to tomatoes and pepper plants, I’m always feeding an army, even though there isn’t an army in sight. I assume the worst and end up planting way …

Gardeners know the absolute joy of tasting a homegrown tomato, bitten into, right off the vine. It’s why so many of us turn our noses up at those tasteless things …

Kombucha is gaining popularity as a drink of choice not only for its delicious taste, but its health benefits too. Kombucha is chock full of probiotics and antioxidants. Many people …