Around your apple trees, you will find a range of apples that fall onto the ground. But even when they have fallen from the tree, there are still a number of ways to make use of these fruits. How you can use your windfall apples will depend on the stage at which they have fallen from the tree. Earlier in the summer, something called 'June drop' (though it can also take place in July in some areas) can occur. This is a natural process whereby the tree rids itself of excess fruit … [Read more...] about 10 Ways to Use Ripe & Unripe Windfall Apples
Food Preservation
The Best Ever Wild Fermented Salsa Recipe Without Whey
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. When tomatoes are ripe and in season - make salsa! You already know that tomatoes are good for you - they are one of the best sources of lycopene, just as they are an antioxidant-rich food that helps to protect your eyes, bones and skin. Eat the rainbow and the benefits of consuming tomatoes merge into anti-inflammatory effects. Keep in mind that over-processing of tomatoes (homogenization, high-heat cooking and the addition of oil) affect … [Read more...] about The Best Ever Wild Fermented Salsa Recipe Without Whey
How To Make Quick Spiced Carrot Refrigerator Pickles
I don’t know about you, but I love the crispy snap of a good pickle. Oh, snap! Who doesn't love a crunchy pickle? Be it cucumber, green bean, or carrot, you just can’t beat that satisfying vinegary crunch. Especially late at night when you’re feeling snacky. It used to be that every summer I would spend hours in my kitchen boiling gallons of hot brine to pour into sterilized jars packed with freshly sliced cucumbers. Then it was into the hot water bath to process. My kitchen made … [Read more...] about How To Make Quick Spiced Carrot Refrigerator Pickles
How to Dry Fresh Herbs at Home – Two Ways!
Drying fresh herbs at home has many benefits, and it’s so easy there’s really no reason not to! Drying your own herbs is certainly more cost effective than buying them at the grocery store, but there are other benefits too. Drying your herbs is a great way to use the plant most effectively, as most herbs produce more than we can eat in a single season. It’s also comforting to know that the herbs you’re cooking with were grown with love and in excellent conditions. Drying your herbs … [Read more...] about How to Dry Fresh Herbs at Home – Two Ways!
How To Make Apricot Jam Without Sugar
When apricots are deliciously ripe and in season, there are three ways to take care of the overabundance quickly: 1. Eat them fresh. 2. Dehydrate them. 3. Make apricot jam for winter. The catch with the first method is that apricots (Prunus armeniaca), even though they are rich in antioxidants, including beta carotene and vitamins A, C, and E, they are also relatively high in sugar. One serving a day is all you need, that's three to four apricots. And that is but a mere handful … [Read more...] about How To Make Apricot Jam Without Sugar
Canning 101 – A Beginners Guide To Get Started Canning & Preserving Food
When life hands you too much of a good thing, the sweetest sun-ripened strawberries or a bounty of heirloom tomatoes for instance, there is no way that you are going to let it all go to waste. Of course, you could feed the surplus to the pigs and the chickens, which they will gladly feast upon with delight, but winter is always around the corner and colder times are coming up - now is the time to get started canning and preserving food! The choice to eat locally, and in season, coincides … [Read more...] about Canning 101 – A Beginners Guide To Get Started Canning & Preserving Food