5 Easy Steps to Can Dill Pickles at Home

Homemade dill pickles are a whole other league compared to store-bought ones (crisp, bright, and bursting with flavor. Canning them at home isn’t as daunting as it seems) just use the right cucumbers, follow a tested recipe, and follow safe canning procedures. In this article), you’ll learn how to make vinegar-based dill pickles that are … Read more

Easy Water Bath Canning Guide for Beginners

If you’re new to canning, you might imagine rows of special equipment and complicated steps. The truth is, water bath canning is one of the simplest, most beginner-friendly ways to preserve food at home. With just a sturdy pot, canning jars, and a little patience, you can safely put up jams, jellies, pickles, and even … Read more

How to Can Carrots (Safely and Simply with a Pressure Canner)

If you’ve got a pile of carrots and you’re not sure what to do with them, pressure canning is the safe, shelf-stable route. Carrots are a low-acid vegetable, which means they need the higher temperatures of a stovetop pressure canner – not a water bath – to protect against botulism. This guide article NCHFP/USDA tested … Read more

How to Easily Can Pears at Home

If you’ve got ripe pears piling up on the counter and no room left in the fridge, canning is a solid way to keep them from going to waste. It’s one of the best canning for beginners projects because pears are forgiving, simple to prep, and turn out deliciously in jars. Plus, you don’t need … Read more

11 Steps to Home-Canned Green Beans

Canning green beans is one of the simplest ways to put up food for later. If you’ve got fresh beans and a pressure canner, you’re most of the way there. This is one of those old-school kitchen skills that’s totally doable once you get the hang of it. Whether you’re staring at an overflowing garden … Read more

How To Make Tomato Sauce (From Scratch)

Tomato sauce is one of those things that’s easy to grab off the shelf, but making it yourself is a whole different story – in a good way. When you make it from scratch, you control everything that goes into it. No extras, no junk. Just good tomatoes, a few basic ingredients, and some time … Read more

How to Make Basil Pesto at Home: Easy, Fresh, and Full of Flavor

Basil pesto is one of those things that’s surprisingly easy to make at home once you know how, and the taste is miles ahead of what you get in a jar. You don’t need fancy tools or hard-to-find ingredients – just a few fresh basics and a little know-how. In this article, we’ll walk through … Read more

Easy Homemade Applesauce for Canning

If you’ve got a bunch of apples sitting around and don’t want them to go to waste, canning applesauce is one of the simplest ways to put them to good use. It’s easy, it stores well, and you don’t need anything fancy to get started. Whether you’re just starting out in canning (see this guide … Read more

Rainwater Harvesting: How to Collect & Use Rainwater

Rainwater harvesting is a smart, old-fashioned way to make use of what nature gives you for free. Whether you live out in the country or in town, collecting rainwater can help you water your garden, flush toilets, wash your car, or even drink – if you set it up right. It can lower your water … Read more

18 Purple Perennials That Bring Color and Pollinators to Your Garden

Purple flowers bring something special to a garden. They’re calm, bold, and go well with just about anything. And when you plant perennials, you don’t have to start over every year – they come back, fill in nicely, and keep things looking good with less effort. In this list, we’ve rounded up 18 purple perennials … Read more