I’ve got another list for you today.
The harvest does not wait for you to be ready. If you grow food, or want to, building a solid preservation skill set is what turns a single season’s abundance into a full year of eating well.
We just published a complete guide covering 25 foundational skills across four major preservation methods: canning, fermenting, drying, and curing. Paid subscribers can download a printable version at the bottom of this newsletter.
Here are some preservation skills every homesteader should know:
CANNING (Skills 1-8) From water bath canning for jams and pickles to pressure canning for meats and vegetables: including the one critical rule about tomatoes that many home canners get wrong.
FERMENTING (Skills 9-15) Sauerkraut, kimchi, fermented hot sauce, sourdough starter, kombucha: the oldest preservation methods and some of the most flavorful results.
DRYING (Skills 16-21) How to use a dehydrator, make jerky safely, dry fruits and vegetables, and turn scraps into intensely flavored powders.
CURING (Skills 22-25) Dry curing with salt, wet brining, smoking, and the forgotten art of rendering and preserving in fat.
We also cover the one tool you need for consistent fermentation results, why you should never skip conditioning dried fruit before storing it, and the four skills every beginner should start with before tackling the rest.
Read the Full 25 Preservation Skills
If you have been putting off learning to can or ferment because it felt overwhelming, this guide is the place to start. We break everything down clearly, including which methods are genuinely beginner-friendly and which ones require more care and attention.
RESOURCES FOR FURTHER LEARNING
The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz
Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn
Your local Cooperative Extension Service office (free canning consultations and pressure canner testing)
Happy Homesteading,
Gretchen
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