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The Homestead Journal

Preserving The Harvest

Choose your season

Winter

Fall

Summer

Spring

There’s a rhythm to preserving season. The early mornings in the berry patch. The blue-stained hands. The quiet hum of the kitchen as jars fill the counter, the scent of vanilla and spice rising with the summer breeze. On our homestead, blueberries are preserved slowly, intentionally — and always with care to use every bit […]

How to Preserve Blueberries: Syrup, Butter, Freezing, and More from the Homestead Kitchen

A simple guide to freezing, drying, storing, and savoring one of early summer’s quiet treasures. If you’ve ever come back from the garden (or the market) with a bunch of curly green garlic scapes and thought, what now?—you’re not alone. These tender green stalks show up just once a year, and they have a way […]

Garlic Scape Preservation Guide: How to Freeze, Dry & Use Garlic Scapes

Each June, our kitchen counters are covered in berry-stained tea towels and the air is thick with the scent of strawberries just off the vine. When you live in rhythm with the land, preserving the harvest becomes more than just a task—it becomes a ritual, a way of tucking beauty and nourishment away for the […]

Preserving Strawberries for the Season: 4 Simple Ways to Capture Summer’s Sweetness

Strawberry preserves in jars on tea towel

Chives are one of the first herbs to pop up in the spring garden, and they deserve more than just a quick snip over eggs. In this post, I’ll show you four simple ways to preserve chives so you can enjoy their delicate, oniony flavor long after spring has passed: compound chive butter, chive blossom […]

How to Preserve Chives: Butter, Vinegar, Freezing & Dehydrating

Chive Butter & chive vinegar

A well-stocked pantry is the foundation of a smooth-running kitchen. When your shelves are filled with essential ingredients, you can create meals with ease, save money on groceries, and reduce unnecessary trips to the store. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your pantry, having a solid list of staple items makes all […]

How to Stock Your Pantry and Save Money on Groceries

As winter settles in, having a well-stocked pantry ensures you can enjoy comforting meals, homemade treats, and nutritious food without last-minute grocery runs. It’s the season to embrace intentional living, using what you’ve grown, preserved, or sourced locally. Below is your guide to building a cozy winter pantry, hearty meal ideas using pantry staples, and […]

The Essentials of a Cozy Winter Pantry: What to Stock and How to Prepare

Summer at the Wooded White Cottage brings a bounty of fresh, sweet corn. Whether you’re enjoying it at a backyard barbecue or as a side dish at dinner, there’s nothing like the taste of fresh corn. But why limit this enjoyment to just the summer months? Preserving corn can help you savor that summer sweetness […]

Preserving Corn This Summer Season

In a world where time is of the essence, finding quick and budget-friendly recipes can be a game-changer. Thanks to that_1870s_homestead, we’ve stumbled upon a basic canned beans recipe that not only saves money but also eliminates the need for long soaking and cooking times. Join us as we share the secrets behind this time-saving […]

Easy No Soak Canned Beans

As Autumn breaks into winter join us in the cottage kitchen as we preserve cranberries to enjoy all year long. Today we are making shelf-stable cranberry juice. This is perfect to have on hand for a sweet treat a gift for a loved one or to even help elevate a urinary tract infection. Step 1: […]

Canning Cranberry Juice

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