Essential Winter Canning Foods + Perfectionism in Homesteading

IN TODAY'S EDITION

1. Homestead Tip 🌱

2. Poll Results From Last Sunday 📊

3. All Things Homestead: Essential Foods to Can for Winter Storage ☃️

4. Personal Development: Overcoming Perfectionism - Progress Over Perfection in Homesteading 🤗

5. Today's Top Picks 🛍️

6. Let’s Keep It Reel 🤣

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POLL RESULTS FROM LAST SUNDAY

Is it more beneficial for homesteaders to use cover crops to replenish the soil naturally, or rely on organic fertilizers to save time and effort?

 🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Cover crops are more sustainable for long-term soil health.

 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Organic fertilizers are a faster solution and should be prioritized.

 🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ A mix of cover crops and organic fertilizers is best.

⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ It depends on the homestead’s crop rotation and time available.

via @beehiiv polls

Feel free to participate in fun polls in our next newsletters! 😉

Also, follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for daily homesteading inspiration and updates.

ALL THINGS HOMESTEAD

Essential Foods to Can for Winter Storage ☃️

Canning is one of the best ways to preserve the harvest and ensure you have homemade, nutritious food during the cold months. Let’s break down the basics and give you some top foods to focus on for winter storage.

Overview of Canning Methods

There are two main methods for canning, each suited for different types of food:

1. Water-Bath Canning:
   This method is great for high-acid foods like fruits, jams, and pickles. It’s easy to do and requires only a large pot of boiling water and canning jars.

2. Pressure Canning:
   For low-acid foods like vegetables, meats, and soups, pressure canning is necessary to prevent bacteria growth. It requires a special pressure canner but is manageable with a bit of practice.

What You’ll Need: Canning doesn’t require a huge investment. A basic water-bath canner, some jars, lids, and simple tools like a jar lifter will get you started. If you plan to do more pressure canning, investing in a pressure canner is key.

Top Foods to Can for Winter

Here are some must-can items to help get you through the winter:

1. Tomatoes: Tomatoes are incredibly versatile. Whether you’re canning whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or turning them into sauces, they are a pantry staple. They work great in winter soups, stews, pasta, and more.

2. Pickles and Fermented Vegetables: Cucumbers are the classic, but don’t stop there. Try pickling green beans, carrots, or even radishes. Pickles add a bright, tangy kick to winter meals and are incredibly satisfying to make.

3. Fruits: Can peaches, pears, or applesauce to enjoy sweet, fresh flavors even when fresh fruit is scarce. Jams and fruit preserves are also perfect for beginners and make great gifts.

4. Soups, Stews, and Broths: These are a lifesaver during busy winter days when you need something quick and comforting. Canning hearty soups, stews, or even homemade broths can save time while ensuring you’re eating healthy, homemade meals.

Practical Tips for Part-Time Homesteaders

If you don’t have all week to dedicate to canning, no worries! There are easy ways to fit canning into a busy lifestyle:

• Batch Cooking and Canning: Dedicate a weekend to cooking in bulk, then can what you don’t eat right away. This not only fills your pantry but also makes it easier to plan quick meals for later.

• Buy in Bulk: Even if you don’t have a large garden, check out seasonal deals at your local farmers' market. You can often buy in bulk for less and then preserve those deals for the winter months.

• Make it a Family Activity: Canning can be a fun group activity. Get the family involved by assigning tasks like cleaning jars, prepping fruits and veggies, or labeling jars once they’re done. It makes the process faster and enjoyable.

Quick Canning Recipe: Pickles

If you’re looking for a simple recipe to start, pickles are a great beginner project. Here’s a basic step-by-step guide:

What You’ll Need:

• Pickling Cucumbers: About 4 lbs, ideally 3 to 5 inches long.

• Dill: 12 fresh sprigs or 6 teaspoons of dried dill seeds.

• Mustard Seeds: 6 teaspoons.

• Pickle Crisp (optional): Helps keep the pickles extra crunchy.

For the Brine:

• Water: 1 quart.

• White Vinegar (5% acidity): 3 cups.

• Salt: ¼ cup of canning or kosher salt.

• Sugar: 2 tablespoons.

• Pickling Spice: 1 tablespoon.

Steps to Make Your Pickles:

1. Prepare Your Cucumbers:
   Wash the cucumbers and slice them into spears. Trim the ends and make sure they fit into your jars.

2. Saltwater Soak:
   Dissolve 6 tablespoons of canning salt in a gallon of cold water. Soak your cucumbers in this brine for 24 hours. This helps firm them up, so don’t skip this step!

3. Pack Your Jars:
   Drain the cucumbers, then pack them into sterilized jars. Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and either two dill sprigs or 1 teaspoon of dried dill to each jar.

4. Prepare the Brine:
   In a saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, salt, sugar, and pickling spice. Bring it to a boil until the salt and sugar dissolve.

5. Fill the Jars:
   Pour the hot brine over the cucumbers, leaving about ½ inch of headspace. If you’re using Pickle Crisp, add it now.

6. Seal and Process:
   Place the jars in a water-bath canner and process for 10 minutes once the water comes back to a full boil. Let the jars cool for 24 hours, then check the seals.

And just like that, you’ve got homemade pickles that will last all winter long!

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Overcoming Perfectionism: Progress Over Perfection in Homesteading 🤗

Perfectionism can be a real hurdle, especially in homesteading where things rarely go exactly as planned. Maybe your garden isn’t picture-perfect, or your sourdough didn’t rise quite right. Expecting perfection can create unnecessary stress and even stop you from enjoying the process.

But here’s the good news: homesteading is about learning, and embracing “good enough” is often just what you need to keep moving forward.

How Perfectionism Can Hold You Back

Perfectionism can slow you down or even keep you from starting. You might spend way too much time researching the "best" way to plant your garden, raise chickens, or preserve food but never feel ready enough to actually start. Or maybe you're in the middle of a project, but you get stuck obsessing over every little detail instead of focusing on the bigger picture. The result? Frustration, burnout, and sometimes, no progress at all.

Embracing “Good Enough”

Homesteading is about progress, not perfection. Getting something done—even if it’s not flawless—beats waiting forever to do it perfectly. Maybe your garden isn’t 100% weed-free, but you still grew food. Or your fence isn’t perfectly straight, but it keeps the animals in. That’s progress, and it counts!

Managing the Stress of Imperfection

Letting go of perfectionism is tough, especially if you’re used to setting high standards for yourself. But there are ways to manage the stress that comes with feeling like things aren’t perfect:

• Practice Mindfulness: When you feel overwhelmed by the desire for perfection, take a moment to pause and focus on what you’re doing right now. Remind yourself that mistakes are part of the learning process.

• Reframe Mistakes: Instead of seeing something as a failure, think of it as an experiment. Ask yourself, "What did I learn from this?" rather than, "Why didn’t this go perfectly?"

• Set Smaller Goals: Break down big tasks into smaller steps. This way, you can celebrate small wins along the way, which helps reduce the pressure to make everything perfect from the start.

Recognizing Perfectionist Traps

Take a moment to think about where perfectionism might be holding you back. Are you avoiding starting new projects because you don’t feel ready? Or are you stressing over every detail once you’re in the middle of something? Recognizing these traps can help you move forward with more confidence and less stress.

Keep Moving Forward

In homesteading, the more you focus on learning and making progress, the more confidence you’ll gain. Instead of aiming for perfection, aim to get a little better with each try. Remember, no homesteader gets it right every single time, and that’s perfectly okay.

By letting go of perfectionism, you’ll find more joy in the process and be more willing to try new things. At the end of the day, progress is what truly matters, and it’s what makes your homesteading journey both rewarding and fun.

THE STEADY HOME’S GIGGLE CHAMBER

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They’d rather squash rumors.

TODAY'S TOP PICKS

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LET’S KEEP IT REEL!

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1. Just a duck enjoying life to the fullest:

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