diy

Are you trying to figure out if homesteading is right for you?

While there’s no denying that some days can be a challenge, here are 10 reasons you will really enjoy homesteading. Don’t let the challenges lying ahead scare you, the rewards are well worth it!

1. You Will Have Total Control Over the Food You Eat

It goes without saying that you will never really know exactly what is in the processed foods that you buy from a store, but this applies to fresh foods too. From pesticides to cleaning products, commercially grown food has a wide range of different chemicals before it reaches your kitchen.

The majority of homesteaders grow their food organically, meaning that you will know exactly what has gone into it, as well as where it has been grown.

You will also be able to grow a much wider variety of different foods, choosing ones that cannot be purchased from grocery stores. As a result, your food will be much more nutritious, and so much tastier too.

2. You Will Be Able to Raise Different Animals

One of the homesteading highlights for many is the fact that they are able to surround themselves with animals. While animals are not essential to the homestead, they do make life much more interesting. Plus, they provide you with a constant source of complete protein, very valuable especially in the aftermath of a long-term disaster.

Common animals to keep on a homestead include:

• Chickens
• Ducks and geese
• Turkeys
• Goats
• Pigs
• Sheep and lamb
• Cattle
• Horses

3. You Will Be Healthier

As mentioned above, the food that you grow and eat on your homestead will be so much more nutritious than anything you could buy, but this is only one of the ways in which homesteading will make you healthier.

Simply spending time in the garden, whether this may be digging, weeding, planting or anything else, has been proven to decrease stress and boost the mood, while also reducing the risk of dementia by 36% (source).

Doing all of the tasks that a homestead requires also means that you end up doing so much exercise, with so many different muscle groups in your body benefiting from this workout.

4. You Will Save Money

There will definitely be times when it feels as though your homestead is a never-ending money-grabbing pit, but, for the majority of the time, homesteading means that you will likely be saving money in quite a few different areas of your life.

For starters, if you use a fire or a wood stove, collecting and chopping your own firewood will drastically cut down on your heating bills. Wood is by far the cheapest fuel you can get.

Growing food, and then cooking delicious meals from scratch, is also much cheaper than buying ready-made dishes, while the “free” eggs that your poultry provides will be of a quality that you can never be quite sure of with store-bought eggs. Sure, it’s nice to eat out every once in a while, but doing it every day can cost you a LOT of money.

A homestead requires much time and effort, so you will likely also save money on activities that you would have otherwise been doing if you lived in a town or a city. Whether this may be cutting back on restaurant meals or only going to the movies once a month instead of once a week, you will end up replacing these activities with free, home-based ones.

5. You Won’t Have to Commute to Work

Many people have such a tedious commute to work, but working on your homestead means that you will be able to do away with this.

Although many do still keep full-time jobs while homesteading, you will likely be able to cut back on the number of days you need to go to work, as you will be spending the rest of your time running your homestead.

Rather than waking up and facing an hour of traffic each morning, you will be able to spend that time surrounding by nature and your animals, which really does so much good to your mental state of mind.

Of course, you’ll still have bills to pay, so if you’re looking to do this full-time, you should definitely think of ways to make money while homesteading. You won’t get rich but when you expand your tiny homestead, you should get a better yield for your increasing efforts.

6. You Will Live a Greener Lifestyle

One of the major problems with the planet today is that so much of what we do is extremely damaging to the environment. However, when you have your own homestead, this is something that you can really take control of.

Most people with a homestead aim to be at least somewhat self-sufficient, meaning that you will not be depending on others for your daily needs.

In terms of food, growing your own means you no longer need to purchase ingredients that have been grown with a range of chemicals and then wrapped multiple times in plastic, and also helps with the food waste issue that developed countries are dealing with. Food miles are also reduced to pretty much nothing, and you’ll have such a greater appreciation for everything you do eat.

As mentioned above, spending less time going back and forth into town, whether this may be for work or socially, means that you also help to cut back on road pollution, and you are likely to also find yourself walking more, rather than driving.

Many homesteaders also produce their own energy, such as with the use of solar panels, wind turbines and so on.

Re-using items, as well as recycling and composting, is a huge part of homesteading, so far less of your goods are likely to end up in a landfill somewhere.

7. You Will Learn Important Basic Skills

Homesteading teaches you so many life skills that will benefit other areas of your life.

There are so many practical skills that you will learn on a homestead, from growing your own food to fixing broken vehicles to stock fencing. Young folks nowadays can barely change a tire, let alone make it on their own, without this intricate system that society has built around them.

Homesteading is a constant learning process, and while sometimes it may seem as though you do not have particular skills that you need for a certain situation, it will not be long until you learn these, and are well-equipped for the next time you need them.

8. You Will Become More Resilient

There will be many challenging and frustrating times on your homestead, but you will be able to pick yourself up and bounce back from these so much better than the average person.

Homesteading gives you such a sense of resiliency, and you will become so much better at problem-solving, coming up with new and creative ways to deal with the challenges that your homestead, and the rest of your life, provides.

9. You Will Have More Security

For those who do not homestead, problems such as blackouts or bad weather leading to food shortages can sometimes be fatal.

However, those who live on a homestead will be well-equipped to deal with these issues, having everything from alternative energy sources to stockpiles of food designated for the winter months.

This also goes without saying, but homesteaders are also better prepared to tackle large-scale SHTF events. For obvious reasons.

Job security is another problem that many deal with, but, if you do ever end up losing your job, you will have your homestead to fall back on and support you until you are able to sort something else out.

10. You Will Live a Simpler Life

There are plenty of benefits that come with a modern lifestyle, but there is definitely something to be said for a more traditional, simple life too.

Simple living has been proven to do everything from reduce stress, blood pressure and the risk of disease to boosting overall health and peace of mind.

There are so many studies out there that back up the benefits that doing away with technology and materialism can have, while not depending on these comforts can seem frightening at first, it will not be long before you wonder how you ever managed to live differently.

There is no denying that homesteading requires a lot of hard work and dedication, but the up sides to it are definitely worth while. Have we missed out on any of your personal favorite reasons you enjoy homesteading? If so, let us know in the comments section below!

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Zucchini plants are known for being prolific growers, and you can only make so much zucchini bread! My kids may love muffins and fried zucchini slices, but they start to ask for other things after a while. You can only give so many away! So, one day, I wonder if there were ways to can zucchini, and I stumbled upon three recipes I wanted to try.

I love to can the produce in my garden. It creates a pantry full of shelf-stable, organic food for my family. For years, I only shredded zucchini and kept it in the freezer for occasional bread, muffin, and brownie recipes. There are more ways to preserve zucchini that I never realized, and now I know I could’ve added more to my stockpile over the years!

Is it Safe to Can Zucchini?

One of the first questions I had was is it safe to can zucchini? It didn’t come to mind as an option. According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, canning summer squash, including zucchini, isn’t recommended because of the uncertainty of food processing times.

Squashes are a low-acid vegetable, and they would require pressure canning for a particular length of time to ensure any bacteria is killed off. However, there isn’t enough evidence yet to determine that appropriate length of time.

How, the NCHFP does offer one way to safely can zucchini, which is their zucchini pineapple recipe. It is actually quite delicious, and the reason it works is that of the high level of acid in the pineapple juice.

So, I knew I couldn’t just can cubes of zucchini. When you think about it, cubes of zucchini packed into water will get soggy fast and probably not too desirable. As I was researching the best ways to can zucchini, I stumbled across NCHFP recommended recipes for bread and butter zucchini pickles!

Health Benefits of Zucchini

When I add something to my stockpile, I want to make sure it plays a purpose. I sometimes add fun things – like mint or basil jelly – that don’t serve as much of a purpose, but my stockpile is also my pantry. It serves one overarching job – to feed my family. So, I want to make sure what I add has some nutritional benefits.

You may not think of zucchini as a survival food because it is low in calories. An average zucchini has only 31 calories, and it contains no fat or cholesterol. That doesn’t make it ideal; you want fats and calories! However, the strength of adding zucchini to your stockpile lays in the fact that a medium zucchini has over 50 percent of your recommended daily dose of vitamin C. You also receive 11% of your daily vitamin K intake.

Zucchini is a source for many vitamins and minerals, such as:

• Riboflavin
• Vitamin B-6
• Folate
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
• Potassium
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus

Vitamin C is one of the most important vitamins for your overall health. It forms and maintains your skin, bones, and blood vessels. It also helps to heal wounds and wards off scurvy, which is a result of vitamin C deficiency. Some research shows that vitamin C can kill tuberculosis, so adding more to your diet is never a bad idea, especially in a survival scenario!

Supplies Needed to Can Zucchini

Before you get started, you need to have a few supplies on hand, aside from veggies and herbs. You will need:

• A water bath canner
• A stockpot
• A grater
• Stirring spoons
• Funnel
• Jar Lifter
• Canning jars, lids and rims
• Magnetic lid lifter
• Bubble Popper
• Kitchen Towels
• Hot pads
• Cutting Board
• Sharp Knife

Preparing to Can

For each of these recipes, there are a few things you need to do. I won’t list them in each recipe. Instead, follow these for each of these recipes you want to try.

1. Fill the water bath canner with water and bring to a boil. The water must be boiling in order for you to can. Starter your time when the water is at a rolling boil!
2. Clean your jars. You want clean jars, and make sure to inspect them. It’s easy for jars to get small chips in them. Those jars can be used for dry storage of beans, but you don’t want to put a chipped or cracked jar in a canner.
3. Heat up the lids and jars. After I clean my jars, I fill up the sink with hot water and store the jars in there until it’s time to can. You should also boil a small pot of water and place the lids in the water until its time to can.
4. Set on a towel. Once you process the jars, you need to remove them from the canner. It’s best to place them on a tea towel on your counters. Don’t move them for 24 hours. At that time, it’s safe to remove the rims to check the seal and label for storage!

These steps are easy but don’t forget them. If you plan to do two batches, make sure you don’t forget to heat up the lids and clean your jars!

Bread and Butter Zucchini Pickles

I LOVE bread and butter pickles; they are my favorite. Zucchini pickles taste very similar to pickles made with cucumbers. If you are a fan of pickles, you can’t go wrong with this recipe. It’s a crowd pleaser. You can expect to get around 6 to 7 full pints.

• 4lbs sliced zucchini
• 1 cup sliced onions
• ⅓ cup canning salt
• 2 quarts crushed ice
• 3 cups apple cider vinegar*
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 TBSP mustard seed
• 1 TSP turmeric
• 1 TSP celery seed
• 1 TSP peppercorns

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Slice up the zucchini in even pieces. Using a mandolin is the easiest way to get even pieces, but using a knife is fine as well. Slice up the onions, and place them in a large bowl. Pour the salt over top, cover with ice, and let stand for 3 hours. Rinse thoroughly after.

Step 2: In a large stockpot, combine the vinegar, sugar, and spices. Heat up to a boil. The turmeric will turn the mixture a yellow color!

Step 3: Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the zucchini and onion slices. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Make sure to stir them!

Step 4: Place the funnel on a cleaned, hot jar and pack in the hot zucchini, onions, and vinegar mixture. Leave 1/4 inch of headspace. Make sure you wipe off the rims, remove any air bubbles, and place on the lids and rims for each jar.

Step 5: Process the jars for 10 minutes (pints) or 15 minutes (quarts).

*You can use white vinegar if you don’t have apple cider vinegar available. I’ve used both types with success!

Zucchini Relish

Our family doesn’t eat a lot of relishes, but we like to have a few jars to add to sandwiches and burgers. Variety is the spice of life, right?

The ingredients are very similar to the pickle recipe above that I listed. The main difference is the texture and relish is a bit sweeter!

• 10 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 3 TBSP canning salt
• 1 ½ TSP celery seed
• ¾ TSP turmeric
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 ½ cups white vinegar

How to Make Zucchini Relish

Step 1: The first thing you have to do is shred the zucchini. You can do that manually with a grater, as I do, or you could try a food processor. I’m sure a food processor would be easier, but I don’t have one at my disposal!

Step 2: Now comes the easy part! Put all of the ingredients together in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. The more it simmers, the more the flavors mingle together.

Step 3: Once cooked, ladle into pint jars, leaving ½ in. headspace. Make sure to clean off the rims of the jars before placing on the lids and rings. Process for 10 minutes (pints) or 15 minutes (quarts).

Zucchini Salsa

If you love salsa, you have to add some zucchini salsa to your pantry! It is a family favorite with sweetness and heat all tied together. You can alter the hotness by adding or decreasing peppers. Sometimes, I add one or two cayenne peppers to jack up the heat for my husband who loves everything spicy.

• 12 cups grated zucchini
• 2 cups diced onion
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 3-4 jalapeno peppers, diced (decide based on your spiciness preference)
• 12 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
• 3 ½ TBSP canning salt
• 1 TSP turmeric
• 1 TSP cumin
• 1 TSP garlic powder
• 1 TSP black pepper
• 1 ½ – 2 ½ TBSP red chili peppers
• 1 TBSP mustard seeds
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 2 cups white vinegar

Instructions to Make Zucchini Salsa

Step 1: Grate the zucchini, and dice up the onion, peppers, and tomatoes. Cover with the pickling salt and leave in the refrigerator overnight or for several hours. Doing so removes the moisture from the veggies. You CAN skip this step and allow the mixture to boil even longer. I have the best results when I follow this step, but if you decide to impulsively can, just add one some cooking time.

Step 2: The next morning, drain and rinse the zucchini mixture well.

Step 3: Place the zucchini mixture into a large stockpot and add the turmeric, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, chili peppers, mustard seeds, brown sugar, vinegar, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Step 4: Once boiling, turn down the mixture and allow it to cook for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring often.

Step 5: After cooking the salsa down, ladle into jars, leaving ½in. headspace. Remember to wipe the rims clean before you add the lids and rings.

Step 6: Process the jars for 15 minutes (pints) or 20 minutes (quarts).

Canning Zucchini for Your Stockpile

Zucchini may seem like an unlikely addition to your stockpile, but it’s tasty! Zucchini can also be dehydrated and fermented, so don’t give it all away to neighbors and friends when you’re plants overflow. Use one of these ways to can zucchini or try a different preservation method.

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If you just started homesteading, no doubt you are wondering what kind of livestock you should raise. Although they are small, chickens are arguably one of the best animals to raise on your small farm. These animals are not only inexpensive to raise, but are also incredibly easy to care for.

1. They’re multipurpose

Chickens are great animals to raise on your homestead because they have so many purposes. They are an excellent source of eggs, meat, and fertilizer. If you choose to raise dual-purpose breeds, you don’t have to choose between eggs or meat and can raise birds that are able to lay eggs until you are ready to butcher them for meat.

2. They have low space requirements

To ethically raise a chicken, you only need to provide it with about four square feet of space. They don’t require a heating system in the winter time, as they will huddle together for warmth, but you will need to provide a place for them to nest and lay eggs if you plan on keeping them for that purpose.

3. They have minimal feeding needs

Chickens are nature’s garbage disposals–they will eat just about anything! You can feed them everything to compost, weeds, refrigerator leftovers, or store-bought feed. Although you should make sure your chicken’s diet is nutritious and not full of junk, it is surprisingly inexpensive to feed a flock (even large ones approaching numbers in the triple digits).

You should make sure your chickens have some access to poultry pellets, which include essential foods such as wheat, salt, sunflower seeds, and oats. These are full of carefully balanced quantities of protein, vitamins, and minerals so that your chickens will grow and continue to produce eggs. You can feed chickens table scraps, such as vegetable peels, apple cores–even potato peels (it’s a misconception that chickens are picky eaters and won’t eat potatoes). At the end of the day, you can feed your chickens just about anything, as long as they receive plenty of access to whole grains, and low-salt, low-sugar foods.

4. You can set up automatic systems

Once you have familiarized yourself with the ins and outs of raising chickens, it is easy to set up automatic systems to save yourself time, money, and energy. Chickens need less than one cup of food per day per bird. While some people prefer to throw chicken pellets straight on the ground and let chickens peck at them, this is wasteful and time-consuming. You might next consider a trough.

Better yet, set up an auto feeder. You can easily build an auto feeder with two lengths of pipe, one cut in half and attached with a hose clamp to the other one. This can be suspended from your coop wall to allow your chickens easy access to a constant, clean, and dry supply of food. This means you will only have to fill it every few days (or weeks, depending on how many chickens you are raising). Autofeeders can also be made out of repurposed trash cans, barrels, and buckets.

A similar system can be created for water. It’s crucial to supply your chickens with regular access to fresh drinking water. Each bird needs a pint a day of water, more in hot water. Dirty water can spread disease, and if your chickens become dehydrated, they won’t grow as quickly or produce as many eggs. Water fountains can be purchased for a low cost from feed stores, or you can fashion large-capacity water fountains from livestock barrels and poultry nipples to save some serious tie and money. This means you may only have to fill your chicken’s water supply once a week or so.

Another automatic system that can be incorporated is an automatic coop door system. One of the biggest (and only) hassles of raising chickens is opening the coop door and closing it at night. The coop door must be shut to deter predators, but you can purchase an automatic door for less than two hundred dollars so that you don’t have to be around at all.

5. They require no veterinarian visits

No vet checks are required for chickens. While they may come down with minor sniffles or even major diseases, in most cases you don’t need to provide them with medical attention. They don’t receive vaccinations, and they breed themselves, unlike dairy cows which need to be bred for them to keep producing milk.

6. They are easy to clean up after

Although you must be sure to clean your chicken coop every few weeks or so, you can use just about anything for bedding. Popular beddings include shredded paper, sand, and wood shavings. Just toss the bedding in there and go in every now and then to scrape it out and add new bedding. If you’re particularly disinterested in cleaning the coop and have a concrete or dirt floor, you can utilize a layered bedding method in which you simply let the bedding decompose on top of itself.

7. They produce lots of delicious byproducts

Depending on the breed of chicken you decide to raise, you can expect to get five to seven eggs a week per bird at maximum capacity. These eggs can be eaten, saving you time and hassle at the grocery store, or fed to other livestock. Free range chicken eggs are higher in nutritious omega-3s. You can also save them and incubate them (with the purchase of an inexpensive incubator) to raise your own chicks the following year, saving even more money.

If you decide to raise your birds for meat, you can expect to get four to five pounds of meat per bird, on average. The meat is usually more nutritious and delicious than store-bought meat and will store for months in your freezer.

Finally, chickens also produce poop, which, while not exactly delicious, is an excellent fertilizer for your garden. You have to do absolutely nothing for this important byproduct. Simply clean your coop and throw the soiled bedding into the compost, or spread it directly on your garden for nitrogen-packed fertilizer.

If you’re hoping to make the most of your homestead space and your precious time, consider raising chickens. You can raise hundreds for minimal effort and expense and will have plenty of fun doing it.

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If you’re a homesteader, you are no doubt familiar with the hundreds of benefits composting provides, not just to you, but also to your garden. Composting isn’t just about getting rid of kitchen scraps and providing free fertilizer for your nutrient-hungry crops–it’s about reducing waste, preventing pollution, and closing the nutrient cycle. This process can help to eliminate over half of your household waste.

Furthermore, it allows you to contribute to the crucial process of rejuvenation and recycling that is necessary to sustain life. Fresh compost soil is often referred to as “black gold” because it is so nutritious and vital for developing gardens.

As you likely know, an effective compost pile requires careful consideration of what you put into it. You must add ingredients that contain carbon, such as leaves or straw, and also ones that contain nitrogen, such as vegetable scraps. While you might already have an active, thriving compost regimen in the works, consider adding these ten ingredients to jump-start your processing and increase your success.

#1. Kitchen scraps

Kitchen scraps are the most commonly composted ingredients, and for good reason. Most of the kitchen waste you produce on a daily basis can be composted. This includes all fruits and vegetables (keep in mind that dense ingredients such as whole potatoes or banana peels take longer to break down), pastas, and bread products. You can also recycle soy, rice, coconut, or almond milk–even if it’s spoiled.

While any plant-based product can be composted, keep in mind that meat and dairy products don’t compost well. While they will decompose over time, they won’t provide any benefit to your compost pile and can instead attract unwanted predators and pests. Bone meal, however, can be helpful. It is high in phosphorus, which is vital for plant growth, and is ground into a fine enough texture to prevent it from smelling or decomposing too slowly.

#2. Egg shells

Egg shells are commonly added to homesteaders’ gardens to help increase calcium and to help prevent nasty diseases such as blossom end rot (though they can be used in other ways as well). While egg shells can be added whole to developing plants, adding them to your compost is a better bet to increase absorption into the soil.

When you cook your breakfast each morning, save your egg shells in a bowl. Once you’ve saved enough of them worth processing, grind them into a fine powder and sprinkle them all over your compost bin. They will break down from a fully intact state as well, but decompose much more quickly and evenly when they are already processed.

#3. Coffee grounds and filters–and tea bags

Most people already compost coffee filters and coffee grounds, but did you know you can also compost tea bags? Make sure these are made of natural materials, such as cotton or hemp, instead of rayon or other synthetic products to ensure you aren’t releasing unwanted and unnecessary chemicals back into the ground.

#4. Paper and wood products

As long as they are processed, chopped, or shredded into fine enough pieces, these make a great addition to compost bins. You might consider adding unwaxed paper plates, cardboard egg cartons, natural wine corks, toothpicks, skewers, shredded paper, cupcake cups, facial tissues, paper towels, tubes, and many others.

#5. Hair and nails

This one might turn your stomach, but you can even compost hair from your hairbrush or electric razor. Some people even compost nail clippings. While it may be too tedious and–let’s face it, kind of gross–to save these castaways, if you’re looking to recycle as much of your waste as possible, this is the way to do it.

#6. Cotton products

Because cotton is a wholly natural product, it can be composted to reduce the amount of household trash you produce. These items might include old cotton clothing and jeans, fabric scraps, towels, or sheets. Even cotton balls and Q-tips can be thrown into the bin!

Wool items may also be composted. However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t throw whole pieces of clothing or linens into the compost bin. Cut or shred them into small pieces so that they break down more quickly.

#7. Plants and clippings

Any leaves or trimmings you remove from houseplants can be composted, as can leftover flowers from floral arrangements, dead houseplants or garden leftovers, and natural potpourri. You can also compost ashes from untreated wood in the fireplace in small amounts. Dead leaves, sawdust, Christmas trees or wreaths, hay bales, and grass clippings are also common ingredients.

#8. Animal waste

Any type of animal manure can be used in a compost bin. While some people even compost human urine, this can be an unsavory prospect for most, and there is debate over whether this is sanitary and safe to do. However, horse, cow, goat, rabbit, sheep, and chicken manure can all be safely composted. In addition, common animal products such as dry dog or cat food, fish pellets, and alfalfa pellets can also be composted.

#9. Latex products

Because latex originates from the rubber tree, it can be safely composted. Throw anything from old balloons to condoms into the pile for ultimate recycling.

Now, since condoms may contain other substances besides rubber, it would be a good idea to let the sun help disintegrate them. Shredding them before putting them in your compost is also a good idea.

#10. Leftovers from cleaning

You can compost everything from dust bunnies to dryer lint. However, the trick in composting these items is in making sure that they are comprised of fabrics and materials that are one hundred percent natural. If you own and wash any synthetic clothing, your dryer lint will contain synthetic components. However, for the true prepper or homesteader living off the grid, this likely isn’t a challenge, and can really add to the size of your compost pile.

While it seems that you can compost just about anything, be cautious about what you toss in there. You should always avoid meat, whole bones (ground bone meal is okay), cat, dog, or human waste, dairy products, and fats. You should also avoid anything treated with pesticides, or chemicals themselves. By following these guidelines, you should reduce your household waste in time–and create fertile, beautiful soil in the process.

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As a homesteader, much of what you do throughout the year involves preserving, preparing, and conserving food. Therefore, it is important to know the warning signs of spoiled food–it’s not always what you think.

Expiration dates don’t always indicate spoilage. Sometimes, sell-by-dates are mistaken for expiration dates. Expiration dates contribute to food waste and don’t tell you much about whether your food has gone bad or not. Expiration dates often merely indicate only when a food has reached “optimal quality,” which is an estimate, and can be affected based on purchase date, storage method, and other factors. Therefore, expiration dates are not reliable in the slightest.

Your five senses will give you more insight into the safety of your food than any date might. Plus, if you’re a homesteader, you probably produce most of your own food anyway, and it’s unlikely that you label every single thing you put in the refrigerator, freezer, or canner. Follow these guidelines instead to make sure the food you are eating is fresh, flavorful, and safe for consumption.

#1. Slime

If your deli meats or leftover roasts have a sheen or feel soggy, they are past their prime. This is also the case for vegetables. In general, meat needs to be tossed within ten days of putting it in the refrigerator–although this is not a hard and fast rule.

2. Mold

Mold is usually a pretty obvious sign of spoilage, making it an easy way to tell if food is spoiled. Spoilage starts with small spores that then spread quickly to aging food. Common on fruits, vegetables, and breads, this is a telltale sign that your food needs to be tossed. Be vigilant, because mold can grow in hidden locations, such as the bottom of plastic containers or glass jars.

If you notice just a few spots of mold covering a loaf of bread, you can cut off the edges and continue to eat it. However, any mold on meat, dairy products, fruits, or vegetables means it’s time to say goodbye.

Bread that has hardened or dried, but not formed mold, can still be used for bread crumbs or croutons. It also makes a great snack for your chickens!

3. Discoloration

This isn’t always a sign of spoilage, as sometimes food will change colors as it ages without affecting the quality or safety of the food. Examples of unaffected foods include avocados, which naturally lighten as they are exposed to air. However, if you notice green vegetables changing color, they are probably ready for the trash can.

Sometimes, raw meats will also become discolored when left in the refrigerator. Meat frequently changes color when exposed to air, especially if it’s fresh meat that has not been treated with preservatives. As long as your discoloration isn’t accompanied by slime, you’re probably okay to eat it.

Usually, fruits and vegetables that have become discolored can be repurposed in baked goods.

Spoiled vegetables often turn yellow, such as broccoli or kale, but some, like celery or onion, can be saved by soaking them in ice water for a few minutes. An exception to salvation is potatoes. If these turn green, throw them away. They will be off in flavor and could make you sick.

4. Bad odors

You already know that spoiled milk gives off a rancid odor after a few weeks. However, the sniff test works well for spoiled fruits, vegetables, and meats as well. If it smells bad, don’t take a risk by eating it. It won’t taste good, anyway.

5. Changed texture

This is especially true for fruits and vegetables. If they become squishy, concave, or otherwise different in consistency than what they were when you stored them, they are ready to be tossed. Additionally, if the fruit produces a wrinkly skin or a mushy, grainy texture, it’s probably time to go. Keep in mind that browned and softened apples, bananas, and other fruits can still be used in baked goods, and often work better than their fresher counterparts for that application.

Change in texture is also commonly seen in spoiled dairy products. Chunky milk is definitely bad, as is cheese that has begun to get soggy. It’s worth noting that soft cheese tend to spoil faster than hard cheeses.

6. Frost and package damage

For frozen foods, if you notice they are covered in frost, they may be spoiled. Sometimes frost just indicates mild freezer burn, which can affect the flavor and texture of the food but not necessarily the safety.

You should also toss any frozen food if you notice the package is ripped. This could indicate that bacteria has been allowed to enter either before or after freezing and thawing. Similarly, if your frozen food was sitting in any icy puddle, get rid of it. This indicates that it began to thaw at some point, and the food might be compromised.

7. Eggs float

If you own chickens on the homestead, you likely find yourself frequently flooded with a deluge of eggs. A quick way to test the freshness of your eggs is to drop them in fresh, cold water. If the egg is fresh and safe to eat, it will sink. If it has spoiled, it will rise to the top. This is because egg shells are slightly porous and, as an egg ages, it will produce air inside the shell. As the egg ages, it will collect more air, increasing the likelihood that it will float.

8. Canned food

Take extra caution when trying to decide whether canned food has spoiled. Canned food presents a unique food poisoning risk, botulism, which can be fatal. Spoiled canned food is usually indicated by some sort of abnormality in the jar itself, such as a bulging can or lid, or a broken seal. You might noticed a corroded can or lid, or food that has seeped under the jar’s lid.

Another sign of spoiled canned food is tiny bubbles moving upward in the jar, also known as gassiness. If food gives off a bad odor, looks mushy, or presents any of the other warning signs listed above, don’t risk it–toss it.

9. Unique puddling or souring

Although you probably don’t have as many of these ingredients kicking around in your refrigerator, it’s important that you know how to spot these warning signs as well. Many homesteaders enjoy making hummus. If your hummus develops a sour taste, it has gone bad.

Similarly, yogurt that has gone bad will begin to puddle. Some yogurt will naturally have some liquid lasting on top, but a large amount of liquid indicates spoilage, as does the formation of mold.

10. Fishy seafood

Spoiled fish will have slimy flesh with a slippery coating. You might also notice that the fish begin to smell much stronger. Try to eat any fresh-caught fish within thirty-six hours. If this isn’t a likely possibility, clean and freeze them as soon as you get them home.

Final Words

While these aren’t the only signs of food spoilage, these are certainly easy ways to determine if your food is safe to eat. By exercising a little extra caution when preparing your meals, you can rest easy that you are safe from illness and be able to enjoy the delicious fruits of your homesteading labor.

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