EPISODE · Jul 21, 2026 · 51 MIN
Food Preservation 101 with Carolyn of Homesteading Family | What I Learned After Canning 500lbs of Meat
from The Shepherdess · host Grace
🐑 Sign up for my FREE one-hour masterclass on raising, grazing, and marketing sheep for $480 per head 📙 Order my book for beginner sheep farmers on small acreage I was so excited to sit down with Carolyn of Homesteading Family, whose videos gave me a huge head start on my first pressure canning project. We cover water bath vs. pressure canning, the most common mistakes that lead to failed seals and siphoning, and how Carolyn shapes her family’s diet around what actually grows and preserves well instead of trying to stock her pantry like a grocery store. If you're new to food preservation or looking to simplify a system that's become too much work, this episode is full of practical, tested advice you can begin using today! TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 Introduction to Carolyn’s North Idaho homestead and how she arrived at this lifestyle 00:06:20 Why community sufficiency beats total self-sufficiency 00:08:03 Shaping your diet around what you actually grow instead of stocking every ingredient in your pantry 00:10:25 Practical tips to streamline your growing, preserving, and eating 00:14:12 Fighting homestead burnout by giving up the pressure to “do it all” 00:17:20 Water bath vs. pressure canning, and the pH science behind food safety 00:22:54 Signs that your canned food has gone bad, and what's actually safe to eat 00:26:35 Troubleshooting failed seals, fat layers, and siphoning in the jar 00:34:45 Nutrient loss in canned vs. freeze-dried food and how to build a rotation system 00:40:16 Practical ways to fit canning into your schedule and choosing the right canning equipment 00:44:21 Troubleshooting liquid loss and when to choose freeze-drying instead of canning RESOURCES MENTIONED Shop the All American Pressure Canners—Carolyn’s top choice for pressure canning Check out the Presto Electric Canner she recommends for beginners Get step-by-step guidance from Carolyn’s canning class on water bath canning, pressure canning, safety, and recipes Subscribe to the Homestead Kitchen Magazine for tested preserving recipes, homesteading tips, and more! CONNECT WITH CAROLYN Website: https://homesteadingfamily.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HomesteadingFamily Podcast: https://homesteadingfamily.com/podcasts/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homesteadingfamily/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily/ CONNECT WITH ME Email: [email protected] Patreon: http://bit.ly/ShepherdessPatreon Blog: http://bit.ly/ShepherdessBLOG Merch: http://bit.ly/ShepherdessMERCH Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harmonyfarms.shepherdess/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarmonyFarmsDorpers MORE FROM THIS EPISODE View full show notes and transcript on the blog Watch this episode on YouTube Send the Shepherdess your feedback about this episode! Support the show
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🐑 Sign up for my FREE one-hour masterclass on raising, grazing, and marketing sheep for $480 per head 📙 Order my book for beginner sheep farmers on small acreage I was so excited to sit down with Carolyn of Homesteading Family, whose videos gave me a huge head start on my first pressure canning project. We cover water bath vs. pressure canning, the most common mistakes that lead to failed seals and siphoning, and how Carolyn shapes her family’s diet around what actually grows and ...
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Food Preservation 101 with Carolyn of Homesteading Family | What I Learned After Canning 500lbs of Meat
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