
Pickling 101: The Ultimate Guide to Everything Pickled
Pickling as a form of food preservation has been around for millennia. According to the “Pickle History Timeline” published by the New York Food Museum, archaeologists believe that pickling originated more than 4,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia (modern day Middle East). Pickled cucumbers (which we most commonly associate with pickled foods) are said to date back to 2030 BC in India, where cucumbers originated.
Aristotle is said to have praised the curative benefits of pickled cucumbers, they are rumoured to have been one of Cleopatra’s secret beauty weapons in Ancient Egypt, and Julius Caesar apparently fed them to his soldiers for strength. Pickles have even been mentioned in the bible a couple of times! It’s safe to say they are likely one of the world’s oldest “processed” foods.
Since ancient times, pickles have played, and continue to play, an important role in the diets of many cultures around the world. Eastern Europeans have relied on pickling foods to store for the cold winter months and are most well known for kosher and Polish-style pickles, sauerkraut and pickled beets. (And I should know; My family is of good Ukrainian stock and we don’t do a family dinner without all three of these things on the table). The English are known for their sweet pickles, the French for their cornichons, the Middle Easterners for pickled lemons, Koreans for kimchi and Japanese for pickled daikon radishes and ginger root.
Here in North America, home pickling dates back to the early 1600s. Later, in the mid 1800s, more modern canning practices and tools (including the renowned Mason Jar), led to more home canning of pickles the way we know them today.
What does “pickling” mean?
“Pickling” is the term used for preserving food in an acidic solution. There are typically two main ways to achieve this: vinegar and fermentation.
Vinegar: Foods pickled in vinegar can be canned and stored on shelves or in the refrigerator immediately. This is also called the “fresh-pack” or “quick-process” method. Since vinegar is acidic, it is the vinegar that preserves the food. You can use either white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar, as long as the acidity level is 5%. This is the way most commercially-produced pickles are made and it is the method many people most commonly associate with pickling in modern times.
Fermentation: You can also make pickles “the old fashioned way,” through fermentation. Fermentation is the process of naturally-occurring sugars breaking down in foods as they are left to sit over a period of time time. In the case of pickles, fermentation can be achieved through placing certain foods in a salt-water solution and leaving it to sit until the sugars break down and create a substance called lactic acid. The lactic acid itself becomes the acidic solution needed for pickling, so the addition of vinegar is unnecessary.
While using vinegar is probably the easiest, quickest and least intimidating method of pickling for most people, fermentation provides many more health benefits. In fact, unless you’ve been living totally off-grid for the past few years (in which case thank you for choosing my blog as one of your few connections to the outside world!), you probably know that fermented foods are all the rage right now. Everything from sauerkraut and kimchi to kefir and kombucha is a product of fermentation, which explains their popularity at the moment. Alcohol is also a product of fermentation. Its popularity is timeless and has nothing to do with health benefits; That, however, is an article for another day!
Back to pickling: the lactic acid in fermented pickles produces all sorts of beneficial enzymes, nutrients and good bacteria that promote gut health. While one method of pickling is neither better nor worse than the other, you might choose to do one or the other depending on your comfort and experience level with home pickling and canning, how much time you have/want to devote and what health benefits you are looking to reap in the end.
What can be pickled?
The best practices for pickling different foods will vary depending on the food, and not all foods are shelf-stabled when pickled. For example, eggs can be pickled and preserved for up to about 4 months in the refrigerator, but should not be canned and stored at room temperature. In fact, according to the National Centre for Home Food Preservation, pickled eggs stored at room temperature have caused botulism, a deadly foodborne disease. So always make sure you follow tested instructions specific for the foods you are pickling and canning.
Pickling Styles
Aside from different methods of pickling, there are some notable styles of pickling as well. Here are a few of the most popular cucumber-pickling styles:
Dill Pickles
Dill Pickles are by far the most popular type of pickles in North America. They are made with dill (duh) and a vinegar solution, although they may either be fresh-packed or fermented. They may or may not have garlic (garlic dills).
Kosher & Polish-Style (Polski Ogorki)
I’ve combined kosher and Polish-style pickles here since they are very similar, and in fact kosher pickles have origins in Poland as well as other traditionally Jewish areas. Now, this description will be the longest as I could probably write an essay about these types of pickles alone. Suffice it to say that -from my understanding- they are both variations of dill pickles, however they are always fermented, never fresh-packed, and garlic isn’t an option, it’s an absolute MUST.
Garlic is, after all, one of the few but mighty staples of Eastern European cuisine. In fact, while doing research for this article, I found many sources that claimed the addition of garlic to pickles is the thing that makes a pickle kosher. I don’t know that I’m sold on that and that alone, but garlic is a must anyway. Also, both kosher and Polish-style pickles are fermented in a salt-water solution.
Traditionally both koshers and Polski Ogorkis do not use any vinegar and they are never fresh-packed, because hey, that wasn’t really an option in the old country. In fact, the traditional way of making these types of pickles was to put vegetables, including cucumbers, cabbage and beets, in large vats or barrels with a salt-water (and garlic… don’t forget the garlic!) solution and allow these vats of veggies to ferment in a warm place before moving and storing them in a cool location. When Jews and Eastern Europeans migrated to North America, they brought this pickling style with them and the rest is pretty much history.
As far as the difference between kosher pickles and Polish-style, from my research (both online and talking to Jews and Eastern Europeans who all have a different opinion), it seems the biggest difference is simply that Polish-style pickles use a little more dill and spices, giving them a bit more of a kick. Also, some say that kosher pickles must be made with kosher salt while Polish-style can be made with regular pickling salt (which is how my mom makes hers). According to one Jewish respondent, “kosher pickles are simply pickles made by a Jewish mother on Brisket Sundays.” Hehe;) At least, I think he was joking…
One other distinction is that true kosher pickles must adhere to kosher food standards, including not having any animal products present or even traces of them. Therefore, to ensure a commercially-produced pickle is truly kosher, a rabbi must inspect the facility where they’re made and certify it. Or, of course, you could just make them at home, which is always the better choice.
Half-Sour
Half-sour pickles are pretty much exactly what they sound like: half-sour. They are made in a salt-water brine that doesn’t contain any vinegar (like koshers and Polish pickles). But instead of being left to ferment completely (sour pickles), half sours are fermented for less time; Typically only a few days. Many who prefer half-sours say they like them better because fermenting for less time makes them crispier.
Sweet/Bread and Butter
Sweet pickles or “Bread and Butter” pickles are pickles that are sweet rather than sour due to the addition of sugar in the brine. They can be either fresh-packed or fermented.
Pickle Do’s and Don’ts
DO: Follow a tested pickling recipe to ensure a safe and tasty end product.
DO: Follow recommended canning procedures from a reputable source to ensure a safe and tasty end product. I recommend the National Centre for Food Preservation or any of the Ball home canning guides. This one is my go-to. I use it so much I have bookmarked many of the pages!
DO: Use commercially-produced vinegars. Both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar can be used for pickling. White vinegar has a sharper taste but will not discolour your pickled products. Apple cider vinegar has a more subtle taste but can darken produce. Certain types of vinegar are better for different things, but whichever you use, it has to have 5% acidity.
The easiest way to ensure this is to use commercially-produced (store-bought) vinegars. For example, I make my own apple cider vinegar, but since it’s homemade, I can’t be sure of the acidity levels. In fact, I can taste that mine isn’t as acidic as the store-bought variety, so I buy some to use for pickling.
DO: Store opened pickles in the refrigerator. Pretty simple.
DO: Try pickling at home! As it has been well outlined above, you can pickle pretty much anything and there are so many ways to do it! Again, for a huge variety of tested, tried-and-true recipes, I HIGHLY recommend the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving. This book has over 50 pickling recipes and 400 recipes in total! Aside from recipes passed down to me from my family, every single one of the canning recipes I use so far is taken or adapted from this book.
DON’T: Get creative with recipes. It is very important when canning any foods that you stick to a tested recipe to ensure your canned food is safe to eat. When it comes to pickling, the ratio and percentages of salt and vinegar are very important, so don’t mess with these. Once you become more seasoned at pickle-making, you can add different herbs and spices, but even these can affect the safety and quality of your pickles if you put too much of any one thing. If you’re new to pickle-making, get your feet wet with tried-and-true recipes before attempting to put your own spin on things.
DON’T: Follow outdated canning procedures. Much like following tested recipes, it is super important to follow up-to-date safe canning methods as recommended by a reputable source. While you might have a grandmother or relative who says “we never boiled our jars of pickles in a hot-water bath and I’m still alive,” it is still recommended that you follow up-to-date procedures just to be on the safe side.
My mom doesn’t process her pickles in hot water. She simply turns her jars with her fermented pickles and hot brine upside down and lets the hot water inside seal the jar lids. But sealed lids aren’t enough! In order to ensure dangerous bacteria are killed, you must process your jars in hot water for a specified amount of time (usually about 10-15 minutes).
Sure, my mom’s pickles haven’t killed her (or me) yet and probably never will. But I’m not taking that risk with my family. I love her recipe, but I use safe, tested canning methods to make sure I get to love her recipe for a long time to come.
DON’T: Use regular table salt for pickles. Most pickle recipes call for pickling salt or kosher salt, so use one of these two, or at least use sea salt if that’s your only option. While using table/iodized salt is not necessarily life-threatening, it can cake together, make the water cloudy and change the colour of whatever it is that you’re canning.
DON’T: Freak out if your garlic turns blue when pickled! (I did the first time I pickled beans!) This can happen when certain compounds in garlic react to the acid in your brine. This blue garlic is still totally safe to eat, so no worries there. However if you don’t love the colour, you can try to prevent this from happening by using distilled water for pickling, using iodine-free salt, using stainless steel or enamelled cookware, blanching garlic before pickling, and storing fresh and pickled garlic in a cool, dark place (source: The Spruce).
Where to Begin?
If you’re just starting out, I recommend starting with the fresh-pack method (pickling in a vinegar solution). But nothing says you can’t try out some fermented pickles! I’ll be posting my mom’s recipe for Ukrainian-Style Garlic Dill Pickles (like Polish-style) when cucumbers are ready for harvest in a couple months.
As for any special equipment, I highly recommend a jar lifter for lifting jars in and out of your canner. I honestly don’t know how I would can without these. I’d probably have burned my hand pretty badly already. For a few bucks, they are well worth the investment to keep you from getting burned and keep your jars from breaking as the grip on these lifters is really solid.
You might also want to invest in a pressure canner if you plan on doing a lot of canning down the road. While you don’t need to pressure can pickles, you can use the canner for hot water-bath canning as well.
You can buy water bath canners, but I think they’re a waste of money (just my opinion). All you really need for water-bath canning is a regular cooking pot, so long as you place something (like a rack or even folded kitchen towel) on the bottom of the pot between the pot and your canning jars to prevent them from breaking.
A water-bath canner does hold more jars, but so does a pressure canner, and you can can more types of food in it. You can’t can’t do that with a water-bath canner. See what I did there? That’s just my humble opinion though. I have two pressure canners passed down to me by relatives. My favourite is the All-American.
You’ll also need proper canning jars and lids. Any brand of canning jars (Mason Jars) will do: Ball, Kerr, Golden Harvest, Bernardin (which I believe is the Canadian version of Ball)… I usually buy mine for super cheap at local thrift stores.
You can totally reuse old jars over and over again, as long as you clean and sterilize them well (which you need to do anyway), and make sure there are no chips in the glass. You can also reuse the canning bands. But always buy new lids. Once they have been sealed and popped off once, the seal is broken and won’t work anymore.
As for any other canning equipment, nothing else is absolutely necessary, but I do love my canning scoop (for scooping brine, jellies and jams, sauces and other liquids into jars without spilling everywhere). I also really love my canning funnel/measuring tool. It helps me make sure all the liquid goes into the jar easily without a mess and also helps me accurately measure headspace in my jars: another super important part of canning.
Make sure to label your jars too. You should always label jars with what they contain (ie. Dill Pickles) as well as the date they were made. Most canned products have a guaranteed shelf life of up to a year or even longer, but you probably don’t want to be eating 15-year-old canned pickles. Dates are important. I need to get better at this myself. Canning labels come in new packs of jars, but if you buy them separately, I like these dissolving labels best because they wipe off the jars easily after you use up the content and wash them for their next use.
Last, make sure you store your jars in a cool, dark place, definitely out of direct sunlight. Also, if any jars don’t seal properly when you first make them you can store them in the fridge for up to 3 months. If you notice jars on your shelves are leaking or the food looks like it has somehow spoiled, don’t eat the pickles. Just toss ‘em. They’re not worth you or your family getting sick.
Pickling for beginners and pros alike
Over all, pickles are a safe, easy way to try your hand at canning for the first time. As long as you follow a tested recipe, you’ll do just fine! If canning isn’t for you but you just love pickles, you can make refrigerator pickles too. There are a whole bunch of refrigerator pickles in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving as well. (Have I mentioned how amazing this book is?)
If, however, you’ve been canning and pickling for years, then I hope you learned something new or were at least entertained by this article! And surely you haven’t tried pickling everything there is to pickle. How about pickled watermelon rinds? Or lemons and limes? Or pumpkin (guess where you can find all those recipes? Yup! ——> BCBHP).
And as always, if you have any of your own pickling recipes, tips or “fun facts,” please do share in the comments section below! I love, love, love to hear from all my lovely readers!
Now go forth! Pickle, preserve and procreate! (Sorry, I needed another “p” word). But hey, if pickling strikes your fancy, I am not here to judge! Just make sure to enjoy:)
Until next time,
Related Posts:
4 Comments
Submit a Comment

ABOUT ANNA
You Might Also Like
How to Safely Can Meat For Long-Term Food Storage
Whether you have a surplus of beef from your own livestock, some wild venison meat from a recent hunt, or you found a great deal on some beef, pork or lamb from a local farm or even the grocery store, learning how to safely can meat at home is an easy way to preserve...
Low-Sugar Strawberry Jam with Pomona’s Pectin
* This article contains affiliate links. For more information, please read my Affiliate Disclosure. This low-sugar strawberry jam recipe is made with Pomona’s pectin and preserves the bright, fresh taste of summer strawberries all year long (without the...
It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
• Grow your own groceries
• Stock your pantry
• Create a natural home
• Get prepared
• Learn other important life skills like time management for homesteaders, goal setting and how to become your own handyman
And more!
If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
#homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homesteadingskills #preparedness
There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
🌿 Natural Living and Herbal Medicine Mastery: Discover the secrets to creating a low-tox home and and to growing, making and using herbal remedies to support your family’s health, naturally.
🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
🏡 Private Community: Join our private community forum where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with like-minded individuals.
I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#selfreliance #selfreliant #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #sustainableliving #modernhomesteading #homesteadingskills #preparedness
Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
.
.
.
#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
.
.
.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#momentsofcalm
#pursuejoy
#simplepleasuresoflife
#thatauthenticfeeling
#findhappiness
#artofslowliving
#simplelifepleasures
#lifesimplepleasure
#simplepleasuresinlife
#thatauthenticlife
#authenticlifestyle
#liveanauthenticlife
#livinginspired
#savouringhappiness
#livemoment
#localgoodness
#simplelive
#lifeouthere
#enjoywhatyouhave
#frugallifestyle
#homesteadingmama
#offgridhomestead
#modernfarmhousekitchen
#crunchymama
#rusticfarmhouse
#farmhouseinspo
#farmhouselife
#modernhomesteading
#backyardfarmer
A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#garlic
#garlicscapes
#garlicscapespesto
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#herbalgarden
#gardenherbs
#herbsfromthegarden
#freshherbsfromthegarden
#gardenfreshherbs
#chiveblossoms
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#seasonalrecipes
#eatinseason
#liveseasonally
#eattheseasons
#seasonaleats
#summersbounty
#eatseasonal
Whether you live in the city and grow a few herbs on your balcony, have a few backyard chickens in the suburbs or live in the country and have a larder full of enough home-canned food to survive the apocalypse, if living a more homemade, homegrown, self-sufficient lifestyle is important to you, Modern Homesteading Magazine was made for you!
Read it today through the link in my bio!
https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife
#granolamom
#urbanhomesteader
#homesteadlifestyle
#farmerslifeforme
#backyardhomesteading
#homesteadingfamily
#sustainablelifestyles
#happyhomesteading
#homesteadersofamerica
#homesteaders
#backyardhomestead
#hobbyfarmer
#selfsufficientliving
This radish top pesto recipe makes good use of the edible radish greens that often get discarded once they’re separated from the root. The end result is a peppery, slightly spicy twist on a classic pesto recipe.
A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/radish-top-pesto-recipe/
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#houseandhomestead
#radishes
#vegetablerecipes
#sustainablecooking
#foodforeveryone
#eatlocallygrown
#seasonalrecipes
#freshandlocal
#eatingseasonally
#eatlocallygrown
#seasonalproduce
#eatseasonalfood
#seasonalshift
#seasonalfoods
#homesteadmom
#homesteadmoments
#homesteadingskills
#homesteady
#thehomestead
#thehomesteadlife
#summeronthehomestead
#suburbanhomesteading
#lovemyfarm
#modernhomesteader
#countrygal
#country_living
#urbanhomesteading
#selfsustainableliving
#homesteaderslife

This was super informative! I’ve been wanting to try pickling and had no idea this much went into it. I’ll definitely try out the fresh-pack method to start. Thanks for sharing!!
Glad you found it useful! There’s definitely a rich history behind pickling and fermenting foods!
Where do you stand on removing canning bands after waterbathing pickles
I can go either way with removing the bands. I’ve started to remove them more now, but I’ve never had a problem with keeping them on either. I think as long as you’re following proper canning procedure and rotating your food stores, not stacking jars on top of one another (at least within reason) that leaving the canning bands on is ok. However the professional advice is to remove them, if that helps;)