Basic Canning - How to get started

One of the most popular methods of food storage is home canning. It follows the basic principle of putting your food in a jar, sealing it, and setting it on the shelf. That's about it! It's no wonder that the method is so popular, as it is one of the easiest and can preserve a wide range of foods. Whether it's fresh tomatoes, carrots, or beans from your garden, or meats from the butcher (or even your farm) canning has you covered. In this introductory article we will take a look at the equipment needed, what you can preserve and how to do it.

The first thing you will need is a set of jars with which to preserve your food. Many sets are available for purchase online or in some home goods stores like Target, Wal-Mart, and Bed Bath and Beyond. You will probably want to start with a kit like this:

 

Site Updates and National News

TUPH Readers - Just wanted to point everyone to the top of the page to take a look at and register at our forums. They are up, running, and waiting for some lively discussion. If anybody needs help navigating them or setting up an account, email us and let us know. We will gladly help to get you involved!

Here at TUPH our message is to prepare you for small scale but likely disasters - and two of them were in the news today. First, our thoughts and prayers are with all the victims of the disasters mentioned. We are not trying to glamorize or capitalize on what happened, but it is our job to make you aware of their deadly potential and help you get ready for them. Read after the break for today's important news and events.

Basics of Food Storage

It’s becoming that time of the year when the seasons start to change and it gets cold. The growing season is over, and as a result certain foods are no longer available. We don’t usually think about it, but almost all of our food comes from all over the world.  During the winter months fresh food is always brought to us from places that are warmer via a complex modern transportation system.  I have discussed in previous blogs though that this system is not perfect, and could easily fail. Many years ago when transportation was not as advanced, people had to learn to store food themselves so that it would last into the winter months. Because there isn’t any significant supply of food in any given area, because of the large populations we have now, if transportation were to be stopped due to an emergency, our food supply would effectively be cut off.  Most stores would be cleaned out within a few days, leaving you with nothing for a prolonged amount of time.

The Vehicle Emergency Kit

How much time do you spend in your car every day? You go to and from work, take your kids to school, or even go on road trips. The average person spends 600 hours a year in their vehicle, that’s 25 days! For most of us our car is a lifeline for our day to day business, and that can be the case during an emergency too. Due to the amount of time we spend in our vehicles, it is almost inevitable that we will eventually find ourselves in a hairy situation.  We can’t prepare for every eventuality but we can prepare for what we think is most likely.