These preservation methods will help you build your food storage up and be well prepared in case of an emergency. Learning these methods to preserve your own food at home is something every family should implement.

For more information, visit the blog post: https://melissaknorris.com/6waysto-preservefoodat-home/

Discover the 9 home food preservation methods to safely store delicious food for year-round eating with my step-by-step tutorials, recipes, and easy-to-use charts. Get ready to learn everything you need to know about cold storage (aka freezer), water bath/steam canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, fermenting, freeze-drying, root cellar, infusion, and salt/curing!

Pre-order your copy of Everything Worth Preserving here: https://melissaknorris.com/book/everything-worth-preserving/

**********************

LINKS MENTIONED (some of these links may be affiliate links, I may make a small commission if you make a purchase, but trust I only recommend products I use and love.):

– ForJars canning lids (10% off with code “Modern10”): https://forjars.co?sca_ref=2195304.2kwlXXZ7Yw
– Denali canning lids (save 15% for every $75 spent with code “SPENDNSAVE”): https://denalicanning.com?sca_ref=1764075.IEWK7IkGcD
– Redmond’s Real Salt https://shop.redmond.life?afmc=Pioneering 15% off with coupon code “Pioneering” at checkout
– Echinacea Tincture: https://melissaknorris.com/echinacea-tincture/
– How to Braid Garlic: https://melissaknorris.com/pioneering-today-how-to-braid-garlic/
– My book, Everything Worth Preserving: https://melissaknorris.com/book/everything-worth-preserving/

**********************

Listen in to the top #10 rated Pioneering Today Podcast for Home & Garden for Simple Modern Homesteading Tips https://melissaknorris.com/podcast-2/

**********************

My Books:

Everything Worth Preserving https://melissaknorris.com/preservingbook
The Family Garden Planner http://melissaknorris.com/planner
The Family Garden Plan https://melissaknorris.com/family-garden-plan
Hand Made 100+ From Scratch Recipes https://melissaknorris.com/handmade-book
The Made-from-Scratch Life https://melissaknorris.com/made-from-scratch-life

**********************

Howdy! I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Melissa from Pioneering Today and a 5th generation see homesteader where I’m doing my best to hold onto the old traditions in a modern world and share them with others.

Click any of the below links for FREE resources and training to help you on your homestead!

Homemade Sourdough Starter Series https://melissaknorris.com/learnsourdough

How to Pressure Can Series https://melissaknorris.com/pressurecanning

Beginners Home Canning Safety https://melissaknorris.com/canningclass

For raising, cooking, and preserving your own food come hang out with on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/melissaknorris/
and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/melissaknorris/

**********

#preservationmethods #preserving #preservingfood

WHAT LIVESTOCK DO YOU SUGGEST FOR BEGINNERS AND WHY? –

My livestock for beginners list… , , , , , –
After those would come the medium difficulty livestock, mini , , , ,

If you don’t see it there I think it’s hard.
Today we release a video on the channel that talks all about what animals are best for beginners and which are harder and better for the more advance homesteader. –

Like most things on our channel this list is generated by my own personal experience and you may completely disagree with my list of easy and harder animals. So explain your choices in the comments below!

You have your land, beautiful grass growing, and even some fencing up, and now you find yourself asking the question all new homesteaders ask – What livestock should I raise? 

If you want to be as self sufficient as possible, producing your own families food with as few outside inputs as possible we are going to help you select the right type of livestock and how many you should purchase. 

Before you select your livestock you need to focus on the goal for your homestead. Is your number one goal to feed your family the best quality food you can? Is the goal to run a totally self sufficient homestead, one that you produce all your own feed, forage, etc for your animals, do all your own breeding? 

Today’s video answers a question from a Youtube Viewer Evie who asks 

“Could you do a video on how many of each animal you suggest that a large homesteading family have to be as self sufficient as possible food wise?”

So to help answer Evie and any other of you viewers or readers who are focused on Self Sufficiency, we have a list of livestock that require the most minimal inputs from outside sources that will help feed your family, even when times get tough. 

In part 2 of this series we will add a few more livestock options that will help you feed your family, but require more outside inputs and so are less self sufficient. 

The Best Livestock For Self Sufficiency Focused Homesteaders

Sheep – An animal that can produce both milk and meat from just grass, sheep are on the top of the list for the self sufficient homesteader. If you have good quality pasture and live in a warm climate you could raise a small flock of sheep to provide your family food from without purchasing much from outside sources. For a large family I suggest starting with 2 Ewes and a Ram, and eventually growing to 4 Ewes. A Ram is a necessity if your family is focused on self sufficiency as you will need to breed your sheep each year for more milk and meat.
Goats – Goats almost magically turn weeds into delicious milk and meat too. Let these hedge trimmers loose on your homestead (well not completely loose, some sort of fencing will be needed) and watch them turn weeds and brambles into food. We like Nubian goats for their tasty high butterfat milk. If your does have buck kids you can raise those for meat, as Nubians can grow quite large. For a large family who want to be self sufficient start with 2 Does and 1 Buck and grow to 4 does. 
Chickens – Depending on the breed chickens can be master foragers. Living outside they can find bugs and plants to munch on all day. They will still need some feed, but their diet can be supplemented with scraps from your own family or from your garden, or even with bugs raised to feed them, such as Black Solider Fly Larvae. Each morning you can enjoy harvesting farm fresh eggs, and when it is time to cull birds you will have hens or extra roosters to put in the stew pot or pot pies. 
Ducks – Ducks actually out perform chickens in many categories. They are better foragers, produce more eggs, produce bigger eggs, and are more hardy in bad weather. Instead of raising all chickens, add some ducks to your flock. They can live with your chickens and make your homestead even more self sufficient. 
Bees – Bees are not right for everyone, but if you like the idea of working with these little guys flying around you, they are one of the most self sufficient animals you can bring onto your homestead. Once you build their initial infrastructure they require almost nothing from you as far as feed goes. Sometimes you will need to supply them with something to help them last the winter, but all spring, summer and fall bees will forage the flowers of your farm, meanwhile creating one of natures most amazing treats. 
Fish – If you have water on your property, or a place that would work for installing a pond, you can enjoy another self sufficient system that will help feed your family and provide you with some fun too. A small pond can become completely self sufficient, when properly manage and initially stocked. Watch as bugs, reptiles, birds and of course more fish begin making your pond home, and when you want to take an hour or two to relax load up on pan fish and have a good old fish fry! 
These are the BEST livestock for self sufficiency focused homesteaders. 

In part 2 of this series we will add to this list a few more animals that you will want if you are more focused on feeding your family, and less worried about ABSOLUTE self sufficiency.

LINKS TO QUOTES
Grassfeeding Challenges – https://www.sheepandgoat.com/grassfed
Chickens Need More -https://articles.extension.org/pages/66121/can-chickens-survive-eating-only-grass

LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going!
Becoming a Pioneer – You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts!

https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/