How can I ensure that my food is safely prepared? Botulism (from the Botulinum Spore), is a deadly form of food poisoning that is caused by growth of bacteria on food.  Botulism exists as spores or cells; the spores can survive for many years in soil and be harmless, however when the proper conditions exist those spores reproduce into cells which multiply very quickly.  All of those cells combined...

Most people realize that canning is a lot like baking, you must adjust your canning time based on the altitude of where you live. Fruits and vegetables can be safely canned in a boiling water bath or pressure cooker. However, because the temperature of boiling water is lower at higher elevations, you need to increase the processing time.  For example, water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit up to 1,000...

Preserving Food Using Canning: Most fresh foods are very perishable, they spoil and mold because they have a high percentage of water.  In addition, they will also lose their quality. Microorganisms such as bacteria, mold and yeast live and multiply quickly on the surfaces of fresh food.  In addition, they live and multiply on the inside of bruised, insect-damaged, and diseased food. Oxygen and...

Well the cold is upon us and I am very happy with our food stores.  I love to go and pull out a jar of tomatoes for spaghetti or some salsa for a snack.  The dried food is also great for snacks and it is easy to make more even in the winter time. I do regret not having more frozen blueberries for my oatmeal in the morning but next summer I will make sure to get more for freezing, my 2 year old loves...