From Garden to Pantry – One of the most rewarding parts of homesteading is preserving your homegrown harvest. Whether you’re facing a bumper crop of tomatoes or want to enjoy your herbs in winter, learning how to can, freeze, and dehydrate food is key to stretching your efforts year-round.
Let’s walk through the basics of each method so you can stock a pantry that truly works for your homestead.
1. From Garden to Pantry – Why Preserve Your Own Food?
- Saves money on groceries year-round
- Reduces waste from garden surplus
- Builds food security and self-reliance
- Lets you control ingredients (no preservatives, less sugar/salt)
It’s also deeply satisfying to line your shelves with food you grew and preserved yourself.
2. From Garden to Pantry – Canning: Shelf-Stable Security
Canning involves sealing food in jars using heat to kill bacteria and create a vacuum seal.
Two Main Methods:
- Water Bath Canning
For high-acid foods like fruits, pickles, jams, tomatoes (with lemon juice).
Equipment: Canner pot, jars, lids, jar lifter, funnel. - Pressure Canning
Required for low-acid foods like vegetables, meats, and soups.
Equipment: Pressure canner, not to be confused with a pressure cooker.
Canning Tips:
- Always follow approved recipes (like from Ball or your extension office)
- Sterilize jars and check for cracks before use
- Leave proper headspace in jars and wipe rims before sealing
- Label jars with date and contents
3. From Garden to Pantry – Freezing: Fast and Easy
Freezing is great for fresh produce, pre-made meals, and extras like broth or herbs.
Freezing Guidelines:
- Blanch vegetables before freezing to preserve texture and nutrients
- Use freezer-safe bags or containers with as little air as possible
- Label everything clearly with contents and date
- Keep a freezer inventory list to reduce waste
Freezer-Friendly Items:
- Green beans, corn, berries, peas, zucchini, peppers
- Chopped herbs in oil (frozen in ice cube trays)
- Cooked meals like soups, casseroles, and stews
4. From Garden to Pantry – Dehydrating: Long-Lasting and Lightweight
Dehydration removes moisture to prevent spoilage and extend shelf life.
Methods:
- Electric dehydrator (most consistent and hands-off)
- Oven on low heat
- Solar dehydrator for sunny climates
Great for Dehydrating:
- Apples, bananas, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, mushrooms, jerky
Tips:
- Slice foods evenly for consistent drying
- Store in airtight jars or vacuum-sealed bags
- Keep in a cool, dark place for maximum shelf life
5. From Garden to Pantry – Storing Preserved Foods Safely
- Keep canned goods in a cool, dark, dry space
- Watch for spoiled jars: bulging lids, leaks, or off smells
- Use oldest items first (“first in, first out” method)
- Regularly rotate stock and update your inventory
6. From Garden to Pantry – Tools Worth Having
- Canning kit (jar lifter, funnel, magnetic lid lifter)
- Pressure canner
- Freezer-safe bags/containers + vacuum sealer (optional)
- Dehydrator
- Labels or chalkboard stickers
- Pantry shelves or canning cabinet
Final Thoughts:
Food preservation connects you to your land, your labor, and your future. It’s a skill that brings comfort, preparedness, and pride. Start with a few small batches, learn what your family loves to eat, and expand your pantry little by little. Before long, your shelves will reflect a year of growth and grit—and that’s the true taste of homesteading.
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MORE WAYS TO CONNECT
We also, as a homesteading family, have a variety of blogs that might interest you. A Life on the Farm focuses on the more personal side of the homesteading life. We discuss subjects like family, parenting, relationships, homeschooling, cooking, canning and so much more.
Two Oaks Farm Talk concerns the more technical side of homesteading. We discuss subjects like gardening, food prep, and farm building and construction with lots of tutorials!
Farm Raised Family is basically a hub for everything under the Two Oaks Farmstead umbrella. You can learn a great deal about all parts of the farmstead there. The Farm Raised Family blog focuses on financial matters such as budgeting, saving, and more and on current events affecting families.
You can also have a more in depth look at all that we do by visiting our Two Oaks Farmstead YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss a thing!
Farm Life and Freedom is the new podcast we are in the process of launching! It is going to be so much fun! You could also check in with our Farm Life and Freedom Youtube Channel.
Two Oaks Farmstead is the farm store… the one that holds the umbrella! Check us all out and join us, not only on our blogs and Farm Life and Freedom podcast but come join the fun on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… wherever you get social!
