🍅🥕Your Guide to Canning: Preserve Nature's Bounty with Triple E Farm!

written by

posted on

July 31, 2023

Here at Triple E Farm, we're always looking for ways to connect with nature and make the most of what it provides us. This month, we're excited to delve into the world of canning — an age-old method of preserving food that's making a comeback

Why Canning?

Canning is more than just a trendy hobby — it's a practical, economical, and sustainable way to store food. It allows us to capture the freshness and nutrition of fruits, vegetables, and more at their peak, so we can enjoy them year-round. It reduces waste, saves money, and gives us control over what goes into our food.

Canning for Beginners: Tips to Get You Started

Start Simple: If you're new to canning, start with high-acid foods like jams and pickles. They're less likely to spoil and don't require special equipment beyond a boiling water canner.
Use Fresh Produce: The quality of your preserved food is only as good as the fresh food you start with. Use ripe, unblemished fruits and vegetables for the best results.
Follow Recipes Closely: Canning isn't the time to get creative with recipes. To ensure food safety, it's important to use tested recipes and follow them precisely.

Benefits of Canning

Nutrition Retention: Canning preserves most of the nutrients in food — especially heat-sensitive and water-soluble ones, such as vitamins A, C, and B.

Longevity: Properly canned food can last for years, helping you build a pantry that can sustain you through winter months or emergencies.

Sustainability: Canning reduces reliance on commercially canned foods, cutting down on packaging waste and the environmental impact of transportation.

Canning: A Pillar of a Strong Local Food System

Canning plays a significant role in building and supporting a robust local food system. By preserving locally grown produce, we can enjoy homegrown flavors all year round, reducing dependence on imported foods. Plus, canned goods make fantastic gifts — they're a great way to share the bounty of our region with others and celebrate our local food culture.

Moreover, canning connects us to our food in a profound way. It allows us to participate directly in the process of food preservation, giving us a deeper appreciation for the effort and resources that go into growing food.

Beginner-Friendly Blueberry Jam Recipe

With berries in peak season right now, what better way to start your canning journey than with a simple, delicious blueberry jam recipe? Whether you pick them wild, gather from your garden, or fill your bucket at a local farm, fresh, locally grown berries will make this jam truly special.

Ingredients:

8 cups fresh blueberries

6 cups sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (optional)

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon butter (optional, to reduce foaming)

Instructions:

In a large pot, crush the blueberries.
Add sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, lemon zest, and butter (if using) to the pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
Once the mixture reaches a rolling boil, continue to boil it, still stirring frequently, until it reaches the gel stage. This can take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. To test for the gel stage, use the spoon or sheeting method: Dip a cool metal spoon into the boiling jelly mixture and lift it about one and a half feet above the pot to pour the mixture back in. When the mixture first starts to boil, it will drip off the spoon in light, syrupy drops. As it gets closer to being done, the drops will become heavier, and they will slide off the spoon two at a time, side by side. When the two drops join together and "sheet" off the spoon, the jelly is done.
Ladle the hot jam into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Remove any air bubbles, wipe the rims clean, and seal with the lids.
Process the jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.
Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Remember, properly canned food can last for years when stored in a cool, dark place. Always check for signs of spoilage before consuming. Enjoy your homemade canned blueberry jam!

And, canning is not just about preserving food — it's about preserving a lifestyle that values self-reliance, sustainability, and a deep connection with the earth's bounty. Here at Triple E Farm, we're proud to be part of that tradition and part of supporting a strong local food system. We hope you'll join us.

Happy canning!

How to succeed with a natural farm direct bird. Tips for thawing and cooking.

So, you're getting a farm direct Thanksgiving turkey this year... Failing to cook the turkey is basically the worst thing that can happen on Thanksgiving. This is especially true when you buy a farm direct turkey. When you know the farmer, you probably care even more about that bird (I'd even say it tastes better for that reason, too). For a small regenerative farm like ours, freezing turkeys right after processing is the best way to give you the best quality turkeys (while not wasting any, too). Thawing takes a little more planning, so we're here to help you get set up for success. It's so important to plan ahead. You need to make sure: Your turkey is fully thawed before you cook it. You know how long it will take to cook, so you can serve Thanksgiving dinner on time. Keep reading so you can make your choices now. Then, you can know how much time is needed for each step. How to thaw Keep your turkey in the freezer until you're ready to thaw it. When you get a Triple E turkey, it will arrive frozen (or maybe slightly thawed). And now you have 2 choices on how to thaw it: Slow thaw in the fridge. For every 4-5 pounds of turkey, you’ll need about 24 hours of thawing time. So, for a 11-13lb bird, plan for 2-3 days of thawing in the fridge. I recommend putting your bird on a plate/platter in the fridge. This is just in case there's a small hole in the package. You don't want turkey juices on everything in your fridge!Quick thaw in cold water. For every pound of turkey, plan for 30 seconds of thawing. So, for a 11-13lb bird, plan for a 5-7 hour thaw time. Put the turkey in a sink or bowl of cold water. Check the water every 30-60 minutes. If it's warming up, change it to fresh cold water. Once thawed, it will last 1-2 days in the fridge. Always keep a turkey cold, when thawing or when storing in the fridge after thawing. This keeps it in best quality and safe for eating. How to cook This part is only about cook time. How you prep and season, to brine or not to brine, to stuff or not to stuff. Those are your choices! Standard cooking. This is likely the way your mom cooked a turkey! It's probably the most common way to cook a turkey nowadays. Here's how it's done: Preheat your oven to 425F.Cook your turkey uncovered for 30-45 minutes.Tent the pan with foil or put a lid on your roasting pan. Lower the temp to 350F.Every 45 minutes, brush or baste your turkey with the pan drippings.Continue cooking until done. This should take a total of 13 minutes for each pound of unstuffed turkey (15 minutes for every pound of stuffed turkey). Your meat thermometer should read 165F when inserted into the thickest part of the bird. Low and slow cooking. Pastured birds like ours that get a lot of exercise. Natural birds like ours that aren't injected with saline or tenderizers. They're old fashioned. So, they tend to have more bite than a modern store bought turkey. For this reason, slow cooking is a great idea. And, it's how everyone used to do it 100 years ago. Here's how you do it: Preheat your oven to 350F.Put your turkey in the oven uncovered, and turn down the heat to 250F.Every 1-2 hours, brush or baste your turkey with the pan drippings. While you do this, watch to see if the skin is getting too dark. If it is, tent with foil or put a lid on the pan.Continue cooking until done. This should take a total of 15-17 minutes for each pound of unstuffed turkey (17-19 minutes for every pound of stuffed turkey). Your meat thermometer should read 165F when inserted into the thickest part of the bird. Leave time for extra cooking or resting. In case your turkey needs a little more time to cook, make sure to leave some wiggle room. Also make sure to leave at least 30 minutes for your turkey to rest before serving. This makes sure it's nice and moist and juicy.

Regenerative can mean something different to every farm. Here are our 5 principles.

In our neck of West Virginia, we're the only farm that claims to be regenerative. Why are we the only regenerative farm in a 50 mile radius? Well, my first thought is that the life of a farmer isn't easy. My second thought is that farmers simply aren't paid like they used to be. Most people nowadays view farming as a side gig instead of a career. They want it to be easy, and trucking in outside fertilizer and spraying and overgrazing sure are easy... at least in the short term. Not me and my brother Phil. We want to take it back to the olden days when you could support your family 100% through farming. To make a living with farming, you 100% need your land and animals to be healthy and productive. Since I want to work with nature (instead of against it), this means regenerative farming. Although we're the only ones in our area, we're thankfully not alone in the movement overall. Allen Willians from Understanding Ag and the Soil Health Academy says that they're consulting on 35 million acres in the US and 55 million acres globally. Wow! There’s more and more interest and more and more land being converted every year. Wow and thank goodness!! But any movement sometimes comes with an unfortunate downside. In the natural food world, the term "regenerative" has sadly become somewhat overused (dare I say greenwashed). So, to make what Triple E does super clear for you, I'm going to outline what regenerative means to us right now. Here are Triple E's 5 principles of regenerative farming: ----- Principle #1: We practice adaptive, rotational grazing. Rotational grazing means that your animals move to fresh, new pasture often. It's kinda like it used to be when herds of bison or deer moved from area to area. After the animals are done eating down a pasture, we allow the land ample time to regrow. We let our pasture rest 40 days at minimum. When the animals move on, the new manure on top naturally fertilizes the land. The roots to spread and naturally til the soil (without mechanical tilling). The microbiology in the soil does its thing. And the plants take and fix back nutrients into the soil. We don't overgraze. We have about 20 cows to an acre. We use moveable fences to move the cows at minimum 1x per day (this also keeps the cows fuller - every time you move a cow they eat more). We practice adaptive grazing, which means we don't operate on a strict and set schedule. If grass it growing, they need less pasture. If it’s a drought, then they need a bigger space to graze. In the spring, they need less space because of the fresh growth. If the weather is in our favor, we sometimes move the cows 2-3x per day! Principle #2: We keep cows outside, even in the winter. This can be a contested issue when it comes to animal welfare. Some people think it's too cold and cows need winter jackets. But, in my experience, cows don't feel cold until it's below 20F. So why not have the cows out in the fresh air an sunshine all year? That's what we do. They typically have access to indoors, but they rarely use it. In the warmer months, they're eating lots of fresh pasture. In the colder months or drought, we give them dry pasture (AKA hay). With pigs, we do the same thing. But birds are a different story. They won't like it if it's too cold. So, we don't grow broilers in the colder months. And the laying hens are given inside space in the winter. Principle #3: We don't use sprays. No crazy chemicals here! That's right. We don't spray anything on our pastures... even certified organic ones. So no worry about chemicals on our land! We do have our soil tested every so often. If the ratios of minerals are off, we'll have a special blend mixed for where it's needed. This is far from synthetic fertilizers many farms spread everywhere every year. They're simply ground rocks spread strategically and only where it's needed. This helps us get the soil where it needs to be for better growth immediately. As the years of regenerative farming go on, less and less minerals are needed, since nature is naturally balancing itself. Principle #4: We let nature do its thing. Nature loves to be in balance. If humans were to disappear, nature would overtake everything, just like in those post-apocalyptic movies with vines growing on skyscrapers. We follow nature's lead. Nature always tries to cover bare soil. A lot of people try to tear up the land and seed specific plants in. But is that necessary? Nature will let many things grow back. We almost always keep the soil covered and rarely til, only when absolutely necessary or for a specific purpose. Nature always try to stay in balance. For example, if a field is deficient in calcium, you'll likely see more Canadian thistle growing. This is because it pulls calcium and makes it more available in the soil. Or, another example is that pigweed appears when there's a nitrogen imbalance, because it helps balance the nitrogen levels. We respect nature a lot. Principle #5: Diversity is everything to us. We focus on the farm as a whole, not on individual little problems. We encourage many plants and insects and animals to thrive in our pastures. For example, a weed is a plant that you don't want growing somewhere. To us, we don't have really any weeds. Because, as described in the previous principle, every plant has a purpose, whether for the soil or as a food or as a breeding area for beneficial insects. As another example, when a farm uses a pesticide, they’re targeting a very specific pest. But for every one of those "pesky" plants, there’s 1700 beneficial insects that thrive with and around it. And we need those insects for the health of everything else. We choose to focus on increasing beneficial insects instead of killing the handful of potentially harmful ones. We choose to focus on resilience, not destruction. ----- To sum it up, regenerative farming means that we're naturally improving everything year after year. The soil improves --> the plants get healthier and bigger --> the animals get healthier and grow better and fertilize better --> the food becomes more nutrient-dense for you. It's all an amazing natural cycle of health. When we farm naturally, we grow wellness. And want to know one more amazing fact? When you eat regeneratively-farmed, nutrient-dense food, you actually want to eat less. That's because your body is getting more nourishment from each bite when compared to conventional food. No empty calories. Wow! Thank you so so much for your support with our regenerative vision! We sure wouldn't be able to keep going without you eating the food we grow.

Coming Soon: Raw Dairy Pet Food!

Get ready to wag those tails and purr with delight because we're introducing something truly special - 100% Grass-Fed Raw Dairy Pet Food! What makes our raw dairy pet food stand out?...

🍅🥕Your Guide to Canning: Preserve Nature's Bounty with Triple E Farm!

More from the blog

How to succeed with a natural farm direct bird. Tips for thawing and cooking.

Regenerative can mean something different to every farm. Here are our 5 principles.

Coming Soon: Raw Dairy Pet Food!

Adored By Our Customers

Our Mission

Triple E Farms