Long Term Food Storage Methods

Nov 11, 2010 by

Today we have many options for long term food storage, as long as all of our appliances are operating properly. There are several techniques used to preserve fresh foods for extended periods of time under normal conditions, including freezing, canning, dehydrating, and freeze-drying.

Freezing

Archaeologists have found evidence that man started freezing meats thousands of years ago. At first, freezing was only possible during winter months in temperate climates.

Before electricity became common in homes, there was the ice box in the city and the dairy in the country. Dairies were basically underground rooms where temperatures were cooler.

Ice boxes varied in design, but they made use of large blocks of ice to keep milk, dairy products and other foods from spoiling. The first refrigerators were not that different from the iceboxes.

Deep freezers became popular in the 1950s for several reasons. Concerns over previous wars and poor relationships with foreign countries were among them; people were motivated to have extra food on hand “just in case.”

Practically all foods can be frozen. Although the taste can be negatively affected in some cases, the foods are safe to eat for months. It is a common practice among hunters to store wild game in the freezer during the hunting season and use it throughout the year.

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Why chickens Quit Laying

Nov 8, 2010 by

When chickens quit laying, it can be frustrating to families and farmers counting on the eggs for food and income. There are a number of different factors that influence laying hens and can disrupt their production or even cause it to cease for a period of time. These variables include:

Shorter day length
Molting
Broodiness
Age
Nutritional deficiencies
Stress

As the days shorten in the summer and fall, egg production typically drops off accordingly. Hens respond to the amount of sunlight to which they are exposed each day. Instead of the 16 hours of light they receive by the end of June, in late December light is confined to a mere eight hours a day. As the days decrease, so does egg production.

Provide additional artificial light to the hens to bring their total lighted hours closer to 14 hours per day, using a low-watt light bulb in their henhouse and a timer to keep the hours consistent.

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Turkey the Old-Fashioned Way

Oct 18, 2010 by

There are many delicious ways to prepare and serve turkey. It might be deep-fried, brined, poached, grilled…to mention just a few methods of preparation. This article, however, will focus strictly on tips and techniques for preparing perfect turkey the old-fashioned way – oven roasted.

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5 Wonderful Ways to Enjoy Fresh Fall Apples

Oct 17, 2010 by

At this time of year fresh, new-picked apples are at their scrumptious peak. We enjoy simply biting into a fall apple, with the sweet tart juices and the crispy texture that are only to be found in a fruit not long off the tree. However, in autumn apples come in such affordable abundance that we look for ways to use them in our cooking throughout the day. Here’s my menu for a day of apples: from breakfast muffins, to lunch salads, to mid-afternoon snack bars and evening supper (not to mention dessert!).

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