Here at Northern Homestead, we love fermented foods. We love them because they are delicious, healthy, and simple to make. It is a great way to preserve the harvest. Learn the basics of fermenting food at home. There is a whole science to how food gets lacto-fermented using just salt, ...
Pressure Canning Potatoes the Raw Pack or Hot Pack Method
Pressure canning potatoes using the easy Raw Pack method does not come from a book (See update below). It was developed over the years to see what works best. It is the simplest way to pressure-can potatoes there is, and, in my humble opinion, the best. Of course, I would say so, right? ...
Canned Zucchini Spread (Ikra) Recipe
The Canned Zucchini Spread (Ikra) recipe was mentioned in the Dozen ways to preserve zucchini post. I was not sure what to call it: spread, relish, or condiment? Zucchini Ikra is a delicious end-of-season preserve. Put those veggies into a jar for months to come. There are so many uses for Ikra: A ...
Yellow Split Pea Stew Recipe
The yellow split pea stew recipe is a great dish for busy times. Either make ahead for a weekend and have a big pot full of filling goodness ready for mealtimes, or serve in different versions on weekdays. One day at the grocery store in an Asian alley, I was looking for yellow split peas. I ...
Preparing the Garden for Winter in a Cold Climate
Preparing the garden for winter in a cold climate is essential for the soil and perennial plants. Since we are in Zone 3, winter temperatures can drop to -40 degrees. Although this extreme cold doesn't happen often in our area, it can occur after a warm spell, when most snow has melted. Therefore, ...
Preparing the Greenhouse for Winter
Preparing the greenhouse for winter is as important as preparing the garden. However, it still is different. If you have been following our blog, you know we built a Geodesic Dome greenhouse ourselves. There are multiple ways to prepare a greenhouse, regardless of its size or shape; here are some ...
Preparing Fruit Trees for Winter in a Cold Climate
Preparing fruit trees for winter in a cold climate is essential. We cultivate cold-hardy fruit trees in our cold climate (Zone 3). However, young trees may not have experienced a true cold winter yet, depending on their origin. We cover what qualifies as a cold-hardy tree and provide some reliable ...
End-of-Season Garden Update for 2025
With the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend upon us, it's time for the End-of-Season garden update for 2025. Our urban garden has usually been productive, but I think it’s safe to say that this year it has truly outdone itself. If you are new here, we garden in Alberta, Canada, in plant hardiness zone ...
A Dozen Ways to Preserve Apples
It's apple time around here, and apples are everywhere. Apples are one of the fruit crops that do well in cold climates and short growing seasons. Here are a dozen ways to preserve apples for a variety of options. The apples we can grow here are often smaller and less sweet than those grown in a ...
Apfelrotkohl (Red Cabbage with Apples) Recipe
Apfelrotkohl (Red Cabbage with Apples), also called Rotkohl or Blaukraut, is a favorite side dish of ours. It is a traditional German recipe. We enjoy growing our own red cabbage and preparing the dish once it is harvested in the fall, accompanied by plenty of apples. Then I freeze it, and it is all ...
