I love harvesting vegetables from the garden and putting them up for later. There’s something satisfying about knowing summer’s work will carry us through the colder months. One of my favorite ways to preserve vegetables is by blanching and freezing them, and broccoli is one of the easiest places to start.
I usually plant far more broccoli than our family can eat during the summer, which makes it a perfect candidate for the freezer. The same method also works well for other garden vegetables like green beans, cauliflower, and carrots, depending on the vegetable and how it holds up to blanching.
How to Blanch Broccoli
I start by harvesting broccoli heads when they are ready, then cut them into bite-size pieces with some stem attached and soak them in cold water. While the broccoli is soaking, I bring a large kettle of water to a boil.
Select good heads of broccoli that have not flowered and are full
Once the water is boiling, I add the broccoli and blanch it for 2.5 minutes. Then I remove it immediately and plunge it into icy water to stop the cooking process. This helps preserve the broccoli’s color, flavor, and texture for long-term storage by slowing the enzymes that can cause spoilage and off-flavors.
Before blanchingAfter blanching
How to Freeze Broccoli
After the broccoli has cooled completely, I spread it out on a cookie sheet and place it in the freezer overnight. This step keeps the pieces from freezing into one big clump, so I can easily grab just what I need later. Once frozen, I transfer the broccoli into quart- or gallon-size freezer bags and store it in the freezer until I’m ready to use it.
I spread the broccoli onto a cookie sheet and place it in the freezer overnight so I can pull out as much as I need.Don’t forget to properly label the bags! Here, I kept it simple: food, and month/year of harvest.
Frozen broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables to pull out in the middle of winter. I use it in dressed-up ramen, soups, stir-fries, and as a simple side dish with dinner. It never seems to last until the next harvest season. Even with my best efforts, we usually run out by February, right around the time I’m planting broccoli again from seed.
Other Vegetables to Blanch and Freeze
The same basic blanch-and-freeze method works well for other vegetables from the garden too. Green beans are a freezer favorite, and I also like to preserve cauliflower and carrots when we have extra. If you grow a garden, freezing vegetables this way is one of the easiest ways to avoid waste and enjoy your harvest later in the year.
Blanching Guide for Garden Vegetables
If you like having a quick reference, here’s a simple blanching guide for a few common garden vegetables, along with the kinds of dishes they work best in after freezing.
Vegetable
Blanch Time
Freezer Life
Best For
Broccoli
2.5 minutes
8–12 months
Roasting, soups, stir-fries, side dishes
Green beans
3 minutes
8–12 months
Side dishes, casseroles, sautés
Cauliflower
3 minutes
8–12 months
Roasting, soups, mash, casseroles
Carrots
2–3 minutes
10–12 months
Soups, stews, roasting, glazing
Brussels sprouts
3–5 minutes
8–12 months
Roasting, skillet dishes, side dishes
Blanch times can vary a little depending on the size and freshness of the vegetable, so use this as a starting point. When I freeze vegetables, I usually label the bag with the date so I can keep track of what needs to be used first.
More Garden Freezer Ideas
In my next post, I’ll cover how to freeze garden vegetables that you fully cook first, such as sweet corn, beets, and squash.
Do you preserve vegetables from your garden? What are your favorites to freeze? Share your favorites in the comments.
If this post was helpful, please like and share it with a friend who loves preserving garden produce.
I love putting up garden produce for later in the year, especially when the freezer starts to feel like a quiet little backup pantry. Some vegetables need to be blanched before freezing, but a few summer favorites are even easier: just prep them, freeze them, and stash them away for winter.
Peppers
Peppers are one of the easiest things to freeze. I wash them, remove the stems and seeds, and slice or chop them depending on how I plan to use them later. Sometimes I leave them whole for stuffed peppers. Then I spread the pieces on a tray or place them directly into freezer bags. Frozen peppers are great for soups, omelets, stir-fries, casseroles, and stuffed peppers.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are another simple freezer food. I usually core them, then place them whole into a gallon freezer bag. This is especially helpful in August when I’m overwhelmed with produce and don’t have time to process everything right away. In winter, when I have more time, I take them out of the freezer. Once they thaw, the skins slip off easily, which makes them especially handy for sauces, soups, and stews.
If I have a bumper crop, freezing tomatoes is one of the fastest ways to deal with them before they start to soften on the counter.
Zucchini
Zucchini is a little more flexible. I usually shred it before freezing, since that works well for muffins, breads, and casseroles. If I want to use it in soups or skillet dishes, I may slice it instead. Zucchini has a high water content, so it won’t always hold its texture perfectly after thawing, but it is still worth freezing when the garden is overflowing. I’ve found that it helps to prep the veggie the way I expect to use it later, because that makes it much more likely I’ll actually use it.
Berries
Berries are one of my favorite easy freezer foods. After washing and drying them well, I spread them on a tray and freeze them before bagging. This keeps them from clumping together so I can grab just what I need for smoothies, muffins, pancakes, or cobblers. Frozen berries are one of those things that make winter breakfasts feel a little brighter.
If you like having a quick reference, here’s a simple guide for these easy freezer foods:
Food
General Method
How Long It Keeps in the Freezer
Best Use After Thawing
Peppers
Wash, remove stems and seeds, slice or chop, then freeze on a tray or in bags
The nice thing about these foods is that they don’t require a lot of extra steps. If you’re short on time, they’re a great way to preserve a harvest quickly and keep food from going to waste.
What easy freezer foods do you like to put away from the garden? Share your favorites in the comments.
If this post was helpful, please like and share it with a friend who loves preserving garden produce.
Somehow, it’s already early July. How is your garden doing?
We’re in Zone 4B, and in late May I shared what we planted in our garden this year. In this post, I’m expanding on that first update and sharing how things are going now. How much work have we done so far? What veggies have we harvested already (spoiler: not too many yet, but that’s changing fast!)?
It’s been a fairly wet season so far (with plenty of tornado warnings), which has meant we haven’t had to start watering yet. I expect that to change as July continues and we slide into our usual hotter, drier stretch.
Think of this as a walk-through of our garden rows, plus a few notes on what’s working, what isn’t, and what we’ve noticed already this year.
Strawberries: The Semi-Permanent Front Row
The first two rows of our garden are dedicated to strawberries. This is a semi-permanent location for them. Back in April, we transplanted the plants, and since then we’ve pinched off the blossoms and weeded the rows.
We’ve been pinching blossoms to allow the plants to focus more on strong root and leaf growth, but have recently stopped. We’ve harvested a grand total of two berries so far (and they’re delicious!). Besides the berries, the plants themselves have sent off large shoots that re‑root themselves. We’ve been working to direct those so they don’t take over the middle of the row.
Root Vegetables: Fresh Salads Now, Storage Roots Later
The next rows are dedicated to root vegetables and salad greens. These rows have shown a rapid return, with us harvesting many salads’ worth of lettuce and spinach (my salad spinner is working overtime!), and we’ve finished harvesting radishes.
Other veggie updates:
Parsnips: They didn’t come up well, so we replanted a couple of weeks ago.
Carrots: They’re coming up great, and we hope to harvest our first fresh carrots (nature’s candy) within the next couple of weeks. My son cannot wait.
Beets: We hope to harvest these soon too.
Red and Yellow Onions
After the root bed come two full rows of onions—both red and yellow.
Our transplanted yellow onions have been growing vigorously; they are now about the size of baseballs. Our red onions are a little further behind, but are still quite healthy.
We’ve started harvesting some of the larger yellow onions. Fresh onions from the garden are divine!
Peas: Kid-Favorite Garden Candy
Our peas are starting to blossom, which means any week now they’ll begin producing. The kids think of them as garden candy, and eat them straight from the vine.
Cucumbers in the Middle (On Purpose) + Tomatoes and Peppers
The cucumbers are coming up well and are starting to blossom. We’ll start getting cucumbers in just a couple of weeks. We planted them in the middle of the garden on purpose, where they’re easy to water and can climb on a trellis without taking over the edges.
I did see my first cucumber beetles this week. Right now I’m just keeping a close eye on them; if anyone has favorite ways to manage cucumber beetles organically, I’d love to hear your advice.
We’ve actually started harvesting some peppers already—delicious!
We have tiny Roma tomatoes on the vine that are steadily getting bigger, and some Early Girls. I expect to get a couple of Early Girls in a couple of weeks, then the Romas and Mortgage Lifters by the end of July into early August.
Cruciferous Row: Cauliflower, Kale, Broccoli, and Brussels Sprouts
I’ve harvested my first kale and made my first batch of Zuppa Toscana. It was lovely—though maybe not the best meal to eat on a 90‑degree day, haha.
Cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts haven’t produced yet. I expect the broccoli to start producing within the next couple of weeks. The Brussels sprouts will likely be ready in about 2–3 months (they have a long growing period).
Cabbage, Bok Choy, and Kohlrabi
The next row is a mix of:
Cabbage: Destined for sauerkraut, boiled cabbage, and coleslaw. Not ready yet, but I expect smaller heads to be ready in about a month.
Bok choy: We harvested our first head, and it was delicious in our beef stir fry.
Kohlrabi: The “heads” are starting to form (they look like a little bulb with leafy hair coming out).
Summer Squash, Rutabagas, and a Few Flowers
In the back corner of the garden, we planted summer squash—three hills of it.
In my unsolicited opinion, three hills is about two hills too many. If you’ve ever been buried in zucchini or summer squash, you know exactly what I mean. We also have several volunteer squash plants coming up in random spots throughout the garden. If a volunteer squash plant pops up in a really inconvenient spot (where it will interfere with my favorite veggies), I pull it out.
The rest of that row holds garlic and rutabagas:
We plan to harvest the four bulbs of garlic within the next couple of weeks.
The interplanted rutabagas will begin to be harvested in about a week or two.
We’ve also tucked marigolds into the garden, which I love both for their pest‑control benefits and because they’re simply beautiful. On top of that, we have a lot of volunteer sunflowers coming up throughout the garden—they add a bit of cheer and should make the bees happy later in the season.
Sweet Corn and Cantaloupe at the Front
The front of the garden holds our sweet corn patch. It’s doing well so far. They always say corn is doing well if it’s “knee high by the Fourth of July,” and this year it’s about waist high (I’m writing this on the Fourth). I suspect we will be battling the raccoons and possums for the crop later in the season, and I hope we win at least some this time!
The cantaloupe patch is on the other side. So far, so good—the plants are still small, but they grow fast this time of year. I expect to harvest our first cantaloupes in about a month.
How Much Weeding We’ve Done (So Far)
We weed the garden the most at the beginning of the garden season. My dad has always said, “You win or lose the battle with weeds in the month of June,” and I wholeheartedly agree.
If you catch them early and don’t let them go to seed, there are fewer by the end of the year (although you still have to do maintenance weeding after that). In June, my husband and I have spent an average of 3–4 hours per week on weeding. As the weather gets drier and the plants start to shade out more of the garden, I expect that time to be drastically reduced, down to about an hour per week.
I’ll shift that “extra” time to harvesting and preservation as the season continues. Stay tuned for all the ways I like to preserve garden‑fresh veggies!
Potatoes, Pumpkins, and Future Plans
Beyond the main garden rows, we have two additional patches:
The potato patch has been hilled, and we’re starting to find the dastardly potato bugs (both the babies and the adults). For now we’re picking them off by hand and doing our best to stay ahead of them.
Behind our barn, we have established a pumpkin patch, and I’m already picturing fall—whether that means jack‑o’‑lanterns, pies, or both.
So far, I don’t have big “lessons learned” to share this season. I’m sure they’re coming as the summer unfolds, but right now we’re mostly observing, adjusting as needed, and enjoying the early harvests.
That’s where things stand in our Zone 4B garden this early July.
Garden produce starting to come in?
My free Grow What You’ll Use planner helps you decide what to eat fresh, freeze, dehydrate, store, share, or use up this week—before the harvest gets ahead of you.
If you’re gardening in a similar climate, I’d love to hear: what’s thriving for you right now, what pests you’re seeing, and what’s been your biggest surprise so far this season?
If this garden tour was helpful or encouraging, would you share it with another gardener—especially someone in a colder zone? Your shares and comments help these updates reach more folks who are growing right alongside us.
I always knew about chamomile tea. I’d heard people talk about winding down with a mug before bed and mention the health benefits—things like calming the nervous system, easing digestion, and supporting better sleep.
What I didn’t know was that you could forage your own chamomile blossoms…until I watched my husband’s grandmother do it.
She walked right out into the driveway and started picking what I had always thought were just little white-and-yellow weeds. It was like a lightbulb went off in my head. These “weeds” I’d seen growing all over the driveway actually produce a delicious tea? Mind officially blown.
If you’re not familiar with foraging your own chamomile, this is a simple guide to help you:
Recognize chamomile in the wild
Harvest it (bonus points if you involve kids)
Dry and store it
Brew your own homemade chamomile tea whenever you want—without the grocery store bill
As always, I’m sharing our experience for informational purposes; it’s not medical advice.
Where Chamomile Likes to Grow
One of the most surprising things about chamomile is where it chooses to grow. It doesn’t always show up in neat garden rows or carefully tended herb beds.
You’ll often find it in:
Gravel driveways and along the edges of paths
Road ditches and disturbed soil
Around barnyards, fence lines, and well-traveled areas
Sometimes in garden beds if it’s self-seeded or naturalized
It seems to have a soft spot for tough, compacted, “nobody wants to grow here” spots—which is part of its charm. Once you know what you’re looking for, you may start seeing it everywhere.
Chamomile typically blooms through much of the warmer season, often late spring into summer depending on your climate. That’s the time of year you’ll want to start scanning those driveways and ditches for blossoms.
If you’re foraging near roads, be mindful of:
Spraying (avoid areas that may have been treated with herbicides)
Pet or livestock traffic (look for cleaner patches)
Traffic dust and grime (driveways and paths on your own property are usually a safer bet)
What Chamomile Looks Like (and Smells Like)
Before you start picking anything, it’s important to be confident in what you’re harvesting.
Chamomile generally has:
Small daisy-like flowers
White petals
Yellow, dome-shaped center
Fine, feathery leaves
Light, airy, almost carrot-top-like foliage
A sweet, apple-like scent when you crush the flower heads between your fingers
A few simple tips:
Look for patches of low-growing plants with lots of little white-and-yellow flowers rather than single, tall stems here and there.
Rub a flower gently between your fingers and smell it. That sweet, apple-y scent is a good sign you’re in the right place.
There are a few different chamomile and chamomile-lookalike species out there, and some “daisy” weeds can be mistaken for chamomile at first glance. If you’re unsure, start in a spot where you know chamomile has already been identified correctly (a family member’s patch, a friend’s garden, or your own yard from purchased seed), and cross-check with a field guide or trusted resource before branching out into roadside foraging.
How to Harvest Chamomile Blossoms
When you’re ready to harvest, focus on the flower heads rather than the stems and leaves.
Basic harvesting steps:
Choose a dry day. Harvest when the flowers are dry (late morning or afternoon is usually best, after the dew has evaporated).
Look for open flowers. Pick blossoms that are fully open and cheerful-looking—not browned or fading.
Pinch or snip. Gently pinch the flower head between your fingers and thumb and pop it off the stem, or use small scissors if you prefer.
You don’t need the whole stem for tea—just the flower heads. Stems and leaves can be a bit more bitter and aren’t necessary for a nice cup of chamomile.
In a short picking session, you can easily gather enough blossoms to fill a small bowl or two, which will translate into several jars’ worth of tea once they’re dried.
Make It a Family Foraging Activity
Chamomile harvesting is a perfect kid job.
Why it works so well with children:
The flowers are low to the ground and easy to reach.
The “popping” motion of picking the flower heads is actually fun.
There’s a clear, satisfying end product: “We’re picking these to make tea we’ll drink later.”
Give each child:
A small basket, bowl, or container
A simple instruction: “We’re picking the little white flowers with yellow centers—no leaves, no grass.”
It’s a gentle way to:
Teach plant identification
Talk about where our food and herbs come from
Connect everyday “weeds” to real, useful things in your kitchen
How to Dry Chamomile for Tea
After you’ve picked a bowl of blossoms, it’s time to dry them so they don’t mold and will keep well through the year.
Option 1: Using a Dehydrator
Ready to steep and drink!
If you have a dehydrator, this is the most controlled method.
Spread the blossoms in a single layer on your dehydrator trays.
Set the temperature to around 95°F (a low, gentle setting to preserve flavor and color).
Dry for about 24 hours, or until the flowers are completely dry and papery to the touch.
Test a few by crushing them between your fingers—there should be no softness, just a dry crumble.
Option 2: Air-Drying or Sun-Drying
If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can still dry chamomile.
Spread the blossoms in a single layer on a clean screen, rack, or baking sheet.
Place them in a warm, dry place out of direct rain and heavy dew.
Make sure there is good airflow—near a sunny window or in a protected, breezy spot outside works well.
Gently stir or turn them once a day so they dry evenly.
Depending on humidity, it may take several days. Again, you want the blossoms fully dry and crisp before storing.
How to Store Dried Chamomile
Once your flowers are fully dry, you can store them for months.
Simple storage options:
Glass jars with lids (mason jars work great)
Clean, food-safe containers with tight-fitting lids
Or, going old-school: something like a washed and dried Cool Whip container, just like my husband’s grandmother used
Whichever container you choose, keep it:
In a cool, dry place
Out of direct sunlight
Labeled with the contents and date
Properly dried and stored, your chamomile should keep its flavor and gentle fragrance for a year or more.
Brewing Your Own Foraged Chamomile Tea
Now for the best part: turning those foraged blossoms into a cozy mug of tea.
I have chamomile tea, the kids are drinking other tea tonight!
On a cool winter night (or whenever you need a moment to relax), you can:
Take a tea ball, reusable tea bag, or small infuser.
Add about 1 tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers per cup of water.
Pour boiling water over the tea.
Let it steep for about 5 minutes (longer if you like a stronger flavor).
Remove the infuser, let the tea cool slightly, and enjoy.
You can drink it:
Plain
With a drizzle of honey
With a splash of milk or cream, if you like it a little softer
For us, it’s become a go-to when someone needs to unwind or has a slightly unsettled stomach, and there’s something extra special about knowing you picked those flowers yourself.
A Few Gentle Reminders
As with any foraged herb:
Make sure you’ve correctly identified the plant before consuming.
Avoid areas that may have been sprayed or heavily contaminated.
If you’re pregnant, nursing, or on medications, it’s always wise to double-check with a trusted healthcare provider before adding new herbal teas regularly.
From “Weed” to Teacup
Watching my husband’s grandmother bend down in the driveway and start picking “weeds” for tea completely changed how I look at what grows around us.
Chamomile went from being a box on a grocery shelf to a living, growing plant that shows up in the unlikeliest places—and now, to something our family can gather, dry, and sip together.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you could forage your own tea, chamomile is a gentle, beginner-friendly place to start.
Have you ever foraged something you used to buy at the store?
If this chamomile guide gave you some ideas (or a little confidence to try foraging), would you share it with a friend or save it for later?
The process of purchasing meat directly from a farmer is a little different than grabbing a package from the grocery store. It takes more planning, dependable freezer space, and a willingness to think about your food in a new way.
But in return, you get so much more than just meat.
If you’ve ever wondered how to buy a quarter beef or half pig from a local farmer, this guide walks you through the whole process.
Knowing How Your Meat Was Raised
There’s something powerful about being able to visit the animal that will eventually feed your family.
When you have a good relationship with a farmer, you can:
See where the animals live
Watch what they eat
Notice how they’re handled and treated
To be a good farmer is to be empathetic. You’re working with living beings that deserve dignity. They don’t deserve to live in filth, inside all the time, never able to root, scratch, or roam according to their instincts.
On our homestead, for example, our pigs are raised outside all the time. They can root, eat grass, make mud puddles, and scratch. We don’t dock piglets’ tails because we let them nurse from mom long enough that they don’t get frustrated and chew on each other. In winter, we help them stay warm in a few ways: we feed them extra so they can build up fat reserves, and we add plenty of straw and insulation around their pig hut (which, for us, is an old calf crate). Think of it like the house of straw from the three little pigs—but this one is reinforced with solid supports and a lot more intention.
Little Pig, Little Pig, Let me in!
When you buy meat from a farmer whose practices you know and trust, you’re not just buying a product. You’re choosing a story you feel good feeding your family.
Bulk Meat, Full Freezer, and Creative Cooking
Buying meat in bulk pushes you to think beyond just bacon, sausage, and ham.
Pigs, for example, are so much more than the “usual” cuts. Have you ever had:
A well-cooked pork steak or pork chops
Homemade uncased breakfast or Italian sausage (not at all difficult to make)
Marinated side pork (uncured bacon) cooked over a grill or campfire (this one is a total game changer)
There’s a whole world of flavor and texture in a single animal, and learning to cook those different cuts can actually be fun. I plan to share more recipes and cooking ideas in future posts if you’re interested in exploring beyond the basics.
There’s also the very practical side: having a full freezer of meat means:
Fewer last-minute grocery runs
Less impulse spending on convenience food
One less thing to juggle when life is busy
With a little forward planning, you’re essentially building your own little “store” at home that you can shop from all year. When you’re tired, sick, or snowed in, knowing you have meat on hand for soups, roasts, tacos, casseroles, and quick meals is a huge relief.
Planning to Fill Your Freezer?
Get the free Grow What You’ll Use planner to think through what your household actually uses, how you want to store or preserve food, and what will make the most of your freezer space.
Helps a neighbor maintain their land, care for animals, and keep going another season
Ideally, this relationship grows beyond a simple transaction. Over time, you get to know each other. You learn their rhythms and challenges; they learn about your family and your needs. Maybe they text you pictures of new piglets, or you bring your kids out to see the calves.
You’re not just “a customer”—you’re part of the farm’s story too.
In other words, you’re trading a little extra planning upfront for better meat, deeper connection, and a more secure pantry.
How Buying Meat in Bulk from a Farmer Works
Now that we’ve talked through the benefits, let’s look at how this actually works in practice.
When you purchase meat directly from a farmer, you typically buy a portion of an animal, not just an individual package. You’ll usually be offered:
A quarter
A half
A whole
The exact options depend on the type of animal and the farmer.
Buying a Quarter or Half Beef
A beef animal (steer) is large, so it’s commonly broken into quarters.
One quarter of beef usually equals around 200 pounds of freezer meat (this can vary based on size and breed).
A half or whole animal would, of course, be proportionally more.
This sounds like a lot—and it is—but once you break it down into ground beef, roasts, steaks, stew meat, and soup bones, most families are surprised how quickly they use it over the course of a year. For many four-person families, a quarter beef can comfortably supply most of their beef for many months, if not close to a full year, depending on their eating habits.
You’ll sometimes hear people call this a “quarter cow,” but “quarter beef” is the more accurate term.
Buying a Half or Whole Pig
Pigs are smaller, so they’re often sold as halves or wholes.
A half pig usually yields around 100 pounds of freezer meat.
A whole pig is roughly 200 pounds, give or take.
The 2 boxes on the right show what a half pork looks like, labeled and packaged. The rest is my Amish suppies.
The pork is split between bacon, ham, ground pork or sausage, and various cuts. For our four-person family, a whole hog is enough pork to last us about one year. Your experience may vary based on your family’s eating habits.
Again, these are ballpark numbers, but they’re helpful for planning. You can always split a half or a whole with another family if that feels more manageable.
Freezer Space for Bulk Meat Orders
Buying a quarter of beef or a half pig means one very practical thing: you need somewhere to store it.
A few things to consider:
Freezer Type
We use both a chest freezer and an upright freezer between our beef, pork, frozen garden vegetables, and other grocery store finds (yes, I do still grocery shop, but more like monthly). Either style works; it often comes down to space and personal preference.
Chest freezers tend to be more energy-efficient and stay cold longer if the power goes out.
Upright freezers are easier to organize and access because everything isn’t stacked on top of everything else.
Our chest freezer full of frozen beef (this is what a quarter beef looks like).
Finding a Freezer
You can often find secondhand freezers at a bargain on places like Facebook Marketplace or local buy/sell groups if you’re willing to watch for deals and clean them. Just make sure you can test that it gets and stays cold before you bring it home.
Electric Considerations
Ideally, your freezer should be on a dedicated electrical circuit to reduce the risk of tripping a breaker and silently losing everything. If you’re unsure, it’s worth asking someone handy or an electrician to check.
Power Outages
If there is a power outage, resist the urge to open the freezer “just to check.” A closed, full freezer will stay cold much longer than you’d think. If your area loses power frequently, having a small generator on hand for your freezer might be worth considering.
Think of your freezer as a savings account: that meat is your hard-earned money in frozen form. You want to protect it.
Planning Ahead with Your Farmer
Farmers can’t just create finished animals overnight. It takes time to raise them to a good butcher weight, and many farms book processing dates months in advance.
As a rough guide:
A beef animal takes about 2 years to raise.
A pig takes about 6 months.
Most farmers plan their processing schedule well ahead of time. If you’re thinking of buying meat in bulk:
Reach out to a farmer several months (or even a season) in advance.
Ask when they typically send animals to the processor.
Get on their list early, especially if they’re a smaller operation.
You can also ask about breed and feeding practices (grass-fed, grain-finished, pasture-raised), so you know exactly what you’re getting.
Building a Relationship While You Wait
During that time, you can do more than just wait for a phone call.
Visit the farm if that’s an option.
Ask questions about how they feed and house animals.
Let your kids (if you have them) see where their food comes from and ask their own questions.
Every farmer I know—and I know quite a few, thanks to my agricultural background—loves to talk about their animals. They’ll tell you about personalities, quirks, and challenges. For most of them, farming is a vocation, not just a job. They’re in it because they care.
Understanding the Two Bills: Animal and Processing
When the processing date gets closer, your farmer will reach out with more details, such as:
Which butcher/processing facility they’re using
The approximate hanging weight of the animal, and the price per pound for their part
The approximate date you can expect to pick up your meat
This is also when you’ll want to understand how payment works. When you purchase directly from a farmer, you’re usually paying two separate bills:
The animal itself – paid directly to the farmer
The processing/butchering – paid directly to the butcher or processing facility
The farmer can tell you their rate structure (per pound, flat rate, etc.), and the processor will have their own fee schedule based on your preferences—cutting, wrapping, curing, sausage-making, smoking, and so on.
Working with the Butcher on Cut Choices
Once the farmer takes the animal to the butcher shop, their part in the story is essentially done. Next, the butcher shop (to whom the farmer has passed along your contact information) will reach out with questions about how you want your meat processed.
A good butcher will walk even the least experienced person through the process. Some examples of decisions include:
More roasts or more ground?
How thick do you want steaks or chops cut?
What kinds of sausage would you like, and in what size packages?
Do you want soup bones, organ meats, or extras like lard or fat?
The possibilities are truly endless, and you can customize it in the way that works best for your cooking. One year, you might prefer 1‑pound packages of ground beef or pork; the next year, you might decide you’d rather have 1.5‑pound packages to better fit your favorite recipes. You can adjust as you learn what your family actually uses.
Picking Up Your Bulk Meat Order
The last part is picking up your meat from the butcher.
The processor will contact you when everything is cut, wrapped, and frozen, and they’ll share the total cost due to them.
It’s important to ask whether you need to bring coolers or boxes to store the meat on the way home. Some butchers provide boxes; others do not.
There’s nothing worse than showing up unprepared and having 200 pounds of meat rolling around loose in your vehicle. Don’t ask me how I know.
A few final tips:
Bring sturdy boxes or coolers so you can stack and carry the meat easily.
Bring a pair of gloves—the meat is cold and pre-frozen, and you don’t want frozen fingers by the time you’re done loading and unloading.
Make sure you have your freezer space ready and cleared before pickup day, so you’re not rearranging everything with a car full of thawing meat.
It can feel more complicated than grabbing a package at the store, but once you’ve done it, it starts to make sense. And the reward is a freezer full of meat you feel good about, with a story you actually know—and a farmer you can call by name.
Common Questions About Buying Meat from a Farmer
Is it cheaper than grocery store meat?
It depends on what you’re comparing it to.
If you usually buy the cheapest grocery store meat and the bargain cuts, buying from a farmer may cost a bit more per pound.
If you usually buy higher-quality or “natural” meat, buying in bulk from a farmer is often the same price or cheaper—and you’re getting better quality and supporting a local family.
One important consideration is that you pay one price per pound of processed meat. This includes the more expensive cuts like pork belly or tenderloin, and the “lesser” cuts like spare ribs and pork hocks. The more expensive cuts come down in price compared to the grocery store, and the “lesser” cuts are typically at or slightly higher than grocery store prices.
The biggest difference is that you’re paying for a large amount at once instead of spreading it out over many small trips—and all the tempting last-minute impulse purchases grocery stores are so good at encouraging.
Do I have to take cuts I don’t know how to cook?
No—and also, not forever.
You can customize your order a lot. For example, if you don’t like roasts, you can ask for more ground.
You can skip certain things (like organ meats) if you know you won’t use them.
Over time, you might decide to try one or two “new” cuts each year as your confidence grows.
You’re not locked into one way of cutting forever; you can adjust each time you order.
What if I don’t have enough freezer space for a whole or half animal?
You have options:
Split a quarter or half with a friend or family member.
Ask your farmer if they know anyone looking to “share” an animal—many do.
Start smaller (for example, a quarter beef instead of a half, or half a pig instead of a whole).
You don’t have to jump straight into a full animal on your first try.You have options:
Split a quarter or half with a friend or family member.
Ask your farmer if they know anyone looking to “share” an animal—many do.
Start smaller (for example, a quarter beef instead of a half, or half a pig instead of a whole).
You don’t have to jump straight into a full animal on your first try.
How long will the meat last in the freezer?
If it’s wrapped well and kept consistently frozen:
Most cuts are best within 12–18 months, though many will last longer and still be safe to eat.
Ground meat is typically best within 6–12 months for peak quality.
Labeling packages with the date and type of cut makes it much easier to rotate and use things in a good timeframe. A good butcher will do that for you.
What if I’m nervous about making the wrong choices?
You’re not alone—almost everyone feels that way the first time.
A few reassurances:
Farmers and butchers are used to first-timers. They expect questions.
A good butcher will walk you through the options and explain what’s common for families like yours.
You can keep things simple your first time (basic steaks/chops, roasts, and ground), then get more adventurous with sausage, specialty cuts, and smoking on your next order.
Think of your first bulk order as a learning experience. You’ll quickly figure out what your family uses most.
If You’re Local and Want to Buy from Us
If you’re local (Southeastern Wisconsin) and interested in buying pork from our homestead, we’d love to connect.
Because raising and processing animals is a big investment, we use a simple reservation and deposit system so everyone knows what to expect:
You reserve a portion (half or whole) with a small non-refundable deposit.
We raise and deliver the animal to the butcher on the scheduled date.
Once we know the hanging weight and processing cost, we send you a clear invoice.
After payment, you pick up your meat at the butcher.
If that sounds like something you’d like to explore—or if you just have questions—feel free to reach out. We’re happy to talk through the process and see whether it’s a good fit for your family.
Have you ever bought a quarter beef, half pig, or other bulk meat from a farmer—or is it something you’ve been curious (or nervous) to try?
If this helped answer some questions—or made buying meat from a farmer feel a little less intimidating—please like and share it with a friend who’s been talking about “finding a local farmer.” It makes a bigger difference than you think.
Here’s what foraging stinging nettles looked like for me this spring, and how I turned them into a safe, nourishing meal for my family.
As I walk outside armed with a plant identification book, rubber gloves, and an open mind, I can’t help but feel that I’m about to violate a fundamental law of food. Among the waterlogged ground, I scan for juvenile stinging nettles—those tough, serrated leaves covered in tiny, hair‑like stingers. This spring, I’ve begun foraging stinging nettles on our property, turning a backyard “weed” into a free, nutrient‑dense green for our family. It’s especially welcome in the early months of the year, when fresh vegetables are harder to come by.
Nettles nestled among grass
Foraging Nettles Safely
From experience, I know that if I’m not careful, I’ll quickly become aware that the plant has grazed my skin: the stingers bring an immediate, sharp pain and soon after a scattering of blisters. As someone who is slowly learning to step away from the industrialized food system, I feel hesitant to collect food that can actually hurt me. Yet there’s also a quiet humility in working with a plant that demands respect—this is nothing like reaching for a plastic‑wrapped bunch of lettuce at the grocery store.
I chuckled at the thought of how hungry the first person must have been to discover how to disable the stingers and savor this tasty, nutritious wild larder hiding in plain sight. On the other hand, there’s a childlike wonder in identifying a “weed” that others avoid. That sense of discovery encourages me to continue my quest.
Harvesting becomes a mindful ritual. I crouch down and gently collect the plants, pinching off the leaves just above the stem. Where nettles grow most aggressively, I pull them from the ground—our property is overgrown with nettles that spread via rhizomes. The plants rustle as I work, releasing a faint, green herbal aroma into the air.
A bowl full of nettle leaves
In a moment of carelessness, my arm grazes the plant, and I receive several painful blisters in turn. The soreness is uncomfortable, yes, but it also feels like a badge of honor. The temporary sting is a small price for the nutritional bounty. As my basket fills, I marvel at the efficiency of nature, at its pure, unmediated abundance.
To keep myself and my family safe, here are the practical steps I use to handle stinging nettles while working with them:
Wear long sleeves and long pants to keep as much skin as possible covered.
Use thick rubber or leather gloves that fully cover the wrists.
Pull the gloves over the cuffs of long sleeves so stingers can’t slip in between.
Avoid touching your face or neck while harvesting.
If a sting happens, rinse the area with cool water and mild soap, then apply a soothing cream or cool compress as needed.
If you’re foraging with kids, let them wear gloves and long sleeves too, and keep them close by so you can guide their hands and steps.
These simple precautions make the experience feel less intimidating and more like a teachable moment, not a painful surprise.
Cooking Nettles Safely: How to Neutralize the Sting
By the time I’m back in the kitchen, the nettles are in a vibrant heap in the sink. Before I wash them, I remind myself: Stinging nettles must never be eaten raw. The stingers release a mildly irritating compound that can cause discomfort and a burning sensation in the mouth and throat.
To make them safe to eat, I always use one of these two methods:
Blanch in boiling water:
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Drop the nettle leaves into the boiling water for 1–2 minutes.
Drain and rinse with cool water.
The leaves will feel soft and silky and will no longer sting.
Sauté in a hot pan:
Add the fresh nettles to a hot pan with a bit of butter or oil.
Stir constantly for 2–3 minutes until the leaves wilt and darken.
The heat neutralizes the stingers and turns the leaves into a tender, spinach‑like green.
Both methods are quick and simple. The important point is: any stinging nettle serving larger than a small nibble should be processed with heat. That’s the non‑negotiable rule if you don’t want a painful, unpleasant experience.
Once the sting is gone, the nettles are ready to shine. I usually sauté them in garlic and butter, then season with salt. The simplicity of the dish is empowering; the only extras are salt, garlic, and butter to let the flavor of the greens shine. They taste grassy and slightly nutty, with a depth that store‑bought greens rarely match.
A recent dinner, the vegetable was asparagus and nettles boiled in salted water, seasoned with butter and pepper. Delicious!
Every bite carries the satisfaction of knowing that at least some of the food on our table comes directly from the land, unmediated by plastic packaging or price tags and paid for instead with time and attention. This is the kind of meal I want to share with my children, teaching them that “weeds” can become dinner and that food is something the earth offers, not just something we buy.
Nutritional Benefits of Nettles
Stinging nettles are often called a “wild supergreen” for good reason. A small serving of cooked nettles delivers a surprising amount of important nutrients, including:
Iron (useful for supporting energy and blood health)
Calcium (beneficial for bones and teeth)
Vitamins A and C (supporting immune function and skin health)
Magnesium and other trace minerals
A moderate amount of plant‑based protein for a leafy green
Nettles have also been traditionally used for their gentle antihistamine‑like properties, especially when prepared as an herbal infusion.
In a world where we often think of “healthy food” as something expensive or packaged, nettles remind me that deep nourishment can emerge from the edges of the yard, if we’re willing to learn how to use it.
Reflections on Foraging and Community
Later, I ponder the experience, which was more rewarding than I imagined. Supplementing my diet with nettles shrinks my food miles while my pantry is enriched by the seasons. Grocery store runs feel less urgent when the yard offers a free, nutrient‑dense green harvested in spring. There’s a quiet pride in crafting meals from plants many call weeds, a small act of rebellion against the idea that all good food must be bought.
On a deeper level, I’m participating in a cycle that predates grocery stores, rekindling a bond with the earth that modern life often severs. I’m learning to see my yard—and my children’s yard—as a living pantry, not just a backdrop to our days. And when I share a pot of nettle soup or a plate of sautéed greens with a neighbor, the act of foraging becomes part of a small, quiet web of community, where knowledge and food move between people instead of only through registers.
Defiance, Devotion, and the Gift of the Land In a world built on convenience, foraging for nettles becomes an act of both defiance and devotion. It roots me in the present, reminds me that the earth provides—often lavishly, and often in plain sight—for those willing to look, learn, and gratefully receive.
Have you ever foraged stinging nettles or another wild green? Or would you ever try nettles in your family’s meals? Let me know in the comments—I’d love to hear your stories and tips!
If this post inspires you to look at your yard a little differently, I’d love it if you shared it with another parent or forager who’s curious about wild food. You can like or share it on Facebook, pin it on Pinterest, or forward it to a friend who loves seasonal, hands on food adventures.
Mastering a homemade Reuben sandwich from scratch taught me that real learning comes through patient layers—sauerkraut, rye bread, corned beef. Each step built skills I didn’t know I needed.
From Garden to Ferment
It started last fall with Megaton hybrid cabbages from our garden. Shredded fine, salted at 2% by weight, packed into our antique Red Wing crock with a water-filled garbage bag seal. Three and a half months later in the basement, it emerged tangy, crisp, golden—pure magic. This homemade sauerkraut became the tangy heart of every bite.
Curing Corned Beef at Home
Winter freed up freezer space for a 4-lb sirloin tip roast from Gruenberger Farms. Brined 5-7 days in kosher salt, pink curing salt, brown sugar, and pickling spices (ground + whole), flipped daily at first. Slow-cooked 6 hours low in the crock pot, finished high for tenderness at 195-205°F. Sliced thin against the grain, it was pink, flavorful—worked as well as a brisket for this homestead experiment.
Rye Bread Reality Check
Rye dough is sticky and stubborn—no big lift like wheat. Mixed bread flour, rye flour, honey, yeast, olive oil; proofed twice, baked in a steam-trapped roasting pan setup at 425°F. Flatter than ideal, but the hearty tang paired perfectly with no caraway on hand. Homemade rye bread held up under melty Swiss and Thousand Island (store-bought, no shame).
Reuben Night Triumph
Twelve sandwiches baked golden on sheet trays: rye, corned beef, sauerkraut, cheese, dressing. Family devoured 10 immediately—only two leftovers by lunch. The kitchen smelled like a deli dream.
The Real Lesson Learned
This homemade Reuben quest showed me iteration through failure—soggy ferments avoided, lean cuts perfected, stubborn dough humbled. Homesteading scratches teach that last lesson sticks deepest when you taste the payoff. Garden to plate, one sandwich at a time.
What’s the last thing you learned making food from scratch? Share below!
Loved this Reuben quest? Like + share so fellow homesteaders can taste the scratch-made magic! 💚 What’s your latest kitchen win?
My husband’s been ice fishing more with his brother lately — and I love it.
He gets fresh air, laughter, and some friendly competition. And him coming home refreshed with rosy cheeks and a bucket of perch or bluegills (he always brags about outfishing his brother, but I never know what’s true).
Some of the perch we cook
Here’s the recipe that makes it all worthwhile — simple homestead cooking at its best:
1–1½ lbs fish fillets (perch, walleye, tilapia, or catfish)
Dredge: ⅔ cup flour, ⅓ cup cornmeal, 2 tsp seasoned salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder
¼–⅓ inch lard, tallow, or coconut oil (we use lard from our pigs)
Lemon wedges + tartar sauce for serving
Instructions
Prep fish: Cut into ⅛ inch (3mm) pieces. Drain but don’t pat dry.
Mix dredge: Whisk dry ingredients. (My years of tweaking: more cornmeal = better crunch.)
Heat skillet: Cast iron over medium-high until fat shimmers (350°F).
Fry: Dredge fish, fry 3–4 min per side until golden.
Finish: Drain on paper towels, salt while hot. Serve immediately.
Pro Tips for Crispy Fish
Thickness: 3mm pieces cook evenly, never dry.
Cornmeal magic: Creates perfect crunch.
Hot oil: Sizzles immediately = crisp exterior.
Serve with: Coleslaw + potatoes, homemade fries, or simple greens.
Why This Works for Real Families
Forgiving, fast, uses pantry staples. Whether ice fishing haul or store fillets, it delivers crispy, golden fish kids devour. Using our pig lard makes it true homestead cooking.
Your Turn to Share
Pan-fried fish in cast iron? Your dredge secrets? Ice fishing stories? Drop them in comments — and subscribe for more homestead recipes!
⭐ **Loved this recipe or ice fishing story?** Tap ❤️, drop a comment with your fish-fry tips, and share with your outdoorsy friends! Your support helps this little homestead kitchen grow. Thank you! 🐟🔥
Spring is on the move! The geese are back in our corn field, snacking on the kernels we missed last fall as they make their way north. During the day they feast here, and at night they head back to the Horicon Marsh—just two miles west of us. It’s a rhythm we’ve come to count on, almost like the turning of a calendar page that only nature can read.
Early Spring Signs: From Geese to Goslings
Soon the quiet honks in the distance will give way to a full chorus overhead. As their numbers grow, they become our entertainment—chasing each other away from the best spots, flapping their wings and honking aggressively. Then they will begin to form pairs.
It won’t be long before we’re seeing those fuzzy little goslings wobbling around on unsure legs. I always smile at how they’re both awkward and perfectly at home in the world at the same time. They don’t rush their growing, they just…are. There’s a lesson in that for the rest of us, I think.
Subtle Signs of Spring You Might Miss
Around here, early signs of spring start small if you’re paying attention:
The snow melts back from the south-facing sides of buildings first, leaving little ribbons of bare ground.
Puddles form in the ruts of the driveway, full of reflected sky.
The air still has a bite to it, but every now and then, in the afternoon, there’s a softness you can feel on your cheeks. The kind of air that makes you stop and think, “Oh. It’s changing.” It’s when you know it’s time to tap the trees for maple syrup. Sap flows best at days above freezing, and nights below freezing.
The soil starts to loosen its grip, too. Boots sink a little deeper, and you can smell that rich, damp scent of earth waking up. The barn cats linger longer in patches of sun. The chickens get a bit braver, scratching farther from the coop, as if they also sense that winter’s hold is slipping.
The Magic of Longer Days
I always notice the light first. The sun sets 2 minutes later each day now, stretching out the day bit by bit. Supper dishes are ready to serve while there’s still a faint glow in the west.
That extra light brings with it a quiet invitation: to dream about the garden, to flip through seed packets, to imagine rows of green where right now there’s only brown and grey.
First Signs of Spring in Everyday Life
Spring on the homestead, in this in-between time, is easy to miss if you’re only looking for flowers and green grass. But if you look closer, it’s there in the geese in the field, the drip of melting snow, the mud on the boots piled by the door.
It shows up in the way we start talking about “when it warms up” instead of “if it ever warms up.”
What Are Your Early Signs of Spring?
What early signs of spring are showing up where you are? Maybe it’s a certain bird call you only hear this time of year, or the first brave shoots pushing up through the cold ground.
Maybe it’s kids trading snow pants for lighter jackets, or the way your houseplants suddenly seem a little happier near the windows.
What’s your first sign of spring? Drop it in the comments—we’re all watching for those first hints together! 🌱
Early signs of spring are HERE! Geese honking, sap flowing, sun lingering longer. Which first sign of spring did you notice today? LIKE + SHARE if you’re feeling that seasonal shift! 🌿
Over the next six months, our biggest homesteading challenge will be learning how to nurture new life on our homestead. Specifically, helping two first-time pig moms safely deliver and raise their piglets around Mother’s Day.
From Meat Pigs to Breeding Gilts
My husband and I have raised pigs on our homestead for two years, mostly for meat. Last year we ended up with two young gilts originally intended for processing. But as we watched their personalities emerge and realized we had enough pigs for last year’s orders, we made a different choice.
These two became our first step into pig breeding territory, which meant learning winter pig care for full-size gilts. We’ve learned cold weather management, water access, mud containment, and the general chaos of long-term livestock keeping.
Pig Breeding: No Swipe-Right App Required
Pig breeding doesn’t come with modern dating apps. Artificial insemination is possible but tricky for homesteaders like us without the required training and equipment. So we borrowed a boar from family for two weeks instead. The boar settled immediately, smacking his lips (apparently a pig mating technique we’ve never heard of before).
The eligible bachelorettes couldn’t get enough of him. They went from wary strangers, sniffing and posturing through social hierarchy, to “getting lucky” overnight. It was equal parts farm practicality and genuine wonder about new life coming to our land.
The Farrowing Timeline
Pig gestation follows the classic 3 months, 3 weeks, 3 days timeline. If our calculations hold, Gilt #1 farrows around Mother’s Day 2026, with Gilt #2 following about a week later. It’s perfect timing for our first experience with pig birth coinciding with a holiday celebrating mothers.
What Makes First-Time Farrowing Challenging
First-time farrowing intimidates me most. New sows face surging hormones, labor pain, and instincts they don’t yet understand. They sometimes pace frantically or accidentally step on newborns while nesting.
My grandfather, a lifelong pig man, stayed up all night in farrowing barns watching over nervous moms. He would even give them small amounts of whiskey to mellow them out—an old-school remedy I’m definitely not trying.
Our Farrowing Preparations
We’re preparing by seeking advice from local old timers with experience. We’re also acquiring and staging farrowing crates and deep straw bedding for their comfort.
Success to us means 8-12 healthy piglets per litter with thriving moms and minimal intervention.
Why Piglets Are Worth Every Challenge
Homestead piglets represent more than cute photos—they’re future meat pigs, potential breeders, or weaned piglets for local sale. But truly, watching new life stumble into the world with tiny hooves, squeaky snouts, and wobbly legs racing their mama captures pure homestead magic worth every sleepless night.
What’s your next big homesteading challenge? Pig farrowing, goat kidding, chick hatching? Share below—someone needs your wisdom.
If you’re facing pig farrowing, goat kidding, or any livestock birth for the first time, LIKE + SHARE this with your homestead crew!
