Learn how to store you home canned foods safely, what the official sources actually say about storing jars with the canning rings (bands) on or off and what you need to know about jar stacking. Which practices Melissa uses on her canning of 600+ jars a year. What it means if you remove the bands and your lose your seal and more. Get resources and links at https://melissaknorris.com/185 Make sure you're signed up for Melissa's free Home Food Preservation Video series at https://melissaknorris.com/food-preservation-video-series/ The Pioneering Today Academy is your one stop place for step-by-step videos and download guides on how to preserve your food and build up a real food pantry filled with fermented, dehydrated and home canned food https://melissaknorris.com/pioneeringtodayacademy/

Use these pro tips for home food preservation so you know which foods are ready seasonally by the month and the best ways to handle and preserve them so you aren't overwhelmed with all the summer produce coming on, either from your garden or purchased from u-picks or farmer's markets. Armed with this info you won't miss a crop either. Melissa shares her summer preserving plan and how to use the same steps to customize YOUR home food preservation. Sign up for her FREE Home Food Preservation Workshop with step-by-step tutorials on dehydrating, canning and fermenting here https://melissaknorris.com/food-preservation-video-series/ get all the resources and show notes for this episode at https://melissaknorris.com/184

What it's really like to live off grid, tips you can take and use now, even if you're not off grid, and if you're planning to go that way, what you need to know before starting. Melissa interviews Doug & Stacy, a couple of self-proclaimed city slickers, who moved completely off-grid eight years ago. What the transition has been like, what they've learned (and wouldn't do again) and more! Check out the resources for fermenting tutorials/recipe, pressure canning, monthly seasonal garden planting guide and more in the full blog post here https://melissaknorris.com/183 

Learn how to use and grow these 8 medicinal herbs and their uses for an easy herbal tea garden. Harvesting tips, medicinal uses and preparations, cautions to be aware of and best growing tips. Know which do best in containers, location, and growing habits. Melissa shares her favorite herbs for hormonal balance, cooking, anxiety and calming help, digestion, and of course, immune boosting power. Hear part of the herb charts and info from Melissa's book Hand Made . See pictures, video tour of Melissa's herb garden and more at https://melissaknorris.com/182