How Do I Assess Soil Quality In My Backyard?

“I’m setting up my first backyard farm here in Queensland, Australia and I want to make sure I’m starting off on the right foot. How do I assess

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What Are The Best Meats To Smoke At Home?

“Hi there! I recently bought a smoker and I’m super excited to try smoking some meats at home. I’ve heard there are specific meats that smoke better than

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What’s The Right Vinegar To Sugar Ratio For Sweet Pickles?

“I love making sweet pickles, but I can never quite get the sweet-to-tangy balance right. I recently tried a 2:1 sugar to vinegar ratio, but it turned out

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What’s The Best Way To Freeze Fruit Without Browning?

“I’ve been trying to freeze some of the peaches from our backyard tree, but no matter what I try, they always turn brown. I’m really frustrated because they

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How Long Does Vacuum Sealed Food Last Compared To Regular Storage?

“Hi there, I’ve been experimenting with vacuum sealing a lot of my extra vegetables, fruits, and even meats after doing some big Costco and farmers’ market hauls, but

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What’s The Difference Between Water Bath And Pressure Canning?

“I’ve been water bath canning for a while now, but some things I want to preserve (like green beans) seem to need pressure canning. I’m a little nervous

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What’s The Best Way To Dry Herbs At Home?

“I’ve been growing herbs in my backyard for a couple of years now, mainly parsley, thyme, and oregano. Last year, I tried drying them but wasn’t quite happy

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How Do I Deal With Root Rot?

“I recently started a backyard farm, and I noticed that some of my plants aren’t doing so well. Their leaves are yellowing and they seem to be wilting,

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How Do I Create A Vertical Garden In My Backyard Farm?

“I love gardening but live in a small townhouse with limited backyard space. I’ve heard about vertical gardening and thought it might be the perfect solution for maximizing

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What Are Best Practices For Storing Canned Foods?

“We’ve started canning at home this year, but I’ve heard a lot about food going bad if not stored properly. I want to make sure I’m doing it

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What’s The Best Way To Freeze Dry Meat Or Fish?

“Hey there! I’m thinking of trying to freeze-dry some meat and fish I’ve caught (finally had a really good fishing trip!) but I’ve never done it before. I’ve

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What Vegetables Store Best In A Root Cellar?

“We’ve recently moved to a small rural property, and I want to start using the old root cellar that came with the house. My husband and I have

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What’s The Difference Between Air Drying And Dehydrating?

“Hey, I’ve been air drying herbs for a few seasons here in northern Vermont, but I’m wondering if I should switch to dehydrating them instead. I’ve noticed sometimes

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How Do I Handle Curds That Are Too Wet?

“I’ve been trying to perfect my homemade cheese recipe, but I keep running into an issue where my curds are consistently too wet. This makes it really tough

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What’s The Difference Between Fermenting And Pickling?

“I’ve been growing cucumbers in my backyard for years now, and while I’ve pickled them before using vinegar, I keep hearing about fermenting and wondering what the difference

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How Do You Prevent Cracking In Aged Cheeses?

“I’ve been making cheese for a few years now, but recently I’ve noticed that my aged cheeses are developing unsightly cracks. I’ve tried a few things to prevent

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How Long Can Frozen Food Last?

“Hi there! So, I’ve had some frozen green beans and beef stew stored away in my freezer for a long time. The thing is, I honestly can’t remember

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What Temperature And Humidity Are Ideal For A Root Cellar?

“Hi, I’ve recently started setting up a root cellar to store my homegrown produce. I’m all for being more self-sufficient, but I’m finding it hard to figure out

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What Foods Can Be Safely Water Bath Canned?

“I’ve been water bath canning for a few years now and usually stick to fruits and pickles… but I recently thought about trying tomato sauce and maybe even

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How Can Permaculture Reduce Waste From Energy Use?

“My husband and I have just bought a small house in a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, and we’re really eager to reduce our energy usage and waste.

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