Grow your own and do it yourself!
These are the parts of the homesteading life that I really find enjoyable. Not just being able to plant your own crops and harvest your own produce, but being able to preserve that harvest so that it can help get you through the next year!
I once posted about how "if a penny saved is a penny earned" then "each dollar worth of necessities that we created ourselves would be one less dollar that we needed to earn." It sounded pretty good at the time, until 
Although that makes it worse for everyone who has to earn money to buy things instead of producing your own, it sure is an added benefit to me and others who are choosing to take a greater interest in providing for their own needs.
From hoping to heat our house with our own renewable firewood supply instead of having to pay for fuel or electricity to heat our house to only purchasing what we can actually afford rather than going into debt and having to pay interest, each choice we make can have serious affects on our lives (and finances) for years to come.
LABOR IN VAIN?
Of course, doing things like growing more of your own food takes a lot of work. Then, unless you are willing to do even more work, your labor will be in vain. All produce has a limited shelf life, and without proper effort to preserve your harvest one way or another, it'll spoil and be reduced to pig or chicken feed instead of being something that can nourish your family.
Just the other night is became "salsa time" once again! Every year this has become an excellent tradition of mine. In fact, a few steemians have even enjoyed some salsas based on recipes that I originally created. I once worked with a guy who wanted us to quit our job so that we could just make jars of my salsa for a living. Yeah, he liked them that much!
Once you realize the value in gardening, you start to look at things differently too. Often, I'll refer to "what it's worth on the street." This means that when I'm referring to a certain harvest that we reaped, I'll calculate how much it would have cost us to purchase the same amount at a grocery store, which is how I arrive at the "street value." Can you imagine planting a few tomatillo plants and getting a harvest that would have cost you over $100 USD? How about a couple hundred dollars worth of cucumbers?
As I mentioned earlier, that does sound good, but it only really manifests itself in savings if you get the chance to eat it, which is where preservation helps. From dehydrating, to canning, to freezing, to using it fresh; there are a lot of great ways to make sure that your harvest will be ready when you are.
HEALTH BENEFITS TOO
Trust me, I sincerely believe that fresh, healthy, non-GMO, nutrient-rich, organic foods can be their own kind of "health insurance." Apparently I'm not alone, since some people make and sell signs like this.
Just being able to have some control over what your food is exposed (or not exposed) to is a huge step forward in my book. However, another layer of benefits also come into play when you choose which ingredients to use when you make something. Seriously, when was the last time that you personally grabbed your own jug of high-fructose corn syrup and added some to a recipe that you were making?
Yeah, I've never personally done that either, even with my salsa recipes. Yet, somehow, amazingly, almost every recipe for processed foods being made in the factory down town calls for it. Interesting, huh? See what I mean. It's nice to choose your own ingredients for your own recipes too.
If you noticed my lovely photo of garlic up above, that's another way that I like to improve our preserved foods and meals, by adding other beneficial food to them. I think it's wise to add various natural ingredients that can boost your immune system or provide other health benefits. A lot of our garlic comes from plants that we forage for in the wild woods too!
THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
Yes, right there in the middle of "salsa night" I broke the blender. Thankfully, I was able to prepare it and continue to make my salsa, but this is a good way of mentioning some of the other costs.
Usually, no matter how you preserve your harvest there will be a cost. If you are using a blender or dehydrator, you'll have to purchase the machine and provide electricity to run it. If you freeze your food, there'll be the bill for the electricity, and perhaps even the freezer.
Jars, lids, and pressure cookers all come with their own costs, and even solar dehydrators have to be built. Fortunately, once a lot of things are required, they can be reused. Also, the more experienced you get, the less mistakes you make and the more time efficient the labor is.
KNOW YOUR FAMILY
Normally, I'm not the kind of guy to make three different dishes three different ways just to try to appeal to taste buds. The 
For years now I have chosen to make a "base salsa." The base salsa is a "family friendly" kind that tastes great but won't burn anyone's esophagus. When I'm making my "GREEN GHOST SALSA" I first make my "Family Friendly Salsa Verde." It is only after the original base salsa is made and some of it is already preserved "as is" that I add the peppers.
The Ghost Peppers that I was using in this salsa are three times hotter than Habanero peppers. Simply put, they are basically "not safe for children." While I may enjoy them, the
Anyway, I was blessed to be able to enjoy another night of canning up salsa the other night. I love adding it to so many different dishes, and when you can make enough to last you a year and still have some to share, it is a rewarding experience that can bless others too! How many of you enjoying preserving your own harvests? How often do you consider the financial and health benefits of doing so?
As always, I'm 
and here's the proof:
proof-of-salsa
Until next time…
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