Survival Skills

I planted chives yesterday in a pot which can be brought inside over the winter. I love chives, which taste like onions, mild and green. According to directions, the more you harvest them the thicker they grow. Now, that's like storing up a whole lotta seasoning.

Now, back on the homestead, I'm reading up on how to render lard. This website gives great directions about hogs. http://nourishedkitchen.com/how-to-render-lard/

Of course, with all the wild pigs and bear around here, should things go from bad to worse, we may be eating bear.
How to render bear fat http://www.helium.com/items/2158368-how-to-render-bear-fat-into-lard
is an art I may be learning soon.

According to sources, a medium bear can produce up to 2 gallons of lard. That's a lot of frying! Think of the survival benefits of all those calories.

One of the main things a person needs is a good stock pot. None of these wimpy aluminum things. A good cast iron, or stainless steel with a heavy bottom. A person can do this over a fire outside, or on top the stove.

They suggest pouring fat into mason jars. I'm sure plastic would be hazardous. A person would have to let the fat cool first.

We generally eat very low fat. I use canola oil, or olive oil for my cooking and baking. However, I am learning this skill for furture needs.