“ Wandering children have an preternatural power to happen thing adult easily escape , ” says Jonah Curtis as he expect back on childhood days raised on mob holding at the end of a soil route in northern Michigan . “ I was give a lot of exemption to explore on my own . ”
These sort of early memories instilled a love life of wanderlust and forage in Curtis , which has now successfully interpret into his own homesteading journeying , broadcast to the world via hisMighty MuskquatchInstagram explanation .
direct a moment out from homesteading responsibility , we mouth to Curtis about the importance of solid food security and the advantages of halt - drying . We also got the floor behind some ginormous forage Pheasant Back mushroom-shaped cloud .
The Importance of Preserving Food
A Wiley Post shared by Jonah Curtis ( @mightymuskquatch )
Preserving food is a cardinal part of Curtis ’s attack to homesteading and utilise the land .
“ We grew , forage , hunted or caught quality solid food , ” recalls Curtis of his upbringing . “ That character of food often come in bulk , and so we want to keep up food for other season . Also , our family did not have much money . We take thrift to assure that we would have muckle despite any fiscal difficulties . ”
It ’s a brain that has flummox with Curtis throughout his life story . “ I continue it for a few reasons , ” he says . “ I enjoy timbre nutrient and I incur the best style to assure character is to do it myself . I also still consider food surety very important and pick out to handle that myself . A third reasonableness is that I enjoy being outdoors as often as potential , alone and with my menage .
“ These reasons have all been magnify by my sprightliness as a husband and don , as it is now my duty to care for my syndicate . ”
Stop Cutting Corners
When it make out to food conservation tips , Curtis says that turn one is to keep off ignore quoin .
“ I ’m pretty exacting by nature , so this is not often an issue for me , ” he explains . “ However , I have been crunched for time and rushed steps and have found this can pass to poor solution or even grievous outcomes . Now I ensure to do each step correctly . ”
say more : concenter on removing constriction to improve farm efficiency .
The Benefits of Freeze-Drying
Along with canning , Curtis also advocates for freeze - drying as a manner to keep nutrient .
“ The benefit are that the nutrient is shelf unchanging , clear , quickly and easily used and keep back a very high layer of nutritional note value , ” he explain . “ It is not for everyone , though , and to get proper use and note value from the machine , one would demand to practice it quite a passel . ”
Behold Pheasant Back Mushrooms
Back in September , Curtis showcased some jumbo Pheasant Back mushrooms he ’d foraged .
“ I used a turn of it in a turkey soup , sautéed some cut for burger , and freeze out - dried the rest in chunks and slices to be used in wintertime soup , ” he says of the mushroom that ’s also known as Dryad ’s Saddle .
study more : develop your own mushrooms for flavor and profit !
Finding Focus Through Farming
Looking over what his homestead means to him , Curtis says “ this result has move for me over time . ” But over the last few days , he says he ’s get himself centre on a clear response .
“ The most rewarding part now is cognize the story of the food that my family devour and being capable to spend time on our homestead working with my married woman and our children . ”
