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Minnesota from Scratch

Thanks for stopping by! I'm Stephanie Thurow / MinnesotafromScratch and this is my website. I'm a food preservation instructor and bestselling author of Can It & Ferment It, WECK Small-Batch Preserving and WECK Home Preserving. My fourth book, Small-Scale Homesteading, is now available for pre-order! Join me here for info on food preservation, recipes, organic gardening, chicken keeping, urban homesteading and so much more.

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5 Gifts The Homesteader in Your Life Will Love

May 3, 2013 by Stephanie 19 Comments

minnesotafromscratch.wordpress.comCan’t quite figure out what to do for Mother’s Day this year? I have compiled a short list of 5 great things that any homesteader (beginner or experienced) would love to get!

1. Weck Jars

Photo from: http://mightynest.com/shop/healthy-kitchen/canning/canning-jars-6-sizes-available

Photo from: mightynest.com

I fell in love with these jars about three years ago when I learned that there was BPA in the lining of my classic canning jar lids. I was completely devastated to learn that all the while I thought I had been canning to keep my family safe from chemicals, that I was actually still feeding them chemical laden pickles, jams, etc… I have used Weck jars religiously ever since and I have never looked back. They are very easy to can with, I have only had one or two jars not seal in the last three years. They are made of all glass – even the lids. There is a rubber ring that seals the jars that is completely non-toxic and stainless steel clamps that keep the lid tight against the jar. These jars come in tons of different shapes and sizes and although they are a little more spendy, they will last a lifetime. The clips and rubber rings are very inexpensive to replace if need be. When I first started using them, they were not available at any local retailers near me and had to be ordered online. Now they are available at William Sonoma, Cost Plus World Market and Crate and Barrel. But I still find that the best deal is to wait until the Mighty Nest has a 20% off coupon circulate and to order them from them. The MightyNest also has super fast free shipping (free if your order is over $50, otherwise it’s only $5.95). Shop non-toxic, natural & organic products for your home at MightyNest.com  FYI – If your mom isn’t into canning, these jars are also awesome for keeping nuts, grains and legumes in as well.

2. Fermentation Crock 

William Sonoma Fermentation Crock

Photo from: WilliamSonoma/agrarian

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! I haven’t made the leap to actually buy a crock yet, no one really needs a crock to ferment food because there are tons of DIY blogs that show you how to create your own.  But as a gift, I think it would be well received! I’m in love with this hand-thrown one sold at William Sonoma. It’s made with a non-toxic glaze that is food safe and lead-free. If you don’t know why fermented foods are beneficial, head over to my KimChee post and read why. I specifically would use this crock to make sauerkraut. These Harsch Gairtopf ones sold on Amazon.com are also very highly reviewed crocks and would be another great option for the fermented food lover in your life.

3. Raised Garden Beds

Photo from: RaisedBedGardenKits.com

Photo from: RaisedBedGardenKits.com

We have TONS of bunnies in our neighborhood and they love to devour my raspberry bush and strawberry plants. Raised gardens help keep some of the pests out, they extend the growing season, they are beneficial for water drainage and taller raised gardens are easier on the back, especially for the elderly. If you are handy, building a raised garden from recycled wood would be the most cost effective option, but make sure you know what type of wood you are using and find out if it has been treated with anything. You wouldn’t want any toxic chemicals leaching into the soil! If you are not at all ready to attempt this task on your own and would prefer to buy one, I found some safe and affordable options for you at to check out at: RaisedBedGardenKits.com.

4. Cheese Making Kits

Photo from: etsy.com/shop/UrbanCheesecraft

Photo from: etsy.com/shop/UrbanCheesecraft

Why make your own cheese? Number one reason for me is because I can control what is in the cheese. Having no artificial ingredients or GMOs is very important to me.  Plus it’s super inexpensive! I found some great cheese kit options for you here from the UrbanCheeseCraft that don’t contain any GMOs.

5. Lodge Cast Iron Cookware

Photo from: Lodgemfg.com

Photo from: Lodgemfg.com

The Lodge brand has been around for over a century. Their pre-seasoned cookware is built to last longer than you and I. They offer beautiful enameled dutch ovens and other cookware that unlike some of their competitors, are completely lead-free and cadmium-free. They are also a heck of a lot more affordable than other brands too. Anyone that loves to cook will enjoy cooking with any piece from Lodge.

Take care, Stephanie

Filed Under: Just for Fun Tagged With: bpa free canning jars, cheese making kits, Father's Day gift, father's day gift ideas, fermentation crocks, gift ideas for dad, Gift ideas for the canner, Gift ideas for the gardener, Gift ideas for the hard to shop for, gifts for homsteaders, Gifts for the chemical conscience person, gifts for urban homesteaders, Great Father's Day gift, great mother's day gifts, lodge cast iron cookware, Mother's day gift ideas, Mother's day giveaway, mother's day ideas for grandma, Mother's Day ideas for hard to shop for mom, raised garden beds, review of weck jars, weck jars

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Previous Post: « Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella Cheese AKA “The New Garlic Cheese Bread”
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle says

    May 3, 2013 at 2:29 pm

    These are great gift ideas!

    Reply
  2. Patricia Pickett (@pattiezee) says

    May 7, 2013 at 10:28 am

    Not sure if my last comment went through… I love all of these ideas! The cheese making kit is something I would want for myself! Thanks for the post. 🙂

    Reply
    • MinnesotaFromScratch says

      May 7, 2013 at 11:51 am

      Yeah, me too! Once you have the supplies I guess it is very inexpensive to keep making the cheese.

      Reply
  3. Tina K. says

    May 7, 2013 at 11:34 am

    Fab ideas! Like Patricia, I would want the cheese making kit for myself. I wonder if my kids would take a hint. lol

    Reply
    • MinnesotaFromScratch says

      May 7, 2013 at 12:15 pm

      Well, hopefully! I know my husband did after I wrote this post! haha

      Reply
  4. Jeremy Ogusky says

    May 7, 2013 at 12:50 pm

    thanks for the great blog post! I am excited that you listed the crock that I made for Williams Sonoma as a gift idea! yep, I make those white handthrown fermenting crocks! you can see more about my crocks + recipes and photos at http://www.claycrocks.com/. Happy fermenting!

    Reply
    • MinnesotaFromScratch says

      May 7, 2013 at 1:06 pm

      Hi Jeremy, Thanks for stopping by my blog. It is VERY cool that you make the fermenting crocks that I’m in love with. It is also very cool that you commented. I had no idea there were different colors available, I think I might be drawn to the cranberry one even more! Take care, Steph

      Reply
      • Jeremy Ogusky says

        May 7, 2013 at 1:10 pm

        thanks Steph! yes, the red is nice too, adds a bit of color to the kitchen. cheers!

        Reply
  5. Allison says

    May 7, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    All such great gift ideas. Thanks. It gets harder and harder trying to figure out a gift for someone who says they don’t want anything…lol.

    Reply
  6. michelle oakley warner says

    May 8, 2013 at 11:34 am

    wow what great ideas, im going to get my mom the cheese craft, she would love that

    Reply
    • MinnesotaFromScratch says

      May 8, 2013 at 11:35 am

      You will too… if she shares!

      Reply
  7. Pam says

    May 25, 2013 at 9:26 am

    I love the Lodge cast iron cookware and I checked out their site and it is very affordable. Great ideas for any time of they year.

    Reply
  8. Victoria H (@funmom91) says

    May 25, 2013 at 9:33 am

    These are some great gifts. I especially love the cookware idea.

    Reply
  9. Savannah miller says

    May 25, 2013 at 9:45 am

    These are all great ideas!! I really like the raised Garden bed 🙂

    Reply
  10. Jennifer Peaslee says

    May 25, 2013 at 10:39 am

    My mom would love the raised garden beds! She does a ton of gardening, but not in raised beds. I bet my husband could make them too. I’ll be keeping this idea in mind for next Mother’s Day….or maybe her birthday! As for me…the cheese making kit looks really fun!

    Reply
    • MinnesotaFromScratch says

      May 27, 2013 at 8:13 am

      Oh I’m sure your mom would love that. If you do have your husband make some, consider making them taller so your mom doesn’t have to bend as much – it is so much easier on the back and plus it helps keep the bunnies out too!

      Reply
  11. variety of mother's day gift ideas says

    June 3, 2013 at 5:44 am

    Personalised gifts are appreciated by everyone. Your blog contains a variety of mother’s day gift ideas, which shows your love and affection towards your mum.

    Reply
  12. Best Cheese Gifts says

    July 11, 2013 at 10:54 pm

    Perfect gift ideas! My mom would surely love the cheese making kit.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Garlicky Pickled Asparagus – Canning Recipe | MinnesotaFromScratch says:
    June 12, 2013 at 7:53 am

    […] have likely already learned about my infatuation with Weck jars, but if not, you can read about it here. That said, the one problem I have run into is that I never know how many jars to clean or how many […]

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Stephanie. I'm the best selling author of Can It & Ferment It, WECK Small-Batch Preserving and WECK Home Preserving. My fourth book, Small-Scale Homesteading, is now available for pre-order! I'm a certified master food preserver, food preservation instructor, organic gardener, chicken keeper and nature lover. I specialize in creating easy to follow recipes and directions to help other homesteaders meet their goals.

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