Homestead Production & Preservation

This capstone unit integrates hands-on homestead systems for food production, preservation, animal and pollinator care, and infrastructure. Students synthesize planting, harvesting, processing (canning, freezing, drying, fermenting), animal/hive health, and site-organization practices to produce safe, storable food and functional backyard systems.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze and compare preservation methods (water-bath and pressure canning, freezing, drying, fermenting, and bottling) and create written, safety-compliant processing plans for at least three food products.
• Apply horticultural and site-management techniques by preparing beds, transplanting or direct-sowing crops, building or modifying a compost bin and rain-barrel stand, and constructing or planning a walk-in hoop house to support a seasonal production plan.
• Demonstrate animal and pollinator husbandry and biosecurity measures by installing fencing, performing basic dairy and beehive care tasks, and using integrated approaches to prevent or mitigate varroa mite infestations and colony collapse indicators.
• Evaluate sanitation, storage, and post-harvest handling practices — including homemade soap use, tool organization, and appropriate storage formats (jarred, frozen, dried) — to recommend improvements that extend shelf life and ensure food safety.