Ep 147. All About Apples (Foraging, Picking, and Preserving)

The Homestead Challenge Podcast | Suburban Homesteading, Gardening, Food From Scratch, Sustainable Living

September means apple season, and we’re diving into all the ways to enjoy it. In this episode, we explore foraging for crabapples (and how to tell them apart from hawthorn), heading to the orchard for a family apple-picking trip, and the many ways we can preserve the harvest for the months ahead. From applesauce and apple butter to homemade apple cider vinegar and jelly, we’re talking about how to make the most of this abundant fall fruit.

Whether you’re foraging on your neighborhood sidewalks or hauling home a bushel from a local farm, this episode is packed with ideas to inspire your apple season.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• How to identify and use crabapples (and why they’re so underrated).

• Tips for safe and fun apple picking at orchards.

• Ways to preserve apples: canning, freezing, dehydrating, and fermenting.

• Creative ways to use peels and cores so nothing goes to waste.

• Why September feels like its own special season.

Links & Resources

• Join The Homestead Challenge Community on Facebook to share your apple recipes.