Editorial policy

What we publish

We write from sources a reader can check: USDA, CDC, FEMA/Ready.gov and university extension guidance, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, manufacturer documentation and long-running homesteader discussions. We do not claim to have tested what we describe, and we correct what we get wrong.

A page answers its question in its first lines, then goes into detail. We say what we know, what we do not, and how we know it, and when sources disagree we show both sides.

What we do not publish

We do not invent people, quotes, numbers or experiences. We do not give medical, legal or financial advice: for those we point to professionals and official sources. We do not publish paid content.

Food safety and dangerous methods

Canning, curing, water treatment, fuel storage and generators can make people sick or kill them when they are done wrong. For these we follow the tested guidance of the USDA, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, university extension services, Ready.gov and the CDC. When an old method has been ruled unsafe by that guidance, such as open-kettle canning, we say so plainly and explain why, even in our old ways section.

Sources

We prefer the primary source: the official guidance, the study, the vendor's own page. When we quote public discussions we say they are people's opinions, not facts we verified.

Updates

Pages that depend on prices, rules or official guidance show the date we last checked them, and we revisit them when the facts change.

Corrections

When we get something wrong, we fix the page and say what changed. Send us the correction with its source.