Welcome to Live Simply Homestead
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Welcome to Live Simply Homestead where we turn nature's bounty into preserved perfection through the art of freeze drying. We are dedicated to quality and sustainability, and each batch of herbs undergoes a meticulous freeze-drying process that locks in freshness and ensures maximum potency, so you can enjoy herbs, at their peak, anytime of the year.
All our products are handcrafted in small batches and have no added preservatives or chemicals. They are convenient and healthy, and as close to fresh as you can get, without any of the tedious washing, chopping and dicing work. |
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Our HistoryWe moved from the big city to our small rural slice of heaven in Minden, Ontario just six months before Covid 19 struck the world. It was a startling time, but reaffirmed our beliefs that we need to live more sustainably and naturally. A big part of that is the quality of the food we eat, using minimal processing. With a large vegetable garden, we invested in a freeze dryer so we could preserve our harvest for year-round consumption. We were excited about freeze drying as it removes up to 98% of the moisture from foods while maintaining nutritional values, flavour and appearance, and has an incredibly long shelf life (25 years if stored properly). Our dehydrator has pretty much been retired as it simply doesn’t stand up to the flavour, nutrition, colour and shelf life of freeze-drying.
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Freeze drying has changed our habits in so many ways, and now we’re delighted to share some of our knowledge and great food items with others searching for wholesome, natural, quality foods, that are locally produced. We’re keeping it simple for now by offering herbs, seasonings, fruits, dips, and rubs. Our long-term vision is to add teas, vegetables, snacks, candy, and dog treats.
Thank you for visiting Live Simply Homestead. We invite you to experience the difference freeze-dried products can make in your life—where freshness meets convenience, and nature's goodness is always within reach.
Happy cooking and entertaining.
Cathy and Thomas.
Thank you for visiting Live Simply Homestead. We invite you to experience the difference freeze-dried products can make in your life—where freshness meets convenience, and nature's goodness is always within reach.
Happy cooking and entertaining.
Cathy and Thomas.
What is Freeze-Drying?Freeze drying food preserves its flavour, colour, appearance and texture, while minimizing nutritional loss (95 – 98% retention versus 60 to 70% for dehydrated foods).
Freeze drying works in a sealed chamber by fast freezing food (down to as low as -50°F, or -46°C), then reducing chamber pressure and gradually adding heat to allow the frozen moisture in the food to change directly to a vapor (sublimate), followed by a secondary drying (adsorption) by increasing the heat more. |
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The moisture removed from the food adheres as ice to the chamber walls, which is defrosted after the dried food has been removed and packaged.
Just about any food product can be freeze dried. Almost every vegetable, fruit, dairy, and meat freeze dries well and tastes great in the freeze-dried state or rehydrated. High fat and high sugar items such as butter, nuts, bacon, chocolate, or honey cannot be freeze dried for long-term storage.
While freeze drying was officially patented in 1906 (there are primitive examples dating to the 1500’s), it was five decades later when foods began to be freeze-dried. The process was originally commercialized for astronauts and military personnel, and grew to outdoor enthusiasts (backpackers, campers, hunters, etc.) for its light weight and ease of preparation. It has become a staple for “preppers”/survivalists because of its extended shelf-life (up to 25 years when stored properly), without additives or preservatives.
Just about any food product can be freeze dried. Almost every vegetable, fruit, dairy, and meat freeze dries well and tastes great in the freeze-dried state or rehydrated. High fat and high sugar items such as butter, nuts, bacon, chocolate, or honey cannot be freeze dried for long-term storage.
While freeze drying was officially patented in 1906 (there are primitive examples dating to the 1500’s), it was five decades later when foods began to be freeze-dried. The process was originally commercialized for astronauts and military personnel, and grew to outdoor enthusiasts (backpackers, campers, hunters, etc.) for its light weight and ease of preparation. It has become a staple for “preppers”/survivalists because of its extended shelf-life (up to 25 years when stored properly), without additives or preservatives.