988: Growing Food with the Intention to Preserve It

The Preserver's Garden: Featuring Staci and Jeremy Hill of Gooseberry Bridge Farm

In this Episode Staci and Jeremy share their journey from suburban living to operating an 11-acre farm in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. What began as a small raised-bed garden evolved into a lifestyle centered on food production, preservation, agritourism, and self-sufficiency. In this conversation, they discuss how preserving food became a cornerstone of their family's food security strategy, why they intentionally grow crops for canning and freeze-drying, and how planning a "preserver's garden" differs from traditional gardening. They also share lessons learned from preservation failures, the economics of home food production, and the inspiration behind their book, The Preserver's Garden.

Our Guests: Stacy and Jeremy Hill are the owners of Gooseberry Bridge Farm, located in the Ozark Mountains of Southwest Missouri. They moved from the typical house at the end of a cul-de-sac in a subdivision to an 11-acre farm almost 10 years ago, and haven't looked back. In addition to producing and preserving as much of their own food by canning, freezing, dehydrating, and freeze-drying their garden harvests, they also operate a you-pick flower farm with different varieties of flowers throughout the year. Their goals are to share their farm with the community and to be as self-sufficient as possible within the boundaries of what is realistic in today's world.

Key Topics

• Gooseberry Bridge Farm
• Staci and Jeremy Hill
• The Preserver's Garden
• Food preservation strategies
• Canning and water bath processing
• Freeze-drying food for long-term storage
• Growing for food security
• Building a year-round pantry
• Preserving tomatoes, peaches, beans, and zucchini
• Family involvement in food production
• Agritourism and farm experiences
• Teaching lost homesteading skills
• Foxfire books and traditional knowledge
• Reducing grocery costs through food production

Key Questions Answered

How did Staci and Jeremy transition from suburbia to farming?

They began with a small raised-bed garden after getting married and gradually expanded their food production over two decades. After moving to an 11-acre property in Missouri, they increased their gardening, added livestock, and eventually turned the farm into their primary source of income through agritourism and value-added products.

What inspired them to focus on food preservation?

As their family grew, they became interested in preserving traditional skills they could pass on to future generations. Each year they learned a new preservation method, eventually mastering canning, dehydrating, freeze-drying, and food storage.

What does a well-stocked pantry look like?

A successful pantry is built around foods a family actually enjoys eating. Rather than preserving what is easiest, they recommend preserving crops you enjoy and grow well. Their pantry includes extensive stores of tomato sauce, salsa, green beans, soups, fruits, and freeze-dried foods.

What crops provide the biggest return for food security?

Their highest-performing crops include tomatoes, bush beans, zucchini, summer squash, and okra. They emphasize growing large quantities and "outplanting failure" rather than constantly battling pests.

Why do they freeze-dry food?

Freeze-drying dramatically increases shelf life, often up to 25 years, while preserving flavor and nutrition. It also expands the range of foods they can store compared to traditional canning.

How do they handle large harvests of tomatoes?

They harvest tomatoes at the blush stage, allow them to ripen indoors, process them in batches, and often freeze excess harvests for winter canning. This approach reduces summer workload and avoids heating the kitchen during hot weather.

Why was The Preserver's Garden written?

A publisher noticed a gap