Amy Cross

Amy Cross - The Cross Legacy - homesteader & author of Strawberries in a Jar Hi, I am Amy Cross from The Cross Legacy. I live with my wonderful husband of 24 years (high school sweethearts!) in the Pacific Northwest. Our daughters, who learned many of these skills while at home, are now grown and out of the house. We have a suburban homestead with a backyard full of chickens and a fruit and vegetable garden. Our dream is to build our own farm, raise our own animals and cultivate our own produce. While we wait for that dream to become a reality, we are concentrating on building and sustaining a year-long, homesteading pantry of single-ingredient items. Besides creating a budget-friendly food inventory, I also desire to keep food allergies and sensitivities in mind for my family. We deal with quite a few of both. You might have found this site after reading one of my food preservation tips, like the super-popular Strawberries in a Jar tip. It shows how to keep strawberries fresh for a week – actually for 3 weeks or even longer! Most of the tips I teach are things I have learned by spending time with neighbors, grandparents, and old-time farmers. I grew up on a large farm and I want to pass that experience on to younger generations who have not had the privilege of growing up in a world where everyone used these skills daily. Technology and convenience have altered not only food storage and prep but also people’s general knowledge of these topics and practices. Many of the skills that come naturally to me are no longer seen in today’s society and I am looking forward to sharing my passion for homesteading!