The cycle has again begun. First we plant and then tend, harvest and preserve. The new canning season has begun. I blanched and froze up my first asparagus yesterday so the new canning season is upon us. My pantry once looked like the picture above but now has dwindled some and I have quite a few empty jars and spaces.
So in the spirit of a new beginning the empty jars were rearranged, sorted and counted. As I need them they will be washed, sterilized and refilled with the harvest. An ongoing labor of love and a necessity to feed my small family.
The small upright freezer in the pantry was defrosted and cleaned. I moved food out of the large chest type freezer in the laundry room over to the upright to be more convenient to find. I also moved the remainder of frozen vegetables that I want to finish before the new vegetables start coming in. This way I can get an idea of what we have used and what I need to plant more of for next winter. The new frozen vegetables will go into the chest and the older vegetables rotate to the upright to be finished up. There is a method to my madness. Sometimes.....
In the spirit of a new beginning I also tallied up my totals for 2010 once listed on the right side of my blog.
Frozen Food totals for 2010
228 Bags or containers
Jars of preserved food for 2010
405 Jars
I also need to add that those frozen food tallies do not include the 2 deer that went into the freezer or the wild game including rabbits, squirrels, wild turkey, turtle, fish, froglegs and goose.
Nor does it include the purchased meat.
What I am most proud of is that 99 % of that food came off this farm. Grown with no pesticides, no fertilizers other than compost and manures from heirloom seeds and most saved by us. There were a couple hybrid exceptions but not many.
All the fruits and nuts came off trees that we have planted in the last 14 years other than what was gathered from wild stock such as some wild blackberries.
And this was done by 2 people, one in their sixties and one not far behind and both with health issues.
So if the good lord is willing and the creek don't rise we are gonna try and beat that total this year. Hope you'll come along for the ride : )
Blessings from The Holler
The Canned Quilter
I am always in awe of your skills. :)
ReplyDeleteHow do you know when something needs to be blanched before freezing, and just what is blanching?
Is there a book you would recommend that will help me learn all this?
God bless and have a wonderful week! ♥
Good for you! This post makes me excited to think about gardening!
ReplyDeleteIt all looks so good (to the last bottle) Isn't it wonderful to be so blessed!
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to eat up so I can restock when the time comes.
That is an amazing harvest.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to sit down to a meal and know you helped grow all of it. Marcy's Easter lunch yesterday was all from the farm.
You are super organized! I am impressed at what a wide variety of canning you do. Nice. Do you ever participate in seed swaps or canning swaps? I was just writing about seed swaps on my blog in an effort to inspire people to expand there gardening and canning horizons. Does anybody do seed swaps in your area?
ReplyDeleteBrilliant!!! I do much less canning than you, but there is little better than your very own goods. No preservatives and nasties. I LOVE organic gardening!!! We also do heirloom and companion gardening as well. You inspire me. I have replanted pea seeds twice so far this Spring, the bunnies have been busily nibbling the sprouts. I NEED to plant yet again! Thanks for the encouragement! : )
ReplyDelete