Bagging Produce And Weekly Tally

Well another week has passed here on the homestead. We received quite a rain storm  Thursday night into Friday with hard rain, lightning and thunder. The soil needed the moisture so much because it has been so dry for the last couple weeks. 

I want to thank everyone for all those wonderful  birthday wishes! Oldest daughter Fred and her husband barbecued in the back yard and invited us over for dinner and cake. Hank loves any excuse for cake.  She and her family bought me new cordless phones. Guess they got tired of the old ones and the static and bad reception. The old one had been dropped so many times by the grandchildren it is a wonder it worked this long. Now I may have to return to college to figure out how to hook the thing up and program it!

It has been a busy week in this blog hasn't it. We have canned tomatoes together and dehydrated vegetables, we have cried over books, baked cakes and now it is time for me to take my weekend rest. 

We are so glad you have come along for our journey this week.

As an update on Baby O she is doing better. It has been a chore with all the tests but we know they are necessary. She has had stress tests and seen a cardiologist from the city. We still are not sure what happened but she seems on the road to recovery. But now she has developed what looks like strep throat. Yuck....sure hope O Wise One and I don't get it.    

O Wise One and I have begun to bag up all the produce we have been dehydrating lately. It seemed as if every surface in this house either had seeds drying, dehydrated produce or canned goods waiting for me to find a place to put up. It was starting to get deep : )

I love dehydrating my vegetables because they are so easy to store. Many times they are stored simply in jars or vacuum bags either sealed with the vacuum sealer or an oxygen absorber or both.

It is amazing to see pounds of carrots reduced down to just a few bags but a wonderful space saver.

This is the time of year that I like to experiment with the dehydrator seeing different ways that I can dehydrate those end of the year small and varied harvests.

These particular batches were all put into vacuum bags and sealed. From here they will go into a giant rubbermaid tub with a lid. Once there protected from sunlight, moisture and pests. The tub will be stored in the pantry on the floor under a shelf. The small bags can be opened as needed and should fit into pint jars. Once consumed then just open another bag. Sealed out of sunlight these bags of vegetables should last for years.  

And it is definitely lots cheaper than buying those little bottles of dried herbs or dried fruit. 

Weekly Tally

2 quart bags dried cantaloupe
2 quart bags dried watermelon
8 one  cup bags dehydrated sliced carrots
12 pints canned sliced carrots
7 half cup bags dehydrated green peppers
2 half cup bags dehydrated green onions
17 packages frozen rabbit pieces
4 gallon bags frozen rabbit loin
22 quarts  canned tomato sauce

Our harvests are definitely slowing down and it feels good not to get up each morning looking at mountains of produce. It feels like I have got something accomplished though every time I open my freezer or walk in my pantry.

That is not to say that putting food by is over, really it is quite the opposite. Once you start living this lifestyle you get into the habit of always having an eye out for things to extend your pantry and food supply so canning becomes a year round endeavor just not at the level that it happens this time of year from the gardens. Next should be potatoes and onions and then apples. 

Well this is another week down and hope your weekend is safe and enjoyable. See ya on Monday "if the good lord's willin and the creek don't rise".

Blessings from The Holler

The Canned Quilter