There's nothing like the feeling you get when you open a cupboard full of your hard work/ harvested fruits and veggies, or when you grab something out of the freezer, and there is all of the wonderfully healthy harvest that you worked so hard to put in there for your family.
I have canned and frozen things in the past, but this is the first year I have worked THIS HARD at it.
This summer, as the produce is rolling in, we have been able to enjoy much of it, therefore saving our family money on our grocery bill! (But this is a topic for another day!) It's so awesome to need something to eat for supper, and to be able to go out to the garden, pick it, then cook it up (or eat it raw!) and serve it to your family. I really am SO thankful that I am healthy enough to be able to do these things. I am thankful that even those things that DON'T turn out like I expected (corn!), that I am still able to learn from it. I am PRAISING God for these things!
About a week ago, we (hubby) butchered 10 chickens. I was one bag short of being able to throw all of them into the freezer, so I threw that one in the pot instead. It was AWESOME. I threw in some carrots and potatoes, and we had a TRULY home cooked meal. And NEVER did you eat anything so delicious!
I have been trying to keep track of everything we pull from the garden (which with 5 other sets of hands around here, I can't always keep track!). And everything that we harvest from our farm. I have been keeping track of these things in my notebook. (Check that out HERE.) Not just because I am bored and have nothing better to do with my time, but so I can see from year to year what we did, and to challenge myself to improve!
I am keeping track also on this blog! If you would like to see what we are doing here, I am an open book! Look to the left of the screen.
I have one that is for food harvested from the garden, and one for canning and freezing. You can see how we are doing to date this year.
Like I have said before, I NEED a bigger garden, but I hope (know!) this will help! I am proud of any amount that we are able to produce as a family. I am proud to be a part of the health and learning of my boys!
How has your harvesting/ keeping been coming along? What have you been canning/ freezing? If you have blogged about it, leave a link in the comments! I would LOVE to hear about it!
7 comments:
love your blog!
I haven't updated since my last blog post about our canning/freezing efforts. (which you can find here: http://anotherkindofdrew.com/blog/2010/07/21/taking-stock/) but I know it has grown substantially.
I am sure everyone has heard about the crazy heat here in the South. Unfortunately that means an almost end to the gardening season already. It is unfortunate, but the way it all works.
We have chickens left to butcher next weekend and then a few beans to dry yet.
Right now we are gearing up to go apple picking in September and also get some grapes to restock ourselves on grape juice, grape jelly, and a chutney we are going to try this year.
Just today I canned 4 pints of pizza sauce, it is delicious! I had hoped for a bigger batch, but I only had so many tomatoes ripe at the moment. I am really hoping for a larger batch next time. My goal is to can all my own tomato sauce, pizza sauce and tomato soup for the year.
Thank you, Meagan!
Andrew- I know it is HOT here but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what you have! Time to plan for the Fall! Fall is a tie for my favorite time of year (along with Spring!).
Jennifer- I am JUST NOW looking up how to make pizza sauce! I have canned tomato juice in the past, but it has been for a few years! I LOVE making homemade pizza sauce from the organic tomato sauce I buy... now I can make it COMPLETELY from scratch! So excited!
Hi Sarah-
Your posts make me want to get to work! We are having a strangely cool summer here in SoCal, so the tomatoes are still 2+ weeks away from getting started! Meanwhile, I am jarring a lot of berries, cherries and fruits. And eating everything the farmers serve up; last night magnificent elephant garlic with sliced beef and carrots in a pot. Other than that, we're eating all the fresh green and yellow wax beans we can manage...emailing you tonight...
French Basketeer- I wish we had more fruits around here, BUT that will come when our fruit trees grow bigger! We just have to be patient! All of your harvest sounds yummy!
My husband made some awesome tomato sauce yesterday that we usually freeze but I convinced him to pull out the pressure cooker to can. We will be trying pizza sauce with the next batch of tomatoes. I hear you about the fruit. We've been able to eat fresh strawberries all summer but I had hoped for more to make jam with.
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