I live, write, and garden in the PNW with my husband of 27 years, disabled daughter, college-aged son, and my 84-year-old mother. We have paid off $250,000.00 worth of debt (if you include the interest) in the last fifteen years and as of 6/12/2020 are 100% DEBT FREE!!!!I've been working on a comprehensive list of what I am going to grow, can, dehydrate, freeze, and purchase this year for food. The freeze-dried list is for long-term food storage as we are working on building a 1 year supply for four people. It might take us more than one year to build that supply, though. Some people might think that is nuts, but you know, we did not need to worry about food at all for the ten months DH was unemployed and I really liked that. Of course, if DH's job doesn't last past mid-March, then buying all of the freeze-dried food will be put on hold.
The other is food for the year and in the case of green beans, some extra. We had a bad bean year last year all over the county because of the weather being irregular and I didn't plant any last year, either. Fortunately, I had canned enough in 2015 and 2016 to have plenty for 2017, but we are running low and it is one of my go-to veggies, so I plan to do extra.
What I plan to can:
Green beans--156 quarts (half cut, half French-style)
Yukon gold potatoes--104 quarts
Diced Tomatoes--52 pints
Radishes--7 pints
Parsnips--28 pints
Carrots--52 pints
Celery--52 pints
Italian Plums--14 quarts (more if tree produces more)
Pears--102 quarts
Strawberry Jelly--24 pints
Bumbleberry Jelly--6 half-pints
Dandelion Jelly--6 pints
Apricots--24 pints
Blueberry Pie Filling--14 quarts
Apple Pie Filling--7 quarts
Peaches--28 quarts
Rabbit--52 quarts
Chicken--52 pints
Beef Chunks--52 quarts
Salmon--21 pints or 42 half-pints
Ham--14 half-pints
Ground Beef--30 pints
Lamb--7 quarts
Beef broth--21 quarts
Turkey/Chicken broth--52 quarts
Rabbit Broth--52 quarts
Onion Stock--21 quarts
What I plan to freeze:
Gold Rush Zucchini--40 packages
Onions--30 packages sliced
Bell Peppers--52 packages sliced
Poblanos--1 gallon, diced
Jalapenos--2 gallons, diced
Snow peas--25 packages
1/2 a beef
1 whole hog
1 whole lamb
30 whole chickens
2 whole turkeys
120 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
80 pounds ground turkey (1 lb packages)
200 pounds of rabbit meat
Dehydrating Plan:
1 quart sweet basil
1 pint Thai basil
1 pint sage
1 quart powdered oregano
4 quarts diced garlic (will make powder as needed from this)
4 quarts diced ginger (will make powder as needed from this)
1/2 pint of thyme
1 pint of marjoram
1 pint of rosemary
1 quart Italian parsley
1 quart curly parsley
1 pint cilantro
2 quarts bee balm petals
2 quarts bee balm leaves
2 quarts calendula petals
2 quarts whole calendula flowers
2 quarts Echinacea
2 quarts yarrow
2 quarts comfrey
1 pint celery powder
2 quarts celery leaves
2 quarts raspberry leaves
Freeze Dried Food Plan:
6 #10 cans of sausage crumbles
6 #10 cans of ground beef crumbles
12 #10 cans of small diced beef
6 #10 cans of chicken dices
24 #10 cans of onion dices
6 #10 cans of mixed bell peppers
6 #10 cans of white flour
6 #10 cans of whole wheat flour
6 #10 cans of celery
6 #10 cans of carrot dices
6 #10 cans of yogurt bites (pomegranate and black cherry)
6 #10 cans of instant white rice
6 #10 cans of instant brown rice
6 #10 cans of pure cane sugar
6 #10 cans of brown sugar
2 pantry cans of Instant dry yeast
6 #10 cans of potato dices
I am debating on whether or not I will grow squash or not, other than zucchini. It takes up a lot of space and is very cheap to buy, so probably not.
Food Preservation and Preparation Plan for 2018
January 11th, 2018 at 08:15 am
January 11th, 2018 at 03:50 pm 1515685843
January 11th, 2018 at 03:52 pm 1515685966
I don't can and freeze as much as you do, but I have been canning beans, tomatoes, pickles, and applesauce. Part of it is because I think the stuff I can is healthier than store bought and part to save money. But even before I taught myself to can, I always had a stocked pantry and freezer and some of my friends thought I was crazy. I buy things on sale and stock up when I can. I always have -- grew up with parents with the Great Depression mentality -- yet these folks will run to the store to get something before every meal or one friend waits until everything is used up, then complains how much the grocery run is. Sadly, when there is nothing in the house, they find that as an excuse to eat out and then complain about how much it costs.
January 11th, 2018 at 05:35 pm 1515692140
January 11th, 2018 at 08:15 pm 1515701730
There's a virus in the ground now so can't plant a new one.
January 12th, 2018 at 07:28 pm 1515785280
--Do you pickle the radishes for canning?
--What is onion stock?
--The bee balm is for tea?
--The yarrow for tea? Insect repellent?
January 13th, 2018 at 11:53 am 1515844408
Radishes can be pickled, but I am just canning them in water like I do potatoes or carrots. Onion stock is made by saving all of your onion skins until you have 2 gallon size ziplocks full of them and then boiling them in water, just like a vegetable stock. It is very flavorful and can be used just like beef stock or veggie stock. Yes, both bee balm leaves and petals can be used for tea. The petals are sweeter, but both are good. Yarrow can also be used for tea, but is also an astringent, and can be put in a poultice with comfrey to bring down swelling.