Good Morning,
I was brought up by a farmgirl Mom. My Mom grew up with no indoor plumbing in the house-Her parents put that in when she left for college. Sooooo I was brought up helping with a large veggie garden, and in the next town over there was a huge farmer's market that was in a permanent building. Farmers had stalls from Indiana and nearby Michigan. Mom would get bushels of fresh fruit to can or freeze. So "putting up" fresh food has been in my "blood" I have always enjoyed this task over the years. Even when I was working many hours with long driving commutes.
Retiring to Missouri, trying to have a garden has been a major challenge I am used to good midwest soil for growing, and here in SW Missouri-it is Not the same. Clay and lots of rocks .The weather here is more unpredictable too-less rain and hotter than the upper midwest. I did manage to amend a small area at the woods house that we had to fence in-but growing food in this area I think would be better in a greenhouse haha Moving to the lake-growing food has been impossible-bad soil, and so many critters eating everything-squirrels and chipmunks and even the deer passing through. I have given up on a veggie garden. Also the weather here is usually very very hot in the summers.
I was hoping the Amish store about 45 minutes away would provide bushels of fresh fruits etc, but no their foods that they sell looks like what the grocery stores sell- So that has been disappointing
Soooo, plus the fact I need to change the electric stove to a gas stove to handle the large canning kettles-what to do to stock up???
The last several years about this time of year I stock up on organic, no salt canned items-like different beans, and fruits etc. I wait for a big sale from Vitacost and also shop the 365 brand on Amazon. With free shipping the price is good for these heavy boxes. I started a pantry in the basement on shelves-with canned veggies, beans, fruits. I have also stocked up on what I use for baking, gluten free pastas, crackers etc. I also have sealed buckets of different rice and dried beans. Flours in the freezer
Under the current mismanagement of our federal govt-food prices are soooo high now, not sure how a struggling family can manage the food bill.
I have always "put up" food for a year ahead except for fresh items When my order I placed over the weekend comes in-I will be pretty set for another year or more.
Do you stock up? Are you able to have a garden??
Below photo I found on Etsy Ode to my farmgirl Grandma
I stock up MEAT :-) as much as my two freezers can hold up...We hardly eat any pickles or preserves...if I made some, usually gave most away.
ReplyDeletewe are in our mid to late 70's now so I no longer make pickles or salsa to can. If I had access to quality fruits I would can those in pints-and veggies I always froze
DeleteI do not can much I mostly freeze what we grow which is not much but we will have enough pasta sauce until the next growing season I got a few pounds of potatoes and some garlic. I will dry some of the herbs I have. I stock up on meats when they are on sale I buy the big packs and break them down into smaller bags for a meal for us.
ReplyDeleteI am stocking up on baking goods now. I am making our own bread. Tired of the crazy ingredients and price. Plus I bake for several people at Christmas time.
I hate to run out of anything so I keep a good list when I open a bottle of the last one. Such as mustard I put it on my list so I purchase another before I run out.h
Cathy
I do the same keeping the panty stocked. I am pretty much stocked up with baking ingredients for the holidays, and last year I made a double batch of fruit cake for Larry now that it is almost a year old it's moist and perfect for serving I do the same with meats too
DeleteI only stock up a bit. I think many things can be bought much easier year round than before. But, not everything. I do like to make things like pickles, relish and jam, but I don't really do it for stocking up, even though it does, but more because I like to make things like that. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeletePickles are fun to make I used to make several and also relishes too. I didn't get into jam do to all the sugar that needs to go in them
DeleteMy Mom fled from the Russians as kid in WWII and we always had enough food.
ReplyDeleteIngo hates I eat food that is actually ... "old", but as long as it still smells OK, looks OK, tastes OK,I eat it. I was raised like this.
But apart from that ... the next store is 3 minutes on foot from our home.
Once I retire I might try to grow veggies on the balcony. This year I was not even able to grow but one flower!!! At least that - hugs to you and the lake, here it´s 80F at 06:04 a.m., soooooo wonderful!
Larry's Grandparents fled the war his Grandmother was in one of those camps, she would show him her tatoo from that.
Deletethis is awesome you can walk to the grocery store! we have always lived very rural so buying food was at least a 30 minute drive or more. Now I buy a lot online and gets shipped free. I mostly only buy fresh foods from the stores now.
so glad you got some warm weather hugs
A 30 minutes drive to get food?! Oh,boy. I can imagine what camp you refer to...
Deletewe have always lived rural-no cities
DeleteI was brought up to freeze and can goods. I did up until about 10 years ago...but me thinks I need to get back to it and have a garden again. I plant a few tomato and jalapeno plants in a pot but not enough to save, just to eat right away. When I retire in a few years will get back to gardening. Just no time tight now. It is very cost effective and no chemicals in home grown. Janice
ReplyDeleteI love homegrown. I was so frustrated here at the lakehouse-I could not even grow a tomato plant as the squirrels and chipmunks ate them all when small-crazy haha
DeleteI don't have a lot of storage space so I don't over buy, but I do make sure I have the kinds of things I consider staples (and those include things like lemon, shrimp and salmon) in the house or freezer at all times. It's easy enough to get to the store but if I see something interesting traveling, I might get extra.
ReplyDeletewe have always lived rural, and in areas where it takes over 30 minutes to get to a food store. when we lived in northern Illinois before retirement-we had a lot of sever winters-so I always wanted food on hand. I have farm girl country roots so it is all natural to me to do so
DeleteMy Grandparents on my Dad's side had not one but two Huge gardens. Grandpa had them when we lived in NJ and then when they retired to northern FL he still had two huge gardens that grew beautifully.. I think he saw it as a challenge and he was up for it.. My Grandma did can from the garden and i spent many Summers eating from the garden..
ReplyDeleteI have never managed a garden... fighting the weeds and everything else and working full time was just not for me.. Plus anywhere i've lived especially here in TX water costs dearly and in the end just not worth it when i could buy it cheaper at the store.. I KNOW homegrown taste better-better for you but in my life its always had to be about the money...
These days i keep a fairly good size pantry mostly can food.... like you said... the low to no salt versions.. I stock heart healthy soups and veggies.. jars of spaghetti sauce, brown rice and whole wheat noodles, tons of toilet paper... THAT won't happen again.. and the list goes on... Whenever i use something i replace it.. Except for Grandma's my mom never had a pantry or a reserve so it is not something that is natural to me... Now hubby's mom canned and had a HUGE reserve... so he is used to that and always 'encourages' me to stock MORE... He always thinks of veggies but i'm like if there is a crisis one cannot survive on veggies alone! So stocking the soup is my idea and i stock alot tunafish.. it last a long time... Now hubby tells me he doesn't really care for tuna.... grrrrr... at least i do.. Great post today Kathy... Thanks for visiting the blog! i joined the Tparty and forgot to add a drink... oh well I'll post two next time...Hugs! deb
I didn't even notice that you had not shared a drink-smiles-its ok
DeleteI grew up storing food to last a year-except for fresh foods. when we raised our own meats that was for a year too.
I was raised that way, so even when I was working lots of forced overtime at the phone co I still had a garden and canned and froze. we even made a big crock of sauerkraut one year.
I have always enjoyed it, and want to know I have food in the house. I stock up on canned beef, chicken, turkey, and tuna and salmon. and I have in the pantry soup ingredients. and rice-pasta-condiments etc. It is in my nature to do so. and with food prices going up every month I am saving money in the end even though I am not doing the canning now
I have a huge box of canned items coming in this week-that I found less expensive than the local stores here. I am prepared now with food except for the fresh produce and eggs milk etc
I think I feel safer know what ever happens like severe weather -I have food here -I also keep gallons of water too
I think you have to have the drive to do that... the gardening and canning... or maybe some fear to drive it.. We have gallons of water too... I definitely don't have a years worth of anything.... you are an inspiration... but i don't think i'll do more...
DeleteI was brought up this way-so I still do it even though I don't have a garden here I buy mostly organic and no salt or no sugar added as well-healthier foods that way. we are all different-hugs
DeleteKathy being raised just like you and living on a farm we always canned and put away for winter. Even though I still work, it is just in my blood to garden and put things up for the coming cold days. Certainly I do not do what my mom and grandma did...they canned beef, peaches, vegetable soup, etc. I only make relish, jelly, tomato sauce and green beans. Have made pickles over the years but for the most part stick to the above mentioned. Do freeze lots of things though such as applesauce, and shredded zucchini and berries, chopped green peppers, and peas. Well take care friend and have a lovely day. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteYou have a wonderful day and rest of the week too-hugs
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