Storing the harvest

This has been a busier summer for me here on our hillbilly farm so far...although I'm thankful for the food, I'm also thankful that the canning seems to be winding down. I've done more canning than ever...not to say it was any where near as much as my Mom used to do when I was growing up...but then neither of us like green beans, so we don't ever have them...and that's the biggest thing I remember having to help Mom can...Green Beans, YUCK!! LOL

This year, I've frozen a few things, like corn and some asparagus, that we bought extra of...since we can't find any homegrown to stock up on (and yes I do hope to get a nice large asparagus patch going one of these years) and we will be filling our 2nd freezer with meat (Beef and Deer) this fall when we butcher our blind calf and when deer season gets here. BUT...the Canning and drying of food has been the biggest thing I've done so far this year, to store the harvest. The photo above shows a little bit of everything, except for the frozen foods and the homemade ketchup which was in the canner when I took the photo last week. :)

Below are the foods we have ready for winter so far...that I remember, I may have forgotten some knowing my memory.

Dried:

• Apples
• Tomatoes
• Peppers

Canned:

• Strawberry Jelly
• Cherry Jelly
• Cherry Pie Filling
• Green Tomato Mincemeat
• Apple Sauce
• Pickled Beats
• Green Tomato Salsa
• Pizza Sauce
• Tomato Soup
• Tomato & Okra Soup
• Homemade Ketchup

Frozen:

• Corn
• Aspargus
• Rubarb

The corn and aspargus wasn't much...so it won't last to long, but it's nice to have it. The dried goods are great for snacks...or soup or pizza...or anything else I think to use them for. The canned goods will be wonderful to have when the winter storms come, because they are a reminder of the warmer weather of summer and are more nutritious than most canned goods you buy in the store (and they have less sugar).

God has been good to our pantry this year, and made sure it was full of yummy food. Granted we still have to buy things, but least this will save a little money here and there and let us have a little more variety!

Praise God for his bounty!! :)