Getting Off The Grid - Food storage update

 

 

I can say WOW when it comes to knowing what you need and what you get to put away, because the two doesn`t match at all. Living off the land with solar power is going to be something for me to conquer and when I want to get something done usually I do. Yes I do have my ups and downs with doubt, that is a part of feeling failure but keep going, regardless, till you make it. 

 

 

I feel blessed to have received free fruit, actually I have been given all the apples from one tree and I got 78 jars fill with seven different type of apple products. I am waiting on the pears but I put up around 100 jars ( quarts, pints and half pints) last year, I have not did inventory on those for this year, yet. Last Friday I was given all th figs from a huge bush ( big as a tree) and in two days I made 23 half pints of fig preserves. I made blackberry jelly and froze berries from the wild blackberry bushes. I made several types of zucchini preserves ( pineapple, orange and strawberry) and I would say at least 48 half pints.

 

 

 

But it seems all I am getting free is fruits and I take them and I can them.

 

 

 

Then I see the mint and I want to try this spearmint jelly, so I make a batch, seven pints and its really good, reminds me of Christmas and mowing grass at my dad house in July :)

 

 

I seen eggs on sale for $1.48 per two and a half dozen so I bought two flats =  five dozen and I made nine pints of pickled eggs because those are loved here and I can always trade pickled eggs for something I want. I plan to buy a few more flats and put away more pickled eggs at .60 per dozen!

I had room left in the pressure canner so I chopped four pints of potatoes and canned those for later in the Winter or when I come home from work dog tired and in need of a quick dinner, with most of th cooking part done its easy on me, plus its home canned and " clean" eating.

 

 

I am sure that the tomatoes are done/ gone/ dried up. I canned three more pints of salsa and then loaded the crisper with fresh tomatoes to eat raw.

I have food for months and months if need be in the deep freezer, I have okra, squash, zucchini, cabbage, green tomatoes, turnip greens,sweet potatoes,bell pepper, fish and deer. I also have mango and strawberries frozen. This year I already had to live from my stock and only on the stock when I had to live on one half of my income, I did miss junk food.

I have began to harvest sage, the new plants are now getting leaves big enough to pick and dry. I will also dry more mint and basil as the days get nearer to fall.

I need to make a trip up to sand mountain,Alabama, the growing place around here and buy straight from the fields. Buy What? I don`t know but no more sweets.

By Andria Perry

Photos by Andria Perry