Friday, October 30, 2009

Harvest Tally 2009!

Harvesting our meat birds (chickens) this past weekend was the last thing that needed doing, food preserving-wise. It's been a good year. There are certainly a few things we want to do differently next year. The biggest thing is that we didn't grow nearly enough onions this year. We've actually used almost all of them already. Anyone have too many?? We also want to plant a new row of red raspberries. They grow so well here and except for pruning once a year, there is no maintenance.

Below is our tally for this year. I truly believe that God intended us to eat the plants and animals He gave us for food in their purest form without chemicals and preservatives. We feel so blessed to have space, time and means to grow and store our own food. I know not everyone has this luxury. I also know not everyone would call it a luxury:-).

In no particular order (canned unless otherwise specified)...

21 quarts crushed strawberries, frozen
3 pints strawberry jam, frozen
1 gallon bag frozen spinach
17 quarts frozen peas
12 1/2 quarts chopped rhubarb, frozen
18 pints red raspberries, frozen
50 bulbs garlic, braided and hung
28 quarts green beans, frozen
24 pints pickled beets
14 cups basil pesto, frozen
44 quarts blueberries, frozen
18 pints corn, frozen
32 loaves zucchini pumpkin bread, frozen
17 jelly jars peach jam
27 2-cup bags chopped peaches, frozen
22 quarts peaches
20 almost-quart jars roasted tomatoes, frozen
5 quarts tomato soup
20 1/2 quarts tomato sauce
11 pints stewed tomatoes
9 pints nectarines, almost completely dried, then frozen
1 1/2 gallon bags halved bell peppers (red and green), frozen
11 pints chopped bell peppers (red and green), frozen
1 1/2 quarts parsley, frozen
2 quarts basil, frozen
114 quarts applesauce (44 quarts canned, 70 quarts frozen)
8 quarts dried apples
9 2-cup bags broccoli, frozen
5 gallon bags chopped swiss chard, frozen
12 chickens, frozen
2 1/2 crates sweet potatoes, stored in newspaper in the office
13 butternut squash, stored in a crate in our mudroom's non-heated mudroom
1 1/2 bushel onions, almost gone already:-(
1 bushel potatoes
lots of carrots, stored in the ground


Our shelves aren't crooked. I am. I just wanted to clarify that.



This freezer is mostly applesauce (to the left), chickens (in the middle) and strawberries and chard to the right.


So, that's it. We'll see you again next year when we get ready to plant next year's garden. Just kidding. I'll be back next week. I had to write something at the end of this post:-). Pin It

9 comments:

  1. Awesome job on all your preserving! Now the hard part...eating it all :)

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  2. 1. You are NOT crooked. (But you DO make me laugh.)

    2. Good job!

    3. Now I need to go edit my list---forgot to mention our chickens and the few piddly butternuts.

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  3. This makes me want to sing the Hallelujah chorus! WOW! I am so impressed...and inspired...and a tad envious! So...will this feed your family of four for the whole next year until the garden gets going again?

    And 12 chickens...so you only eat one per month? I figure you get three to four meals per chicken...is that all the meat you eat per month? I'm just thinking out loud...and trying to figure out how much I would need to grow and preserve to feed my family...two adults and two hungry teenage boys.

    This is great...it inspires me to continue to find like-minded people to share in the work load of preserving. That's such a blessing that you have...family and friends that think like you and work together to store up and put away. Awesome!!

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  4. Michelle,
    To answer your questions...This will feed us until next summer. Our 2008 tally went beyond feeding us last year- we had quite a bit leftover, a good problem to have. As far as chicken goes, we usually eat chicken in dishes, not just on it's own, so these will go far and maybe even last us 1 1/2 years. We used to be vegetarian, so we often eat without meat for weeks at a time. I forget about it!

    I know that for a lot of people this is overwhelming. I hope that this just inspires people to start growing something and doesn't make them think that if they can't grow everything, they won't even try their hand at growing somethings next year:-).

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  5. You GO Girl! (As my daughters would say). It is so encouraging to all of us that we can do it when I see what you are doing and you explain each step so well. Thanks for being such an inspiration!

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  6. This list is so inspiring! The other day I looked up what fruit & veggies grow best in New England. There is SO much to learn it's almost overwhelming, though. Have any words of wisdom for planting your very first garden? :)

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  7. Beautiful! Wonderful! Praise God for your productivity & blessings!
    Thinking of you tonight, while I use can pumpkin(not canned-- can from store) to make our pumpkin soup dinner. I did make some peanut butter cookies today, so at least we're cooking and not ordering out! ha- have a wonderful weekend.

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  8. Such an accomplishment...well done!! I love how it is all organized...really beautiful...especially those crooked shelves! ;-)

    Blessings,
    Camille

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Just a friendly reminder, if you know me personally please try to refrain from using my name. There are those who may try to locate me, break into my pantry and steal my pickled beets. Thanks:-).

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