Photo: Great grandparents at their farm in Blandinsville, IL, with five of their six children .. my grandpa was yet a twinkle in grandma's eye. Stable boy and governess also pictured. Hodges farm, circa 1903-4

Tuesday, August 04, 2009


Filler Up ... (the freezer that is)

Winter is (well, not often talked about once the snow melts .. but is just around the bend) coming .. time to get the pantry, larder, and freezer stocked. Come winter, it's nice to be hunkered in as the snow piles up outside. Work from the summer months is stored away and only steps from the kitchen to prepare. Summer is a hectic season .. but winter brings much needed rest. We are in the process of stocking up for the coming months .. months without the backyard garden. Canned goods are being made .. veggies frozen .. berries preserved .. jams made .. all in preparation for winter. That time of year that warms the soul with good soup, good company, and more time to relax than in the summer.

How do you prepare for winter?

5 comments:

Mr. H. said...

Come August we are focused on stocking up as well. In spring and summer we process mostly berries, kale, and other greens for the freezer. Late summer brings on a glut (I hope) of tomatoes and the last of the high mountain berries. By early fall we are knee deep in root vegetables, apples, and pears.

A full freezer and pantry sure does bring about a sense of food security.
The sad part is that I don't think there are many of us that do this anymore. Food storage and preservation has become a lost art.

Cindy said...

I love stocking up. There's something comforting about knowing that the pantry and freezer are full and we can stay home for days if need be.

Maggie Ann said...

We make and freeze as much applesauce as possible and freeze diced peppers when possible. This year I read on someone's blog that you can slice & freeze zucchini without blanching it? I froze some yesterday like that and let it thaw...it was rather 'weepy' but I'm sure it would still be good in soups or sauteed. You know what Mrs.Mac? I love running Firefox or is it Foxfire? Whenever I misspell a word it underlines it right away...and a right click of the mouse gives me the correct spelling.....how user friendly is that...lol.

Felisol said...
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Nancy McCarroll said...

This sounds so comforting and homey; wish I could pull up a chair and help you peel a few veggies for canning :o) Nancy
(so glad I found your blogs!!)