Homesteading..."Stockpile"

I've always been one to save, store or reuse. But this season I decided to only store what I thought we would actually use and to make sure it was in a user friendly portions.  I also added an extra challenge for myself- Could I store, preserve or freeze enough to completely supplement my shopping all the way through the winter? Right now I shop every other week. It's been a real money saver. Could I save even more by "shopping" out of my freezer and pantry? Hmmm... sounded like a challenge.

Another challenge I've been trying to follow through on is eating organic/local as much as possible. Unfortunately, living in Wisconsin makes this not quite possible year round but how far could I stretch it?

Game on!!

Thanks to our garden, our CSA from LongArm Farm, Tree-Ripe Citrus pickups and the local farmer's market, here is the culmination of what I've "stockpiled" on the Eiting Homestead for the season after we ate heartily on organic, local produce all summer and fall!

FROZEN

2 small, 4 big chicken stock

4 gallons broccoli

2 gallon swiss chard/other greens chopped

1 quart corn, green bean mix

4 small kale pesto

chicken kale soups 22 small for lunches, 1 big for dinner,

5 gallons Shredded cabbage

2 gallon quartered cabbage for corned beef and cabbage

3 gallons Zucchini/yellow squash spears

2 gallons Zucchini/yellow squash grill circles

6 (5 packs) Zucchini muffins

7 (5 packs) Rhubarb muffins

3 gallons asparagus

2 gallons whole strawberries

18 servings gallons green beans

2 quarts, 3 gallon blueberries

2 gallons snow peas

1 gallon rhubarb

1 gallon fudge

1 quart green peppers

mango strawberry freezer jam- 15 pints

cream mushroom soup- 19 pints

1 quart choke cherries for crepes

1 gallon blackberry currant crepe filling

1 gallon, 1 quart squash cubes

1 gallon blackberries cubes

2 gallons strawberry cubes

2 gallon kale cubes

1 cabbage casserole

1 quart peaches

2 quarts corn

PANTRY

5 pounds onions

26 tons carrots...literally!

13 quarts peach applesauce

2 gallons scape infused red wine vinegar for Christmas gifts

10 quart, 24 pints, 10 half pints tomato sauce

9 quarts hot salsa

5 quarts mild salsa

6 quarts dill pickles

21 quarts, 4 pints tomato soup

12 pints tomato paste

12 pints diced tomatoes

35 pints Italian tomato sauce

6 pints pickled beats

1 quart dried green onion

1 cup dried basil, rosemary, dill, oregano, thyme

24 half pints peach jam for Christmas gifts

24 half pints strawberry jam for Christmas gifts

Only tomato products!

Cubes of every kind for smoothies!! Fruit, greens, squash!!

Kale pesto with almonds!

Chopped and blanched greens (I throw into meatloafs and meatballs.)

Blanched and frozen green beans.

Dill pickles. Bloody Mary anyone?

Jams for holiday gifts.

More frozen veggies.

So, not too shabby!! We're eating organic and local at the Eiting Homestead! Looking to sign up for a Meat and Egg CSA for the winter from Grassroots Farm, LLC. EEK!!

Thanks to Jason for tending to our garden. Also, thanks to my most favorite farmers at LongArm Farm!!

Tips and tricks to freezing, coming soon....