Here's another example of what one family did for a one-year food storage program. I think this was another post I can chalk up to Ellen.

YEARLY FOOD STORAGE

This is not for the unmotivated! Canning, preserving, freezing & drying is time consuming, tiring & probably even boring for some. For those that persevere, the rewards are MANY! A full pantry with a year's supply, exercise gotten from the gardening & preservation & $ savannas for the budget that can multiply the actual income many times.

Please don't feel that you should do this or have to do this & if you do start, go slowly! Maybe even 1 batch of jam the first year & then if you like doing it then go further, but build up gradually. Again, this is not for everyone.

• Applesauce: 50-200 qts. Allow more if you have babies & kids.
• Apples, dried slices: We dry 1 bushel for each person.
• Apple Jam or Jelly: Allow 10 small jars for each person.
• Apple juice or nectar: Use the peels & cores of first 2 apple items to make Jam, juice or nectar. Do not put in any bad spots. Put these in compost instead. I put the peels & cores in a big pan cover w/water & bring up to a simmer not a boil. Put juice thru a cheese cloth or fine ss sieve, pour into hot sterilized jars, put on canning lids and process or 15 minutes in boiling water bath, or 5 min in pressure canner at 10# or 10 mins at 5#. We get 25-50 qts some yrs & other years upward of 200 qts. But this is free, unless we sweeten it then the cost of sugar has to be added in. It is so sweet on it's own we do not sweeten.
• Dried Apple Peels: Also free. We dry many pounds of them for use in herb teas, potpourri & boiling herbs.
• Baked beans: They will be very soupy when you follow recipe in the canning book. NO Problem! Cook the water out when preparing for serving. Jazz up with mustard, brown sugar, ketchup, chili powder. We do up 20 pts for each person.
• Bananas: We figure 2# dried for each person & several pints of frozen puree (10-20) for each person. Add lemon juice to top or fruit fresh so they don't turn dark. Makes great milkshakes, pancakes, muffins & banana breads.
• Beans, Green & Yellow: We can a minimum of 25 pints for each person. Up to 50 pints in a bumper yr, or freeze some too.
• Dried shell beans: 10# minimum for each person, up to #40.
• Leather Britches: Are dried green & yellow beans. We use in in soups, stews or s big pot of them on the woodstove w/ a fresh loaf of bread for a meal. About 2# for each person. Leather britches are the whole bean pod & all dried.
• Grapes: We can them, cut in half remove seeds. We also drysome for use as raisins. We do up as much as we can getfrom the wild or for free. We freeze some juice for making jam during the winter when there's time. We can grape juice & then in the winter use a small quantity of it to make grape jam, as we are not as busy this time of the year.
• Berries & juices from berries: 100-300 qts for family of 5-6, minimum. Some years we did more.
• Strawberries: 50-100 pounds frozen, canned & preserved. Only when we grow them or get good deal on them.
• Tomatoes stewed: 25-50 qts. We like them like this or in recipes.
• Chili sauce: 15 quarts canned in 1/2 Pt or Pt jars.
• Tomato Ketchup: 5 quarts canned in 1/2 Pt or Pt jars.
• Taco sauce or salsa: 15-100 quarts canned in pt jars.
• Tomato juice: 25-100 quarts (always keep a few on hand just in case a dog or person gets skunked).
• Tomatoes whole: Frozen 25-100# whole tomatoes for pizza, salad & casseroles.
• Tomatoes whole: Canned-minimum is 55 qts & maximum 400qts.
• Cantaloupe: Frozen pieces or melon balls, use fruit fresh or ascorbic acid to preserve quality. Dried cantaloupe is delicious! and chutney with cantaloupe is delicious.
• Cherries: 10 qts either canned or frozen. Dried if abundant.
• Peaches: Minimum 50 qts canned for our family. More if bountiful. Also great dried.
• Pears: 25-50 qts, canned. We have now learned how to freeze them with good results. If we have a bountiful year have canned several hundred qts & the late frost the following year took the blossoms so we had enough to last for 2 yrs.
• Plums: 10-15 qts canned. More if plentiful or free.
• Asparagus: 20-25 pints. We also have wild asparagus.
• Lima Beans: 30 pts or more.
• Beets: Canned & pickled. 30 pts or more as garden dictates.
• Carrots: Minimum 25 qts canned. Others in storage in damp sand or purchased as needed, once the ones in the garden under bales of hay are gone.
• Corn: 50 pints canned, plus 250 ears frozen.
• Okra: 10-30 pints canned or frozen
• Peas, green: 25-125 quarts canned or frozen
• Pumpkin: 15-50 qts frozen. Also some dehydrated.
• Winter squash: Kept in cool room in a basket. Keeps well for 3-4 mos here. We cook & freeze quick or use up right away if we see a spot develop, so as not to waste any.
• Spinach: 15-50 qts either canned or frozen.
• Summer squash: 20-50 quts canned in pint size jars or Vegetable medley frozen.
• Sauerkraut: 25-50 pints.
• Sweet Potatoes: 25 pints or 25 or more #'s stored. Max 150# for family.
• Potatoes: 150# minimum for family. Some canned, most just stored in cool place & some dried for casseroles, or diced for soups. Dip in vinegar & water solution to stop them from turning black.
• Jardinierre: 10-25 qts. Layered mixed vegetables canned with equal parts vinegar & water, l tas sugar in each jar & a whole or piece of hot pepper on top is optional also, 1 tas of pickling spices goes in each jar. We use pt size jars now as we are only 2 people & prefer to open a fresh jar, rather than storing an open one in refrig.
• Kale, Mustard Greens or Swiss Chard: 5-10 pints per person either canned or frozen.
• Onions: Dried chopped 2-5 pounds dried. Canned pts 5-10, rest stored for use fresh.
• Pineapple dried: 2-5# per person or can as much as I can get for free or cheap price.
• Vegetable soup: Canned or frozen 50 qts.
• Yeast: 5# frozen in airtight plastic container.
• Canned chicken: 50 qts or more if bought on sale for .29 or less, for the chicken leg & thigh quarters.
• Canned chicken soup: made from the bones & bone pickins with some vegies & noodles 50-100 qts.
• WATER: enough canned for at least 14 days for drinking & cooking. That is 1 gal per person daily minimum. Better to allow 2 gals & have a larger supply.
• Condiments: not necessities, but sure do make a meal more appealing. We do the following:
  • 12, 1 1/2 pt jars of sweet relish
  • 12 jars zucchine & onion bread & butter pickles
  • 12 pt jars bread & butter pickles
  • 21 qts Kosher dill pickles
  • 10-20 pts pickled sweet peppers for sandwiches 5-7 pints of chow-chow relish
  • 1 double batch of Piccililli Relish
  • 21 jars of green tomato & multi fruit mince pie filling.
  Dry items & staples bought in bulk thru a co-op, bought on sale etc.
• 2# Chicken bouillon
• 2# Beef bouillon
• 5 gal vinegar
• 1-2 qts soy or tamari sauce
• 1 gal veg oil-(or more)
• 1 qt vanilla
• 10=25# cornstarch
• 50# baking soda
• 5-10# baking powder
• 5-10# salt
• 5# cream of tartar
• 5# Cocoa
• 10, 5# canned hams or 50# of (TVP) soy granules or chunks. (meat substitute)
• 1-2 cases of Spam or 50-100# sunflower seeds.
• 2-10 cases of tuna fish. On sale for .39 or 3/$1.
• 15 cans of bacon or home canned turkey sausages.
• 1-2 cans of Mackerel or Salmon (if on sale).
• 1-2 cases of mayonnaise or salad dressing.
• 400-1000 pounds of whole grain flour or the whole grains & a hand grinder.
• 50# corn or cornmeal.
• 50# soyflour to use in place of eggs, make tofu, soymilk, etc.
• 50# oat bran
• 50# Wheat germ
• 100# rolled oats
• 20# quick grits
• 10- 25# popcorn
• 100-200# sugar or fructose
• 50-100# brown rice
• 50-100# pasta
• 20# nuts (we subst. sunflower seeds)
• 1-2 Gallons of Molasses
• 1 Gal, or 2 5# jars honey or more.
• I'd have to guestimate the citrus peels & herbs we dry & it would probably be around 100#. We make a lot of herb tea, others would probably want to store coffee, tea & powdered creamer. We store 50# powdered milk. We make our own pancake syrups from fruit juices & low amt of sugar, or pureed fruits, or make it with water, sugar & maple flavoring.

We utilize our dehydrators to the max & they have served us well. The few herbs or spices we do not grow are bought from a natural food distributor thru our co-op. Everything we grow is done without chemicals, we are organic gardeners.

Large packages of anything in the freezer is a NO NO here. Everything goes into the freezer either in portion or meal sized packages. Preferably in portion sizes as it's easier & also less apt to have wastage. Every item is well wrapped, labeled, dated & added to the inventory sheets on top of the chest freezer. My daughter has taken it one step further & wraps each hot dog & sausage individually, then places them in a plastic container or Zip Lock bag, a method we are adapting to other things as well since there are only 2 of us now. Our freezer sheets were produced on the computer & then put inside a page protector. Then with a wax pencil it is easy to add to the inventory or remove it quickly with a quick rub of the finger on the lumberman's count. I do use IIIII IIIII instead of the usual IIII with the back slash from the first thru the fourth. It is quicker & less apt to get messed up. The simpler you keep things the easier it becomes with large quantities.

• Labels,
• pens,
• pencils,
• markers,
• scissors,
• knife
• utility knife with retractable blade.
• A spiral book or inventory sheets to list everything in.

• 2 double batches of homemade soap per yr.
• One box of Borax for soap making.
• 1 pump bottle of lemon oil furniture polish.
• 2 pump bottles of Fabulous bathroom cleaner available at dollar stores, great to clean not only bathrooms, but hard surfaces, etc when there is no power or water supply.
• Chemical & special toilet tissue for porta potty or commode.
• Plastic liners for the commode or pail w/lid.
• Enough plastic or glass jars to flush the toilet 3-4 times per day if there is a power outage or interruption in water supply.
• 2-3 gals of water per day in jugs for washing purposes.
• A bag of clean rags cut into usable sizes.
• 1-2 rolls of paper towels for emergency use only.
• A year's supply of toilet tissue bought on sale w/ double coupons & hopefully a refund with the wrappers & reg.tape.
• 1 Gal. Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap.
• 1 Gal. bleach,
• l bottle degreaser,
• l bottle of drain opener,
• tin box w/matches.
• Tin box with candles & holders.
• Flash-lights & extra batteries.
• 2 cases of sterno & 2 sterno fold up burners.
• 2 yr supply of firewood,
• extra propane tank filled for the grill
• a complete first aid kit on each floor & in the fraidy hole (storm shelter).
• We keep our personal things in ditty bags, so it would be easy to put into storm shelter if the need arose. It contains meds, as well, grooming necessities & extra toothbrush & toothpaste.
• Also, extra supply of dog food, special needs for handicapped or infirm should also be in with the emergency supplies.
• Extra towels & a few quilts to cover the freezer with or keep us warm.
• Small stack of newspapers, also a few magazines & games.

Our pantry is in the process of being redone totally, so right now the emergency supplies are scattered & the food that is usually stored in the pantry is tucked in anywhere we could fit it. Our pantry has been our survival tool that gotten us thru several natural disasters & many times of financial hardship. As soon as the pantry is finished we will be stocking it up & enjoying the organization VERY much.

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