The Kitchen
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What have you been doing this winter for preps and pantry?
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What have you been doing this winter for preps and pantry?
Wondering what folks have been doing in winter. Our small porch winter garden was finally gone by mid-January’s cold snap. We used it to add greens to the chicken feed.
I’ve been dehydrating food all winter next to the wood stove. I’d seen it on several channels and was “sort of” doing it and finally got more of the hang of it and TONS of fantastic advice on Heidi’s Rain Country YouTube channel. Just put out a cabbage this morning. Have some stuff from yesterday going.
Also been restocking the oats and cornmeal and making a large batch of ghee (and then freezing more butter for the next batch in a few months). So we’re starting to be able to be on a rotation from now on as we use some and harvest and preserve some because I dehydrated nearly a year’s worth of veg and roots and tubers, some fruit, and some meat. I still have to make egg noodles to put by.
I also inventoried and cleaned out the pantry room. I dated everything and moved any out-of-date foods and the ones dated for 2023 into the pantry shelves in the kitchen. I made an easier system this winter so we won’t have “lost” food.
Husband also made me a haybox cooker I asked for. I often make a stew or soup to last half the week and this way, we don’t have to let it simmer on the stove but just cook it a few minutes and then stick it in the haybox and let it slow cook. I’ve used one before. It works great.
And because I’ve gardened 4 years and got almost nothing out of it, seed/plant purchases are VERY specific to our shaded yard and lack of sun this year and I’m about to make my orders. Mostly perennial food forest things. Those seem to do better here than domesticated variety gardening. We just started the sweet potato slips and have potatoes ready to go when it’s time to cut them to seed.
And I’m cleaning out the old jars and getting ready for the spring glut of eggs so we can waterglass the extras. I feed these to the chickens over winter and use some in baking or to scramble.
Other than a good clean-out – where I got rid of anything in the kitchen I just never use – and making. list of what I’d like to have (not much), that’s the kitchen for us this winter.
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4 Replies
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I just joined this community now. I saw your group and it seems the kitchen is where I spend a lot of time especially last year. I’ve dehydrated lots and done some canning. I’m just trying to keep an active pantry and like you rotate. I still have lots of organizing to do yet!
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I’m prepping my time. Doing things that can be done now instead of gardening season. Getting some things fixed up around the house and outdoors when it’s warm enough, financial planning. Setting myself up for more time I guess. But not to work, to actually enjoy the family and things I’ve worked for.
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Oh, I like that! Making more time for family and be with the people you want to spend time with. Or even have a moment or two for yourself.
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We’re planning on doing lots of cleanup by getting rid of clothes we don’t wear, extra furniture, and you name it of those things we no longer want or need. I’m tired of the clutter and plan to do a deep spring cleaning…including the kitchen. Oh my goodness there’s so much to do. Hope you enjoy spending more time with family because that’s so important (much more than cleaning, lol).
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