Last fresh local produce at the auction.

We went to the last Amish fresh local produce Friday. Got mums which I thought we wouldn't be able to get this year with the prices I was seeing. Paid $1.50/$1.75 for mums that are running $6-$20 at the stores.

We got more butternut squash, acorn squash,beets,cabbage, pineapple (shipped in), onions that are not in as good as shape so they are what we will use first or I'll dehydrate. A friend bought roma tomatoes and jack little pumpkins that he shared with us(we shared the onion) and I bought a loaf of bread, 3 tart size pies,3 dozen cookies, angel food cake, noodles and fresh cider from the "bakery" sellers that were at the auction. All good homemade food.

I only have horseradish in the gardens to pull and garlic to plant. The plants I put in died due to lack of water and wind...even though I watered them almost daily. The winds are wicked at this time.

We decided to start going to the store every 2 wks so that means we will most likely be combining non-food and food shopping. Our thought it less time in the stores less money spent. PLUS less gas used to go to town since we do live out in the country ...top that will I'll save some hours that I need to do what I have going on the next couple months with National Novel writing month starting Nov 1st (50000 words a month) and Thanksgiving that we hold the Sunday before the actual holiday and then Christmas that I try to have ready BEFORE December 1st.On top of the work I haven't gotten done this summer.

We did (with regret) decide to not plant a fall or winter garden. My health has been at the low end and the testing to find out what was going on has exhausted me. SO to try to stay healthy this fall/winter I am not adding anything on the work load and try to focus on my health most the time.

 Part of the health is staying focused on keeping the food bill down and eating healthy.

Blessed Be

October shopping plans

My pantry is pretty full and we are now starting to eat mainly from it. I do have a few things that I will look to buy if the right price during the fall and early winter.

I got our winter squash at the Amish produce auction for a $1 per squash,usually around 3 lbs. Pumpkins were $1 per pumpkin that weighed around 30 lbs.I also got 50 lbs of white onions and 30 lbs of red onions. We got potatoes for 20 ¢ lb.

 I would like to have acorn squash if I find it at the farmer's market for the right price. I hope to be able to order 50 lbs of potatoes from our local store for 20 ¢/ lb this fall.

I dehydrate my potatoes raw, after shredding or slicing or dicing I soak them in apple cider or lemon lime soda pop or fruit fresh for about 15 min. They sometimes turn a tan depending on how long it took me to get them in the soaking water I think is that issue.

 I will cook and puree and then dehydrate the puree of the pumpkins to grind in my blender. Takes a lot less room and last longer for me, plus I can toss a tablespoon or so into anything I am cooking and not wondering what to make with what is left in the container.

I need flours for holidays, that usually comes on sale soon so I am on the lookout.

I have a couple rices and Kraut I want to add to the pantry.

Our local butcher usually has pork on sale during Oct. I will pick up a case of smoked sausage and dinner sausage patties if within our price range.

We are finding the garden is producing a few things still that will help with fresh foods.

I have some broccoli,kalettes and lettuce plants to put in this week.

I am still processing apples and cabbages. I will wrap a few of the cabbages in plastic wrap for short term storage. The pumpkins are usually the last I process.

I'm going to have to break down and get some clothes for both of us. Still checking the thrift shops and yard sales.

making room for the pantry

I didn't always have the pantry (17 ft by 22 ft) I have now. I won't have it in the future as we rent an old farm house close to Hubby's work and when he retires it will be closer to the kids or somewhere warmer.

I grew up with a root cellar, Dad built shelves, Mom put root veggies on top of wooden crates under the shelves and 1500 canning jars of food on the shelves. We usually ran out around March, sometimes February if there was a lot of company.So there was times we went without vegetables until early spring. They didn't go to the store. Dad hunted and fished, fresh side or bacon was bought weekly for breakfast along with bologna for Dad's lunch. NOT our lunch, our lunch was soup if we had it. Mom wasn't much of a cook but it was her job.

I moved to an apartment and used the spare room to be my pantry.

Then I moved to another apartment and had a child and then my parents started giving me tips of where to put the pantry like they did when they got married and lived in a 3 room apartment with my brother.

Here are the tips:

ALWAYS write down what you are putting where and post it in the kitchen. You will forget something.

Place dry goods, boxes and bagged food in second containers to protect from the critters that crawl on floors

Store foods in groups...fruit under the front room furniture, veggies under the bed and meat behind the doors or on closet floors, put the shoes on top of it, you can cover the food with wax paper or newspaper if you need to.

Mom stacked cases beside the couch and covered them with table cloths for end tables. I made a coffee table like this. I also used cases of food for a twin bed frame for about 6 mos. I took what I needed out of the middle and then kept moving the cases to keep the bed level and stable.

I have onions and garlic right now on my staircase.Root veggies such as winter squash are on shelves with my baking pans in the basement and will also go in my china cupboard.

I've put boxes of pasta on top of my kitchen cabinets.Anything on top of the frig will get warm so be careful if you store food there. Not a good place to put bread.

I've store dry goods in the garage since it doesn't hurt to freeze cereal or flour etc. Put them in rubber maids or cooler to keep the mice out of it. My parents stored theirs in the trunk of their car during the winter, the weight helped when driving in the snow.

Think outside the normal pantry...if it bothers you for others to see the stack then cover it with table cloth, beach towel, blankets or a piece of fabric that either blends in or is a focal point.