My own stockpile

[homesteadmamma]

I've needed to stockpile for a few months now. Ours is so low I feel really uncomfortable with it. I'm going to be making a list here of what I'm stockpiling over the next couple months, getting ready for our long winter season here. Because we have to travel 1 hour (one way) to a major city to get good prices, I make sure of a good winter's supply in my stockpile.

So far I have put into our stockpile:

100 lbs. organic whole wheat flour

I'll add more as I get more.

When I stockpile, I also try to purchase everything on sale. I watch very closely from here on in.

[homesteadmamma]

Because we are on a very limited income, I need to keep close track of everything that I include in my stockpile.

I now have:

~44 bags of frozen veggies (from my garden or given to me)

That means that I have enough for 44 meals. Not enough yet to not have to purchase some veggies at the grocery store, however enough that I can focus on other things first, such as canned fruit.

[Michele Annette]

That's great CJ that you got some produce from your garden.

Our stockpile is very, very low! I'm not liking it either. I will have to wait to figure out what the major "plan" is before I restock it... buying a house/land, moving into another apartment (hopefully not) or moving out of state (still a possiblility).

Until then I have been keeping extra food and supplies, just not enough for an extended emergency or to save us a lot of money on our grocery budget. I can't wait to restock! It will take some time and money, but I hate being without my stockpile since I had one!

[patches]

My garden so far has been a disaster this year. Grasshoppers, draught, a fox using my squash as a litter box. And last but not least, the pigs got out and trampled all of my corn and ate my watermelons!!!

So, since we usually go dumpster diving at the produce stand for the pigs, I've been taking back from them! I got 1/2 bushel of tomatoes the other day, today I got 2 quarts. I got 5 pints of broccoli and 3 pints of peaches.

I also have about 10 packages of carrots to can. Last year I went freezer crazy. I had the thing so full I couldn't get meat into it so I'm focusing more on canning stuff this year.

I will also check out windfall apples from around the neighborhood.

[homesteadmamma]

I've added another:

~12 containers carrots
~7 qts. applesauce

I'm going to really need to focus on canned fruits.

[dutchwoman]

My stockpile so far has:

25 lbs flour
25 lbs rice
10 lbs sugar
15 lbs pinto beans
60 boxes hamburger/tuna helper
40 lbs pasta
3 boxes graham crackers
3 boxes saltines
1 box chocolate bars
10 boxes chicken bouillion
10 bags vermicilli
20 cans tuna
48 cans ravioli
48 cans pork & beans
100 packages top ramen
4 bottles oil
3 jars peanut butter

Where do you purchase whole wheat? Does it taste better when you grind it yourself? I have heard that it keeps much better than flour.

This is my first stockpile, let me know if you have any suggestions for me.

[dutchwoman]

Oh and today, I picked wild blackberries.

It was my first attempt at blackberry jelly. It didn't go very well. My strainer kept getting clogged, so now it is jam with seeds. I had a kilo berries and came away with 1 quart and 1 pint jar.

I will try again next week when more berries ripen. I will try a colander I have, it may strain better.

[homesteadmamma]

Your doing great. Keep adding as you can.

I purchase my grain from the health food store and grind it myself. Yes, everything baked with it tastes better, is far healthier because it still has the wheat berry. We are seldom sick when I'm baking with it.

I added:

~7 qts. applesauce
~7 pts. pickled spice crabapples.

I'll be adding more this weekend.

[dutchwoman]

Wow, I just noticed that I got my homesteaders club badge..

WHOOHOOO!!!

Thanks for letting me join!

[homesteadmamma]

Whenever I make jelly (not jam), I use a cloth to strain my fruit with. I just place a cloth over a bowl, attach it with clothespins and let the fruit juice drip for a couple hours. Then when I feel its done, I squeeze the cloth, then throw out the fruit.

[dutchwoman]

When is the best time to buy apples? I keep waiting for them to go on sale so I can buy a bunch and can them, but so far they stay at .99/lb or more.

I saw them on sale in the beginning of summer for .28/lb but I didn't get enough to can since my fil was visiting for three weeks, by the time he left they had gone back up.

The apples my tree grew were so miserable, I just left them on the ground.

[dutchwoman]

Originally posted by homesteadmamma
Whenever I make jelly (not jam), I use a cloth to strain my fruit with. I just place a cloth over a bowl, attach it with clothespins and let the fruit juice drip for a couple hours. Then when I feel its done, I squeeze the cloth, then throw out the fruit.

Great idea! I had never thought of that! Do you cook them first, then strain with the cloth, and then add the sugar and boil again?

[homesteadmamma]

Yes, I cook them first if I'm making a jelly. I also follow the recipes that come with the pectin package.

Apples should be a good price in the fall, as thats when they are usually ready. Our apples are running about 78¢ a lb. I don't buy apples to make applesauce though. I use crabapples or apples that a friend gives me each year that she grows in her back yard.

[patches]

We got a couple of pounds of apples off of one tree and are waiting on the other tree. Granny Smith types. I love tart apples. I think I will either freeze the apples slices or can apple pie filling.

Got another batch of tomatoes but I'm going to make spaghetti sauce and freeze or can the sauce cause we used it all.

[SHOPGIRL]

I've started my stockpile this month.

~I have enough toliet paper and paper towels to last me all winter.

~trash bags, freezer bags, kitchen trash bags (I've been trying to use the plastic bags I get from the store in the kitchen. Sometimes I need to use two, but so far it has worked.)

~Salsa, found some salsa my sister canned and hadn't used all year

~shampoo and conditioner...got enough to last me till Spring

~bar soap...looks like enough to last till Spring

~laundry detergent. . .got enough to last at least through winter

~spices...all set there

I'll have to wait till September to really start to stockpile for the winter.