Preservation 2014

So yeah, it is Feb of 2015 and I'm just getting around to this.  But at least I'll have the record of what was preserved in 2014.  This list may be less than perfect and it is less that I would have liked, but our lives basically exploded in August of 2014 so I'm content with what got done.  Here is a fairly good list of all the canning and other preservation that happened on our little piece of land!  Much of the produce was raised here or next door.  I did stock up on squash and potatoes as well.  The grapes were dropped off by a neighbor and the peaches and blueberries were bought from Kaufmans.  Not the most amazing year, but we did raise our first meat and have 4 hens laying eggs.  For all that happened this year I am okay with where it all ended up.  Here's hoping for a lot more home grown produce being preserved this year!

15 meat chickens raised and butchered for a total of 77 pounds, plus odds and ends and feet.

Mulberry jam  10 half pints
Strawberry jam/syrup  8 half pint/ pint jars
Wild grape jelly (2013's frozen grapes) 6 half pints
Peach pit syrup 7 pints

Frozen blueberries 32 pounds
Frozen mulberries 2 gallons
Frozen black cap raspberries 2 containers (2 quarts?)
Frozen strawberries 10 pb jars, 1 gallon bag
Frozen peaches 2 gallons

Dehydrated apples 8 quarts

Grape juice 32 quarts
Applesauce 56 quarts and 4 pints
Canned peaches 14 quarts and 1 pint

Frozen veggies
Yellow squash 4 bags
Roasted beets 6 bags
Zuchinni-shredded 15 bags
Corn 22 bags
Green Beans 8 bags
Kale 6 bags
Brocoli 2 large bags
Zucchini butter 8 cups

Canned
Garden Marinara  6 quarts
Dilly beans 5 pints
Zucchini Relish 8 pints
Quicker Kosher pickles 7 quarts
Dill pickles 8 quarts
Bread and Butter pickles 4 quarts and 1 pint
Sweet Jalepnos 3 pints
Addictive tomato chutney 4 pints
Roasted pasta sauce 4 quarts and 7 pints
Fiesta corn relish 7 pints
Crushed/diced tomatoes 28 quarts
Tomato Juice 2 quarts and 1 pint
Roasted corn salsa 12 pints
Tomato water/light juice 4 quarts
Pizza sauce 9 half pints regular 7 pints spicey
Pickled garlic cherry tomatoeos 4 quarts
V-8 juic 4 quarts
Pickled jalapenos 1 half and 1 quarter pint
Salsa didn't record, but guessing about 21 quarts

Dried Herbs
Mint, Thyme, Oregano

Dried yellow pear tomatoes 1 quart
Roasted roma tomatoes 1 quart  (kept in freezer)


We continued to get honey from a local family, raw milk from a local family, maple syrup was still from last year, but needs to be restocked, and the pig was from our local butcher.  We raised the chickens and our beef is still going strong.  I think we'll probably be able to go 3 years on the half we bought in 2013, it was huge!  We raised some of our eggs, the rest were bought locally. We also did get a bunch of things out of the in-laws freezer as we are cleaning out their house.  It was mostly food I would never have bought and a bunch of it was given to others, but we are eating quite a bit.  That may have lowered our budget slightly, but I'm not really worrying about it.  The grocery budget is impacted by the monthly bag we provide to the local food pantry and making homemade dog food.  That and the general raising of prices :)

So the total for 2014 was $3961.18.  $800 lower than 2013, but also no huge beef purchase, so overall probably higher.  It works out to $76.18/week or $3.63/meal.  Considering we are a family of 5 with three growing children I think that is kind of amazing.  With the general quality of food we are eating I am happy with where we are.  Crazy to think I spend about $.73/person/meal this year.  Yes, we do go away sometimes and Mike eats out at times during the summer, but overall we eat at home and pack food when we are away, so although it isn't an exact number it is fairly close and I am happy with where we are at.  On to more growing our own!