SouthernUtahFoodStorage

Cellars are great for storing fresh fruits and vegetables as well as canned and bottled items.

I was raised in a house that had a cellar.  Mother gardened and canned.  We had fruit trees and bushes of various fruits.  Every vegetable I can imagine was done there.  She harvested her fruits and vegetable out of her garden when they were in the perfect stage.  Then she started to can and freeze them. 

One of my jobs was to pull and hoe weeds.  As the produce began to mature I ate even more produce. 

During the process, of canning and freezing, we all ate plenty of fresh raw produce. 

When the fruits and vegetables were in the just right stage; we would harvest them.  I would help mother prepare, and bottle the various fruits and vegetables.

I ate so much of the produce at just the right stage; that, I was never hunger when we sat down for supper.  Mother would say have you been eating all my produce?  With a straight face I would say “No Mother”.   She would answer; “No! Of course you haven’t been eating them!

As A gardener I never think our garden is big enough.  My husband and I still can and freeze our garden produce.  I love it!

I think of mother’s cellar and WISH I HAD A CELLAR ALSO.  Our land is on the side of a mountain.  Therefore; we have such rocky property, that we would have to blast to the big rocks in order to build the cellar.  Oh well, mother didn’t have a refrigerator and I have a refrigerator and a freezer; until, after I left home.  I also store freeze dried food and can and dry foods. 

We purchase wheat, flour, canned, dried, freeze dried foods, etc; as well as our canning and freezing.  Not only do we feel secure about our future meals for the next year – plus; but, we are also able to help our friends and family, they need it.

As much as we love fresh food that we have grown or purchased, we do not live in the center of the Garden of Eden.  We therefore need to stock food for our enjoyment; during the winter months and to saving gasoline on the trips we don’t take to go grocery shopping.

We also have a green house; where, my husband grows flowers and vegetables in the winter.

The freezer helps to save the over abundance of fruits and vegetables.  This way we don’t waste food; and have the extra to eat when the garden is not producing those items.

Windmills and solar panels keep the freezer and refrigerator going.  We live just like we did in town.  The only difference is the utility bills don’t come in the mail.  Now I know you are thinking the sun and the wind are not always producing electricity.  This is true; but, that is what batteries are for.

We have no water bills either.

I encourage everyone to store extra of everything you need in your household; food, water, etc.  Life is beautiful!

Here are some ideas for what to enjoy; during the time you save by not needing to go to work and worry about the economy anymore.

Honey Caramels

1 cup honey             ½ cup water             1 cup dry milk

Mix until free from lumps.  Cook in top of double boiler for 45 minutes, stirring often; or, for a darker caramel color, put pan directly on burner on low heat for a few minutes, and stir vigorously.  (Dry milk has a high percentage of milk sugar in it that burns readily, as sugar does when caramelized.)  Cool and knead dry milk into the syrup to desired consistency.  Roll in ½ inch roll.  Cut pieces one inch long and shape into squares.

Honey Candy

1 cup honey

            Cook to hard crack stage at 285 degrees.  Stir occasionally.  Remove from heat and pour onto guttered platter.  As outside edges cool, fold to the center and start stretching while still hot.  Pull until light and porous and until small strings develop.  Roll in ½ inch roll.  Cut pieces one inch long and shape into squares.

Honey Taffy

                                                            1 cup honey

Cook to hard crack stage at 285 degrees.  Stir frequently. Remove from heat and pour onto buttered platter.  As outside edges cool, fold to the center and start stretching while still hot.  (Keep a bowl of cold water nearby.  When your hands feel too hot; dip them in the cold water and then continue stretching.)  Pull until light and porous and until small strings develop.  On a piece of wax paper stretch the candy out in a long rope.   Roll into a ½-inch roll.  Cut pieces one inch long and shape into squares if you wish; or leave in the round pieces you have after you cut them.