I'm starting to become anxious about food for the winter. It doesn't seem we have as much as I had hoped for.
Fortunately, we have a lot of local resources available year-round. Flour, dried beans, meats, etc.
But I honestly had hoped to get more out of my many tomato plants than I have. There are loads of green tomatoes out there, but not a lot of prospects of those turning red before the frost hits.
I had hoped to have more things canned. I do have a good bit of soups canned and stored. The freezer is full. I wanted more corn. Have loads of potatoes and onions.
Argh. Don't know what I expected, maybe just more canned goods. However, I wanted to steer clear of canning a bunch of things just because we had the ingredients and a recipe, but that we might never ever eat (like that freakin' Chow Chow Relish).
See,it just dawned on me that it is indeed mid-September. I've had this incredibly introspective summer, which has been nice and worth-it, but sometimes I really wished I could have shrugged it off to blaze through my life at my more usual hectic pace.
It seems everything in my life has been put on a shelf for intense inspection and potential overhaul... feels as if I'm just coming out of that now.
So while I've been productive, I've also had my head well, in my head.
This is a bit cryptic, I understand. But I am feeling a bit like Mother Hubbard who has come out of an intense existential period.
I've read those Little House books and I know Caroline Ingalls would have had her shit way more together than I do now.
(And then I think of how good we women are at finding things to feel guilty about and I snarl at myself-- Stop It!)
On the upside, I must remember that I have a whole other crop of carrots, turnips, spinach, bok choy and radishes growing gloriously in the garden now as I type. That I will be able to add those to the shelves/freezer in a few weeks and things will fill out a little.
Must remind myself, this is our first year at trying to feed ourselves. We've done all right so far, even if I end up at Trader Joe's sometime in mid-February. We have a lot of food. We're lucky ducks.
That's more than I can say for the last 3 meat birds who are being offed this afternoon.
4 comments:
i must say it is nice to have you back.
and no need to worry about food remember i will be getting you a big fruit basket for christmas. maybe even some crackers if you are good.
better a crust of bread and a sorted head... that's what I say!
besides, you are SO much more the ant than the grasshopper, dear!
Tip for your tomato's. I pulled mine and placed them in a cardboard box. Keep them in a cool place and check often. They will slowly ripen and you can use them as you need them.
I think you have to start somewhere and it looks like you have done a fine job getting a lot of things ready and stored for winter! You can only do more next year, right? This is our first year at making a valid attempt and we barely made a dent. Be proud of what you've gotten done :)
I, too, have had good luck with wrapping green tomatoes in newspaper in the cold pantry and then bringing them out as they ripen. A ripening trick is to put them in a brown paper bag with an apple...
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