The stockpile challenge has already been a slight challenge. We had guests, and then a snowstorm. After having extra people snowed in with us for a week, it definitely made a dent in our “favorites”. I am seeing the beginning of the end of my cheese supply. This saddens me, since I like to make homemade pizza once per week. We can probably do pizza once or twice more, unless I can quickly figure out how to make cheese!
As well much of the “snacky” food is history. You know the type, those goodies that you grab a handful of here and there – pretzels, roasted peanuts, etc.
So, the first lesson I’ve learned is that simple food is not really what you serve to guests. No bowls of wheat berry porridge in the morning, no home-canned applesauce as an afternoon snack, no simple lunches like peanut butter and crackers and an orange. Not that anyone insisted on a steak for lunch – nobody asked for anything special. I just hadn’t realized how far our eating habits have veered from the “norm”.
Now, we still have tons of food – we certainly aren’t going to go hungry – but I can already see that our normal menu will be changing within the next week or so. I can also see the need to learn to make cheese and yogurt!
One thing that was awesome: my oldest daughter is away at school and I was able to provide her with all sorts of personal care goodies from the stockpile. It was great to be able to just go in and grab what was needed!
What about those of you participating in the challenge? Have you made any realizations yet about your supplies?
Since I only shop every 5 -6 weeks, we have plenty of food. DH insists that while the stores are there, we will drink milk and eat a banana every day. I am adding to my shopping list enough dry milk for a month of storage, and an equal amount of canned milk for the hard times when there are no stores open. I am also researching what is storable that will replace the nutrients in Bananas. Oh, and since I had not yet picked up eggs at the farm, I will have to really watch the supply on hand. Guess some storable form of eggs will be added to my shelves.
Hello Daisy,
wow, it was a tough start.
Could you swap something for cheese? It is not in your challenge rules that swap is not allowed :)) We often swap goodies with local people.
Dear Sheri,
I think the most storable form of eggs is raising chicken 🙂 That’s why I prefer rural prepping.
You can coat eggs with mineral oil and they will “keep” for nine months. Just flip them over monthly. I’m doing this and it’s working great.
Eggs are easy to store long term if they are NOT washed. Washed eggs, the ones you buy at the grocery store, are dipped in bleach. Eggs left unwashed have a triple natural microbial protection; over the yolk, the white and the shell and can be left three months unrefrigerated and up to a year refrigerated. The problem with mineral oil is it is a petroleum product, but here are ways to freeze eggs: Read the article Eggstatic ~ http://foodbitsandbites.com/newsletters/newsletters-main.shtml
Farmers Cheese: Boil 1 gal. milk with a tsp. salt until small bubbles form, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Take down heat and add the juice of one lemon. After 5-10 min. curds will form. Strain through a cheesecloth. Pack solid cheese in container in fridge. Discard liquid whey or find another use for it. Easy peasy.
Oh my gosh, Mary! I can’t believe how simple that is! I’m making some this afternoon. Thank you! 🙂
Daisy you could make that cheese but you could also make pizza buns & serve as a side with lentil soup or something else. You still get the pizza taste without using so much cheese as its not the complete meal.
At breakfast this am my DH asked why I needed to do the Jan. challenge as this was not new to me. He said “I can’t imagine when we were 1st married,(50 yrs ago)you saying I need to run into town for some milk.”
In those days we lived in a logging camp with no electicity but did have a propane frig,& only went to town once a month. Food was bought canned by the case or dried like prunes & milk. Cheese by the 10 lb block & eggs by the 15 doz. carton. Fresh meat was frozen in the limited space of the frig freezer so was not on the menu ever day. My daughter-in-laws tell me that Prem is digusting but it was fairly regular in our diet along with canned fish, chicken etc. Hubby bought power saw chain by the spool & files, oil etc by the case.
Today we are spoiled and while we still have a stockpile of purchased products & a big garden for veg. & fruit that we freeze or can we live close enough to town that we can pop in whenever we feel like it. I decided it would be fun to try the old way again & besides I will be sure to use up the older stuff. So thanks for the challenge & thanks for the renewed memories.
That is a yummy idea!
You are so welcome – you have so much good input – I hope you will share more stories with us.
I live in a fairly secluded area and get into town about once per week. Sometimes it stretches further than that! It’s so nice to have all my needs met as close as my closet. My oldest is away at school and it felt great to be able to grab her whatever she needed while she was here for Christmas.
Daisy
To make cheese you need a type of rennet. This normally came from the lining inside a calves stomach. Modern products such as http://m.ascott-dairy.co.uk/Ascott-Cheese-Fermenta-DP375.html?category_id=246 store well. Some are freeze dried and last for ages, for vegetarians there is vegatable rennet. The above link is for the UK which is where I live but it should give you an idea of what to look for. People will tell you that you need an expensive cheese press etc but ours is a 2 x 4 frame some wooden moulds and a car bottle jack. As long as everything is clean it works fine. I think Backwwods home has covered cheese making if not Home Farmer and Country Smallholding have here in the UK. Try it it is far easier than you think.
If you have any questions please feel free to email us we are only too happy to help if we can.
Great site by the way we check in a couple of times a week.
Just a question does anyone know where we can get a pressure canner in Europe?
Great information, Roger and Clare. Thank you!
A reader recently sent me information that she had purchased a German pressure canner – the company is Weninger. I hope that is enough information to allow you to track it down.
Thank you very much for the kind words!
Daisy
Dear Daisy,
I am so sorry, I did not write the Wenninger is a pressure canner, just a canner. I contacted the Hungarian importer and asked as the canner is really suitable for canning meat dishes, as it is stated on their Hungarian website, and they confirmed and assured me they never had any cases of product got rotten, food poisoning or similar. They adviced the shelf life of meat dishes should be 6 months.
The brand name is different in other European countries, so please also look for Merten & Storck and Kochstar. I hope it helps. Best regards, Kriszti
Oh – thank you, Kriszti, for clarifying that – I totally misunderstood!