contents of a larder

Between scratching my chigger bites and hunting for seed ticks I'm preparing for winter. Some folks call it a pantry, homesteaders call it a larder. A larder is serious business for a person or family that has made a commitment to try to live off the land or as close to home as they can. So preparation is very important. A pantry seems less harsh and more whimsical, you can put all sorts of things in there with out a worry in the world. With a larder there is a slight panicky feeling that there wont be enough.

My larder is half full. Early in the season I made a list of what I wanted and how much based on previous years and what I estimated I would use. I've over canned and that's a poor use of time and you really have to consider how many times do you care to eat green tomato chutney? Once or twice suits me thank you very much. Tomatoes are the big one cause I can seriously plow through tomatoes. I freeze a great deal too. Most fruit, some veggies although I am fortunate enough to have the means and ability to grow most greens throughout the winter months.
Here is my list of musts for the larder

• Tomato sauce 15 qts
• pickled jalapenos 12 pts (love them !!!)
• Green pepper sauce for chili verde 12 qts
• chili sauce 6qt
• plum chutney 6pt
• plum jam 12pt
• blueberry jam (sauce rather)12pt
• fig jam 6 pts

Still left:

• Apple sauce
• pie apples
• pear or apple butter
• pumpkin (for pie)
• pickled okra

In the freezer:

• 1/2 a hog (on the way)
• Lamb of course
• peaches
• blueberries
• melon (Frozen? perfect for smoothies)
• cow peas

Our crop for broccoli and cauliflower was an utter failure so we'll have to rely on other greens.
Of course we'll have our staples like rice, beans, risotto and polenta. and I'll have my beautiful extra virgin olive oil and my white truffle oil, my Himalayan sea salt, red coral sea salt. Lavender pepper and salt, champagne vinegar, and preserved lemon, curries and spices, and the standard medicinal herbs. Homesteading has changed a little over time, these things are allowed now. I said so.