I was laughing at myself as I listened to this video. We're old and only 2 people now. Two years ago I was so happy I managed to put food in 291 jars. Then catastrophe happened last summer and I ended up with broken bones, etc., and incapacitated. This past year production was capped at 99 jars and only 23 this year so far. However, I am so thankful for each jar because all through the hard times we ate a lot from those jars in the pantry. I loved hearing how you calculated everything. Thank you so much for your videos.
My husband and I are in our mid 60’s and I love canning and preserving. I can, freeze dry, dehydrate and freeze. I’m also able to provide home canned favorites to my daughters and their families that live out of state. I smiled when you mentioned pie filling because my husband likes to grab a quart of pie pulling to make cobbler a couple times a month. I feel blessed that I can gift my family with home preserved foods that they love. I can and preserve for all of the reasons you mentioned and started as a newly married wife at 18 with a tiny garden.
I gift a lot of my canned meats to my senior sisters and brothers. Also bought LDS long term foods for them. They are delighted to get them and I feel so blessed to be able to do it for the family I love.
Jessica your videos are amazing, you are constantly teaching all of us new things. At 62 and 67 my husband and I are empty nesters, but we preserve a great deal of our food. We can, dehydrate, freeze dry, and in a pinch we freeze. We lost a couple of chest freezers, only months apart, 2 years ago and that prompted the purchase of the freeze dryer. My husband gets a big kick out of tasting each item that we freeze dry. Our grandson, got a snack box with assorted freeze dried fruits when they were leaving last summer. He just requested a refill for his snack box😊. He gets what ever we freeze dried over the years. We shop clearance organic, grow our own, or get from local Amish, and preserve it. I did 12 dozen ears of corn, raw ,freeze dried last year. It is incredible.
So encouraging! As an older widow now,i spent much effort through the years gardening and canning for my family. I pray that your talk and channel will bring young families along!
We are retired with two grown and married daughters and three grandchildren. I’ve never canned anything or been serious about gardening. Still here I am enjoying your weekly videos for a few years now. May God continue to bless and keep you and your delightful family.
I've only been canning for over a year now. I am disabled and chronic illness puts me out of commission sometimes. Meals in jars have saved me many times. Building a shelf stable stockpile with a variety of easy meals and pantry staples like chicken broth is what I focus on when I'm feeling good.
My husband and I are aging and we are rethinking our garden. We are planting pole beans instead of bush beans. Trying to be more intentional about what we want and should be eating. I wanted to say that last year I did the everything counts challenge in August with you but in the south here it gets so hot that the garden fizzles out. But I did manage to preserve something even if it was 1 onion or a little handful of beans. We ate radish pods for the 1st time last year. Never knew we could and we loved them. Love learning new things from you. Have a wonderful week :)
What a good idea! I'll have to do this too! The only type of planning I do for harvest is between Oct-July I'll put money away each month to save for the farmers market to purchase the things I don't grow. That way I already have the money ready to spend come August and it doesn't become a burden on my budget.
I find myself truly blessed everytime I put more food in my storage. Whether it is canning it, freezing it, or put more cans on the shelf. Love watching you provide for your family in so many ways.
Yay this really hit home. I just cracked one of my chicken soups to turn into a pot pie using your video's. So fast and easy. It has my husband excited for us to preserve more ready to eat meals that you just heat up this year as well. Can't wait to share the journey.
I haven’t been watching videos for a while, we’ve had a rough couple months and then started the garden. Today we have 11 chicks hatched so far. Today I’m going to finish unpacking and listen to this video and then work on editing and uploading my videos for next week.
Thank you Jessica! It's so helpful to remind us all to be mindful in our preservation. I think many times people are so busy that they forget to give thought to their preservation in this way. Very helpful.
That's my goal too and have been finding good deals in sale. I've already started on meats, soups ,broth and bone broths and about start on soup beans, and I'm preparing for my herb drying I was blessed with 10-12" square baskets they can be used for herbs and drying egg noodles. I have chicken soup ,meatloaves,porkloin chunks,and will have ham bone broth. I can my meats in 1/4 -1/2 and pints. I've switched too the 3 different sizes because its just 2 of us now and quarts for tomato sauces,juice and stewed tomatoes.
We are seniors, too and I have canned a lot of meat in 8 ounce jars. Perfect lunch meat by adding bbq sauce and put on a bun. We don’t buy any processed bolognas or any other sandwich meat anymore. Open face roast beef, tacos, bbq sandwiches, meatloaf and of course chicken and egg salad. So handy and fast.
I was so blessed with and older ball blues that has charts for the amounts of seeds length of each rows ,and jars for meats ,veggies and fruits. And this year I will can the chicken sandwich spread mother and my aunt always made together and hot dog relish. I found if I didn't have the cucumbers ,but had zucchini it works just as good. Right now I'm gearing up for the canning ahead. I found out that the new baby diapers work as good for straining the fruit juices and wash out perfectly.
I've been trying to do this for the last couple of years and it's inspirational listening to how you do your planning. I'm still have to tweak mine, just as you are doing, as dynamics and wants and needs change. Thank you for your giving to us some of your time to inspire. I can't wait to see the preservation projects as and when you do them.
Thank you Jessica! Your videos are always informative, helpful and so appreciated! Blessings on you, your family and your 2024 growing season! 🌻🐛Carolyn in Ohio 🌿
Since getting my freeze dryer in December, no leftovers have gone into the fridge to rot. I now have 6 large Lowe’s bins almost completely full. My husband of 52 plus year and I turned 74 this past week. We milk our goat and have 15 chicks who will give us eggs in a few months. All our grandkids are now adults and we have great grandchildren. What they don’t realize is that they will inherit what we don’t eat in the next couple decades. In about 5 years our 25 fruit trees will be in full production and I am excited about preserving those harvests too. I have 18 raised garden beds.
I love the way you figure things out, Jessica. You are so organized. I'm in awe of your accomplishments. Enjoy your week. Beautiful day here in NJ and was working out in the garden before taking a break and watching you with a cup of tea!
I always look forward to your videos. You are an amazing mom, homemaker and farm wife. I find myself telling my husband "how Jessica does" this or that. We are working at reducing food waste and reliance on grocery stores. You rock!
As a handicapped retiree who can no longer garden, I plan my preservation in different ways. I have a digital canned now, because I can’t lift the heavy stove-top canned. I’m already getting in touch with my local Amish farmers to buy produce in season. I also am a member of FlashFoods that allows me to buy and preserve smaller batches of food during the winter months. To me, fast-door is a ready-canned meal such as chicken or beef cases that makes pot-pies, stews, chilis, or soups. I can my food with my health issues in mind-no sugars and minimal salt, lots of flavor Al herbs. And it’s cheaper than eating out or buying grocery food all the time.
Wonderful information, as always! Thanks for sharing how you plan ahead. I make lists too, of almost everything. It really helps keep me aware of what needs to be done, especialy when life gets hectic. I can refer to my lists and not be so focused on trying to remember every little thing. Blessings to all of you! 💙💙💙
Mother of a family of almost 11 here I’m watching this for myself trying to learn how to better care for my family. And all I can think about is how much math you are doing 😂😂 No one can say as homeschoolers that you need a curriculum for anything 😂 cuz my word 😂 I’m going to recruit my teenagers for this and tell them it’s school so I don’t have to do the math 😂😂😂
Sunday is my food prep day for the week so that I have lunch and dinner prepared for the next four days at a minimum. Your videos always help me to get motivated and moving Sunday morning. Thanks Jessica.
Wow, you're looking to harvest soon, and I just spotted the first true leaves on some of the radishes that I sowed last fall (an experiment because I saved SO many seeds). I did actually have one spring harvest already, I snipped some chives to add to store-bought salad greens. Always a pleasure to see your videos.
I tend to think of how many times we will eat food X in a month. I like tomato soup, but I won’t eat it every week. It’s important to keep records each year, and keep refining it. I don’t like to have a lot leftover, but running out is worse especially for our preservation staples, like salsa and applesauce.
I have a feeling that with 8 kids, 4 teenagers, there is no such a thing as too much food canned. And me so happy with my 90 half pints or so of food canned 😊.
Great discussion and I love how you shared your thought process about approaching food storage. And the pantry and preservation challenges sound awesome!! 😊👍❤️
I would use Quarts instead of Pints if you are using 9 pints per meal, less canning lids means less money spent. 4 Quarts = 8 pints plus you could Can some in pints to equal out that 9 pints needed. Anna In Ohio
I will be doing both. Sometimes I want single serving meals for my teens. I want them to be able to just grab a pint of whatever soup they want and warm it up on the days I might be gone with the little ones.
Very interesting. I dont get as strategic as you do, but OFTEN after I've stocked up on something, I think, "What was I thinking? We will NEVER eat this up." But then we do! Planning is like magic.
I’m glad that you are getting nice weather, in the UK we have had months of wet and windy weather next week looks to be improving so keeping my fingers crossed I want to plant my tomatoes 😂
What you just described to us is a Home Economic Business plan using minimal values. Folks go to college to get a business degree to learn this. Jessica you could be a CEO of a fortune 500 company with your organizational skills. I also feel you have great communication and people skills. Your family is truly blessed to have you. But more over, I know that the health and well being of your family is your number one priority. I tell my children this: I only use my powers for good...LOL.
You can barter and glean as well fruits for completed product, you can make the applesauce bring the complete fruit ( not in jars) they can, preserve it themselves! I don’t give up my jars… but the work is done.
Thank you so much for sharing how you determine how much of this and that to preserve. What a smart way to do it. I'm an ingredient canner but have been trying to do more meals in a jar type canning. Still don't have a freeze dryer, but we plan on getting one some time in the future. Just me and my husband, but I share everything I can with my 3 daughters. They love to shop in my pantry, lol. I love it too!
When i was listening to all your calculations i remembered back to arithmetic class thinking who needs this??? I'm 80 now and glad i listened and learned. What you do exhausts me just watching. That was then, this is now. Growing old.
I have so much respect for you from one mum to another! I don’t know if it’s because I’m a visual person and I find it easier to read something myself for it to register in my brain but I found that really difficult to envisage the scale on what you have to grow, then preserve whilst planning what’s going on the ground next. On top of that being wife and mother of every day things and then teacher. I don’t know how you fit it all in I’m in total awe! You must be super mum, you’re amazing!
For us, our reason for canning is because we have so many food allergies in our family and trying to find safe products is hard and very expensive. I’m with you Jessica that my focus this year will be on more ready to eat meals in jars because having teenagers and school-age kiddos in the house with all their activities and friends/playdates definitely takes time away from being able to cook a nice dinner at home. Plus Im sure my teen would love to be able to heat up a pint of soup whenever he’s hungry. I’m looking forward to seeing your meals in jars canning videos this year! Blessings 🩵
Hi, Miss Jessica. Planning and preparing works well for us too even though we have no garden. We are older but having grown up with the mantra "waste not, want not" we do not like to throw out any food. Figuring out what we have on hand and making menus means we use what we buy and eat what we buy, happily. Thank you for another informative video and for wonderful information useful for any size family. God Bless you all.
I always admire your beautiful meal spread. A great variety on the menu. I started this method of planning the year’s meals a few years ago and find it to be SO helpful to always have a stocked pantry. ❤
It's these BTS systems of thought that help me so much! I have needed so much mental rewiring from the Lord from my old life - (sober 16 years) it's these vids that give me good starting point. I can learn almost anything but need a starting point most often to then reshape it accordingly for my family. (Of 3! Haha)
Just like the saying goes, 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" . So much better to have direction. Less stress, more success! I like how you do small batches of preserving food. Its so much easier to work those smaller batches into time you are already in the kitchen or were able to take advantage of a smaller harvest. I like that it means you can preserve something at its peak and it doesn't take an exhausting day just doing the one thing. Years ago there was a soup company that was selling dried soup mixes and they gave away a container to put in the freezer in which you could put small bits of leftovers of vegetables and meats and then when it was full you would use it for a pot of soup. I used that for a long time but then realized I didn't always want the specific mix that I had frozen. Now I have a basket in the freezer and into it go small bags of leftover dinner vegetables, that last bit of chopped onion I didn't need. or celery tops. Then when I'm looking for a fast meal I can pull out this and that for soup, or maybe chopped peppers, onions and celery for an omelet. Its so nice to have it ready to cook and every time I make a meal from that basket I know that by saving those little bits created a "free" meal . So much better than trying to "save" leftovers in the frig that ultimately are tossed out because we forgot about them. I also make lists. It means I can buy ahead on paper products or whatever when they are on sale and if I'm keeping an accurate count there are many items I never have to pay full price for. Thanks for a friendly and informative chat. Looking forward to seeing those chicks!
Great video! I find I'm preserving for convenience and health (trying to eat less processed or healthier ingredients). I can't wait to participate in your challenge this year!!
As an 'almost' empty nester (our college kiddos still come home on breaks) I don't plan my preserving- rather I preserve what come my way by means of our garden, gifts, and a deal I can't pass up. I love the puzzle part of taking a look at what I have, and figuring out meaningful & delicious ways to use it up (which is why I love the Jan-Feb pantry challenge). I cook for my elderly in-laws, taking 40-50 freezer meals (servings) to them each month. I share meals and baked goods with neighbors and friends. The ONLY item that is a must, and is planned, and prioritize are tomatoes. We love our salsa, roasted garlic pasta sauce, and roasted tomato soup. Today I planted another 7 tomatoes- this will make my hubs happy. We actually ran out of the canned tomato soup by Dec this year- gonna double up on that recipe.
Wow, I wish I had your organization brain. Fortunately, I do not cook for a huge family and I don’t homestead. I am in awe of your lists and processes!
I could listen to you all day long ❤ I've learnt so much about canning from you . I am in the uk and it isn't overly popular here but I've found it so useful having those jars available, especially as i know exactly what's in them, as opposed to tins of things. So thank you
Thanks for sharing this helpful information. Never thought about doing it this way. I am a novice gardener and we have a city homestead, so I grow as much food as I can in this limited space and use our harvest as it comes in. If its too much it gets saved for later.
I am so looking forward to canning season. I made 81 jars of tomato sauce so I won’t have to make so much this fall. Love how you calculate everything. Have a beautiful day.
Jessica, I have been subscribed to you for a very long time. I have never commented, but i will try to do better since i know comments and likes help you tramendously! I just love your content. I love that you do NOT include politics. Thank you for that. You are a inspiration to many. I also do a lot of preserving and want you to know that i have taken some of your methods of preservation knowledge and loved your methods!!❤ I hope you and your family are doing well. Thank you, for awesome content!!
I’m looking forward to your pressure canned meals in a jar and soups. I’ve found that those meals are convenient and healthful. Just so much better than going out to eat at the last minute. I plan to pressure can more meats also. They taste wonderful! It’s become our favorite use of freeze dried vegetables to add just what’s needed to soups, scrambled eggs, stews, breads, muffins. I love that the nutrition is so much higher than frozen or canned and I love the convenience. My grown son stocks his snowed in cabin in the mountains with freeze dried foods to save hauling in food by snowmobile.
My mom would always round up her numbers to the next number of jar cases. For example, if you need 75 pints of pie filling she would can 84 jars or 12 cases of jars. That way she would always have a little more of the bare minimum. If she had the time and resources she would can extras of each product after meeting her minimum goals.
Good morning. Thank you so much for sharing how you plan. Such great tools to help get others going and inspired. I do have a question about the freeze dryer. I have been really looking into and thinking about getting one. But we recently put solar panels on our house...so we are trying to cut our power bill doesn't. My question is I guess, is how do you find it does with power? Does it use a lot? Does it affect your power bill a lot when you are in full preservation mode?
Thank you for sharing this video, I don't think about what I'm going to use all the preserved food in later, I need to get a plan together so I don't waste anything. ❤
Jessica, could you show your set up for dispatching your chickens? We are hatching chicks and know we need to dispatch probably three at a time. I plan to can the meat. Thanks. You are amazing with all you get done. My daughter watched one of your videos with me and she said she was exhausted just thinking about what you accomplish in one day.
Sometimes it gets boring to share the same things every week and some weeks get busy and I don't have a chance to film meals or the projects I am doing, so the only way to get a video out is to share something like this. I try my best ❤️
I don’t can but I have been dehydrating food like crazy. I’ve done about 20 jars in the last few weeks. That a lot of food because dehydrated food takes up so much less room. I just dehydrated 8 jars of pico de gallo that was given to me and it all fit in a quart jar.
I'm jealous. I'm new to learning to grow and right now have no way to preserve outside of the vacuum seal method. I'm trying, but breaking into this lifestyle seems so expensive.
Our favorite savory way to make zucchini is to slice it with onions and fry it. I'd love to see someone reconstitute freeze dried zucchini chunks or slices and fry it to see how that turns out.
I started listening to your video, and my husband stopped me and told me of a meme he'd read: Farmers eat what they can, and can what they can't. He's a mess!!! Love watching your videos! Thanks for all your insight and helping so many with your wisdom Sending love from north Texas ❤
I was laughing at myself as I listened to this video. We're old and only 2 people now. Two years ago I was so happy I managed to put food in 291 jars. Then catastrophe happened last summer and I ended up with broken bones, etc., and incapacitated. This past year production was capped at 99 jars and only 23 this year so far. However, I am so thankful for each jar because all through the hard times we ate a lot from those jars in the pantry. I loved hearing how you calculated everything. Thank you so much for your videos.
Wow, love the story. Thanks for sharing. ❤🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing great information. Blessings
My grandpa always used to say he wishes you could plant one and a half zucchini plants. One isn't enough, two is enough for the neighborhood.
I love this! Grandpa was right ❤
😂😂😂
😂😂❤
I have 2 kids (11m & 10yo) and I honestly find it amazing what you're able to accomplish each day, week, and year. You're such a good mom!!!!
Thank you so much for the encouragement and kindness. ❤️
My husband and I are in our mid 60’s and I love canning and preserving. I can, freeze dry, dehydrate and freeze. I’m also able to provide home canned favorites to my daughters and their families that live out of state. I smiled when you mentioned pie filling because my husband likes to grab a quart of pie pulling to make cobbler a couple times a month. I feel blessed that I can gift my family with home preserved foods that they love. I can and preserve for all of the reasons you mentioned and started as a newly married wife at 18 with a tiny garden.
I gift a lot of my canned meats to my senior sisters and brothers. Also bought LDS long term foods for them. They are delighted to get them and I feel so blessed to be able to do it for the family I love.
I aspire to do this too!❤
❤
Jessica your videos are amazing, you are constantly teaching all of us new things. At 62 and 67 my husband and I are empty nesters, but we preserve a great deal of our food. We can, dehydrate, freeze dry, and in a pinch we freeze. We lost a couple of chest freezers, only months apart, 2 years ago and that prompted the purchase of the freeze dryer. My husband gets a big kick out of tasting each item that we freeze dry. Our grandson, got a snack box with assorted freeze dried fruits when they were leaving last summer. He just requested a refill for his snack box😊. He gets what ever we freeze dried over the years. We shop clearance organic, grow our own, or get from local Amish, and preserve it. I did 12 dozen ears of corn, raw ,freeze dried last year. It is incredible.
So encouraging! As an older widow now,i spent much effort through the years gardening and canning for my family. I pray that your talk and channel will bring young families along!
Love my Sunday morning video with my cup of coffee, thank you and God Bless.
Good morning!
How I look forward to watching your videos each week. Thank you Jessica you are so down to earth and a true blessing. Have a blessed week.
We are retired with two grown and married daughters and three grandchildren. I’ve never canned anything or been serious about gardening. Still here I am enjoying your weekly videos for a few years now. May God continue to bless and keep you and your delightful family.
I've only been canning for over a year now. I am disabled and chronic illness puts me out of commission sometimes. Meals in jars have saved me many times. Building a shelf stable stockpile with a variety of easy meals and pantry staples like chicken broth is what I focus on when I'm feeling good.
My husband and I are aging and we are rethinking our garden. We are planting pole beans instead of bush beans. Trying to be more intentional about what we want and should be eating. I wanted to say that last year I did the everything counts challenge in August with you but in the south here it gets so hot that the garden fizzles out. But I did manage to preserve something even if it was 1 onion or a little handful of beans. We ate radish pods for the 1st time last year. Never knew we could and we loved them. Love learning new things from you. Have a wonderful week :)
Do the challenge during a month that makes sense in your area. Maybe enlist a few friends to do it with you.
@@kittyrichards9915 Oh I love doing the challenge in August- It's the hunt to preserve "every little bit" from the garden that's fun.
I've said it before I know, but I'll say it again...... You are an excellent teacher!❤❤❤❤❤
My 18 mo old and 3.5 yr old girls adore watching with me. The littlest, Jubilee, gets super excited over the cooking.
What a good idea! I'll have to do this too!
The only type of planning I do for harvest is between Oct-July I'll put money away each month to save for the farmers market to purchase the things I don't grow. That way I already have the money ready to spend come August and it doesn't become a burden on my budget.
That’s a great idea
I find myself truly blessed everytime I put more food in my storage. Whether it is canning it, freezing it, or put more cans on the shelf. Love watching you provide for your family in so many ways.
Yay this really hit home. I just cracked one of my chicken soups to turn into a pot pie using your video's. So fast and easy. It has my husband excited for us to preserve more ready to eat meals that you just heat up this year as well. Can't wait to share the journey.
I haven’t been watching videos for a while, we’ve had a rough couple months and then started the garden. Today we have 11 chicks hatched so far. Today I’m going to finish unpacking and listen to this video and then work on editing and uploading my videos for next week.
Thank you Jessica! It's so helpful to remind us all to be mindful in our preservation. I think many times people are so busy that they forget to give thought to their preservation in this way. Very helpful.
That's my goal too and have been finding good deals in sale. I've already started on meats, soups ,broth and bone broths and about start on soup beans, and I'm preparing for my herb drying I was blessed with 10-12" square baskets they can be used for herbs and drying egg noodles. I have chicken soup ,meatloaves,porkloin chunks,and will have ham bone broth. I can my meats in 1/4 -1/2 and pints. I've switched too the 3 different sizes because its just 2 of us now and quarts for tomato sauces,juice and stewed tomatoes.
We are seniors, too and I have canned a lot of meat in 8 ounce jars. Perfect lunch meat by adding bbq sauce and put on a bun. We don’t buy any processed bolognas or any other sandwich meat anymore. Open face roast beef, tacos, bbq sandwiches, meatloaf and of course chicken and egg salad. So handy and fast.
I was so blessed with and older ball blues that has charts for the amounts of seeds length of each rows ,and jars for meats ,veggies and fruits. And this year I will can the chicken sandwich spread mother and my aunt always made together and hot dog relish. I found if I didn't have the cucumbers ,but had zucchini it works just as good. Right now I'm gearing up for the canning ahead. I found out that the new baby diapers work as good for straining the fruit juices and wash out perfectly.
I've been trying to do this for the last couple of years and it's inspirational listening to how you do your planning. I'm still have to tweak mine, just as you are doing, as dynamics and wants and needs change. Thank you for your giving to us some of your time to inspire. I can't wait to see the preservation projects as and when you do them.
Thank you Jessica! Your videos are always informative, helpful and so appreciated! Blessings on you, your family and your 2024 growing season! 🌻🐛Carolyn in Ohio 🌿
Since getting my freeze dryer in December, no leftovers have gone into the fridge to rot. I now have 6 large Lowe’s bins almost completely full. My husband of 52 plus year and I turned 74 this past week. We milk our goat and have 15 chicks who will give us eggs in a few months. All our grandkids are now adults and we have great grandchildren. What they don’t realize is that they will inherit what we don’t eat in the next couple decades. In about 5 years our 25 fruit trees will be in full production and I am excited about preserving those harvests too. I have 18 raised garden beds.
ESSENTIAL video - thank you so much. Change happens all the time, planning for that is wise and reduces worry.
NEEDED. NEEDED. SO NEEDED. THANK YOU!
I love the way you figure things out, Jessica. You are so organized. I'm in awe of your accomplishments. Enjoy your week. Beautiful day here in NJ and was working out in the garden before taking a break and watching you with a cup of tea!
I always look forward to your videos. You are an amazing mom, homemaker and farm wife. I find myself telling my husband "how Jessica does" this or that. We are working at reducing food waste and reliance on grocery stores. You rock!
As a handicapped retiree who can no longer garden, I plan my preservation in different ways. I have a digital canned now, because I can’t lift the heavy stove-top canned. I’m already getting in touch with my local Amish farmers to buy produce in season. I also am a member of FlashFoods that allows me to buy and preserve smaller batches of food during the winter months. To me, fast-door is a ready-canned meal such as chicken or beef cases that makes pot-pies, stews, chilis, or soups. I can my food with my health issues in mind-no sugars and minimal salt, lots of flavor Al herbs. And it’s cheaper than eating out or buying grocery food all the time.
Sounds really wise!!
Good morning! Congrats for getting beef for the freezer. They were auctioning off calves here yesterday. Eat poultry and fish here.
Thanks, Jessica! I learn so much from your channel. Really appreciate you!
Wonderful information, as always! Thanks for sharing how you plan ahead. I make lists too, of almost everything. It really helps keep me aware of what needs to be done, especialy when life gets hectic. I can refer to my lists and not be so focused on trying to remember every little thing. Blessings to all of you! 💙💙💙
Mother of a family of almost 11 here
I’m watching this for myself trying to learn how to better care for my family. And all I can think about is how much math you are doing 😂😂
No one can say as homeschoolers that you need a curriculum for anything 😂 cuz my word 😂 I’m going to recruit my teenagers for this and tell them it’s school so I don’t have to do the math 😂😂😂
Great advice on how to plan your garden and preserving. I don't grow as much as you but I do enjoy the benefits of canning. Thank you for sharing.
Sunday is my food prep day for the week so that I have lunch and dinner prepared for the next four days at a minimum. Your videos always help me to get motivated and moving Sunday morning. Thanks Jessica.
Wow, you're looking to harvest soon, and I just spotted the first true leaves on some of the radishes that I sowed last fall (an experiment because I saved SO many seeds). I did actually have one spring harvest already, I snipped some chives to add to store-bought salad greens. Always a pleasure to see your videos.
I tend to think of how many times we will eat food X in a month. I like tomato soup, but I won’t eat it every week. It’s important to keep records each year, and keep refining it. I don’t like to have a lot leftover, but running out is worse especially for our preservation staples, like salsa and applesauce.
I have a feeling that with 8 kids, 4 teenagers, there is no such a thing as too much food canned. And me so happy with my 90 half pints or so of food canned 😊.
Having 90 jars on the shelf is a huge accomplishment, you should be happy with yourself! 😊
Great discussion and I love how you shared your thought process about approaching food storage. And the pantry and preservation challenges sound awesome!! 😊👍❤️
I would use Quarts instead of Pints if you are using 9 pints per meal, less canning lids means less money spent. 4 Quarts = 8 pints plus you could Can some in pints to equal out that 9 pints needed. Anna In Ohio
I will be doing both. Sometimes I want single serving meals for my teens. I want them to be able to just grab a pint of whatever soup they want and warm it up on the days I might be gone with the little ones.
Very interesting. I dont get as strategic as you do, but OFTEN after I've stocked up on something, I think, "What was I thinking? We will NEVER eat this up." But then we do! Planning is like magic.
I’m glad that you are getting nice weather, in the UK we have had months of wet and windy weather next week looks to be improving so keeping my fingers crossed I want to plant my tomatoes 😂
What you just described to us is a Home Economic Business plan using minimal values. Folks go to college to get a business degree to learn this. Jessica you could be a CEO of a fortune 500 company with your organizational skills. I also feel you have great communication and people skills. Your family is truly blessed to have you. But more over, I know that the health and well being of your family is your number one priority. I tell my children this: I only use my powers for good...LOL.
Thank you so much for the kindness and encouragement ❤️
I'm sure you feel like you are being pulled in many directions. Thank goodness you have all your energy 🙏 ❤
You can barter and glean as well fruits for completed product, you can make the applesauce bring the complete fruit ( not in jars)
they can, preserve it themselves!
I don’t give up my jars… but the work is done.
Thank you so much for sharing how you determine how much of this and that to preserve. What a smart way to do it. I'm an ingredient canner but have been trying to do more meals in a jar type canning. Still don't have a freeze dryer, but we plan on getting one some time in the future. Just me and my husband, but I share everything I can with my 3 daughters. They love to shop in my pantry, lol. I love it too!
Sure wish I had known how to do this decades ago. I am very excited to implement it now. Thank you.
When i was listening to all your calculations i remembered back to arithmetic class thinking who needs this??? I'm 80 now and glad i listened and learned. What you do exhausts me just watching. That was then, this is now. Growing old.
Thank you. I love watching you. God Bless
Good morning Jessica😊 Thank you for sharing.
You are so welcome!
I’m so glad you love sharing your knowledge because I love learning from you 😊
I have so much respect for you from one mum to another! I don’t know if it’s because I’m a visual person and I find it easier to read something myself for it to register in my brain but I found that really difficult to envisage the scale on what you have to grow, then preserve whilst planning what’s going on the ground next. On top of that being wife and mother of every day things and then teacher. I don’t know how you fit it all in I’m in total awe! You must be super mum, you’re amazing!
For us, our reason for canning is because we have so many food allergies in our family and trying to find safe products is hard and very expensive. I’m with you Jessica that my focus this year will be on more ready to eat meals in jars because having teenagers and school-age kiddos in the house with all their activities and friends/playdates definitely takes time away from being able to cook a nice dinner at home. Plus Im sure my teen would love to be able to heat up a pint of soup whenever he’s hungry. I’m looking forward to seeing your meals in jars canning videos this year! Blessings 🩵
Hi, Miss Jessica. Planning and preparing works well for us too even though we have no garden. We are older but having grown up with the mantra "waste not, want not" we do not like to throw out any food. Figuring out what we have on hand and making menus means we use what we buy and eat what we buy, happily.
Thank you for another informative video and for wonderful information useful for any size family. God Bless you all.
I love your videos and I know they are helpful to young families. I remember those days well. Blessings!
I always admire your beautiful meal spread. A great variety on the menu.
I started this method of planning the year’s meals a few years ago and find it to be SO helpful to always have a stocked pantry. ❤
It's these BTS systems of thought that help me so much! I have needed so much mental rewiring from the Lord from my old life - (sober 16 years) it's these vids that give me good starting point. I can learn almost anything but need a starting point most often to then reshape it accordingly for my family. (Of 3! Haha)
Just like the saying goes, 'if you fail to plan, you plan to fail" . So much better to have direction. Less stress, more success! I like how you do small batches of preserving food. Its so much easier to work those smaller batches into time you are already in the kitchen or were able to take advantage of a smaller harvest. I like that it means you can preserve something at its peak and it doesn't take an exhausting day just doing the one thing. Years ago there was a soup company that was selling dried soup mixes and they gave away a container to put in the freezer in which you could put small bits of leftovers of vegetables and meats and then when it was full you would use it for a pot of soup. I used that for a long time but then realized I didn't always want the specific mix that I had frozen. Now I have a basket in the freezer and into it go small bags of leftover dinner vegetables, that last bit of chopped onion I didn't need. or celery tops. Then when I'm looking for a fast meal I can pull out this and that for soup, or maybe chopped peppers, onions and celery for an omelet. Its so nice to have it ready to cook and every time I make a meal from that basket I know that by saving those little bits created a "free" meal . So much better than trying to "save" leftovers in the frig that ultimately are tossed out because we forgot about them. I also make lists. It means I can buy ahead on paper products or whatever when they are on sale and if I'm keeping an accurate count there are many items I never have to pay full price for. Thanks for a friendly and informative chat. Looking forward to seeing those chicks!
Great video! I find I'm preserving for convenience and health (trying to eat less processed or healthier ingredients). I can't wait to participate in your challenge this year!!
So inspiring! ❤
thanks for your tips. I not only have been praying for you and your family, I have also encouraged some friends at church to follow your channel.
As an 'almost' empty nester (our college kiddos still come home on breaks) I don't plan my preserving- rather I preserve what come my way by means of our garden, gifts, and a deal I can't pass up. I love the puzzle part of taking a look at what I have, and figuring out meaningful & delicious ways to use it up (which is why I love the Jan-Feb pantry challenge). I cook for my elderly in-laws, taking 40-50 freezer meals (servings) to them each month. I share meals and baked goods with neighbors and friends. The ONLY item that is a must, and is planned, and prioritize are tomatoes. We love our salsa, roasted garlic pasta sauce, and roasted tomato soup. Today I planted another 7 tomatoes- this will make my hubs happy. We actually ran out of the canned tomato soup by Dec this year- gonna double up on that recipe.
Wow, I wish I had your organization brain. Fortunately, I do not cook for a huge family and I don’t homestead. I am in awe of your lists and processes!
I could listen to you all day long ❤ I've learnt so much about canning from you . I am in the uk and it isn't overly popular here but I've found it so useful having those jars available, especially as i know exactly what's in them, as opposed to tins of things. So thank you
You are so welcome
Thanks for sharing this helpful information. Never thought about doing it this way. I am a novice gardener and we have a city homestead, so I grow as much food as I can in this limited space and use our harvest as it comes in. If its too much it gets saved for later.
I am so looking forward to canning season. I made 81 jars of tomato sauce so I won’t have to make so much this fall. Love how you calculate everything. Have a beautiful day.
Thank you as always for sharing your experience and thoughts 😊
Have a nice week!
Love and blessings from Johanne, Norway 🇳🇴
Jessica, I have been subscribed to you for a very long time. I have never commented, but i will try to do better since i know comments and likes help you tramendously! I just love your content. I love that you do NOT include politics. Thank you for that. You are a inspiration to many. I also do a lot of preserving and want you to know that i have taken some of your methods of preservation knowledge and loved your methods!!❤ I hope you and your family are doing well. Thank you, for awesome content!!
Thank you so much 😊
I’m looking forward to your pressure canned meals in a jar and soups. I’ve found that those meals are convenient and healthful. Just so much better than going out to eat at the last minute. I plan to pressure can more meats also. They taste wonderful!
It’s become our favorite use of freeze dried vegetables to add just what’s needed to soups, scrambled eggs, stews, breads, muffins. I love that the nutrition is so much higher than frozen or canned and I love the convenience. My grown son stocks his snowed in cabin in the mountains with freeze dried foods to save hauling in food by snowmobile.
Thank you Jessica! Just the 2 of us. I do not need so much any more.
Thank you so much for sharing your plan!
My mom would always round up her numbers to the next number of jar cases. For example, if you need 75 pints of pie filling she would can 84 jars or 12 cases of jars. That way she would always have a little more of the bare minimum. If she had the time and resources she would can extras of each product after meeting her minimum goals.
Good morning. Thank you so much for sharing how you plan. Such great tools to help get others going and inspired. I do have a question about the freeze dryer. I have been really looking into and thinking about getting one. But we recently put solar panels on our house...so we are trying to cut our power bill doesn't. My question is I guess, is how do you find it does with power? Does it use a lot? Does it affect your power bill a lot when you are in full preservation mode?
❤❤❤❤❤ thank you Jessica!!
Always good organizational skills. Have a great week.❤
Thank you! You too!
Thank you for sharing this video, I don't think about what I'm going to use all the preserved food in later, I need to get a plan together so I don't waste anything. ❤
Certainly has given me a direction to my plan. Thank you.
Jessica, could you show your set up for dispatching your chickens? We are hatching chicks and know we need to dispatch probably three at a time. I plan to can the meat. Thanks. You are amazing with all you get done. My daughter watched one of your videos with me and she said she was exhausted just thinking about what you accomplish in one day.
Awww I really miss having your weekly videos with the family & daily routine. Great information you gave!
Sometimes it gets boring to share the same things every week and some weeks get busy and I don't have a chance to film meals or the projects I am doing, so the only way to get a video out is to share something like this. I try my best ❤️
@@threerivershomestead either way I do appreciate the time & effort that goes into the videos. You’re doing a great job!
Have you ever thought about tower planting where you just use water for growing your garden without needing soil and where weeding isn't necessary.
We have thought about hydroponics, but it's a big investment
Great information. I look forward to your videos.❤❤❤
Thank you for sharing your plan with us. ❤ We aren't really able to plant much yet in MN.. Soon though! 😁
We love soup too! So healthy and economical.👌
I don’t can but I have been dehydrating food like crazy. I’ve done about 20 jars in the last few weeks. That a lot of food because dehydrated food takes up so much less room. I just dehydrated 8 jars of pico de gallo that was given to me and it all fit in a quart jar.
I'm jealous. I'm new to learning to grow and right now have no way to preserve outside of the vacuum seal method. I'm trying, but breaking into this lifestyle seems so expensive.
Here in New Zealand we've just had our first frost! Going in to winter.
One of a Kind Mother ones again Jessica
Thank you for your advices. Have a wonderful time.
Thank you for sharing Jessica.... this is fantastic info and a wonderful how-to figure it out.
Blessings ❤
Good morning Jessica! I’m from Michigan. Not to far from you.
Morning!
Have you ever watched wickedprepared? She does meals in jars. Just dump add water and cook.
SO helpful! You are such a blessing.
Wonderful advice!
Our favorite savory way to make zucchini is to slice it with onions and fry it. I'd love to see someone reconstitute freeze dried zucchini chunks or slices and fry it to see how that turns out.
Amazing!! Thanks Jessica
You're so welcome!
Thank you❤
Great ideas ❤
I started listening to your video, and my husband stopped me and told me of a meme he'd read:
Farmers eat what they can, and can what they can't.
He's a mess!!!
Love watching your videos!
Thanks for all your insight and helping so many with your wisdom
Sending love from north Texas ❤
I love to watch your practical videos
Always enjoy your videos...so full of information.
So glad!
Sounds great