last summer i went a little crazy. i’m not sure if i was preparing for the end of the world or the great rapture, but i canned, preserved, and froze food until i was left with battle scars & a full pantry. i also stocked up on meats & grains in bulk. like i said, i’m not sure what i was thinking, but at the end of the winter, we were still left with a freezer full of food. i don’t even want to mention the 20 lb. of organic chicken breast in my mother-in-law’s freezer… anyway.
once my weekly rant of “we need more storage! we have too much crap!” resided one afternoon last week, i decided to actually follow my own life mantra & began sorting through our belongings with simplicity in mind. once i got to the kitchen, i was forced to face my overwhelming freezer. i tossed unrecognizable foods in plastic bags & freezer-burned bread. i used a damp cloth to pry gooey substances from the bottom & scrubbed the rest. i made a list of what was left & organized until late into the evening. i was left with this:
the contents of my freezer:
animal protein-
4 packages of deer hamburger
2 lamb livers
1 package of ground lamb
1 package of deer sausage
1 package of frozen deer meatballs
1 package of lamb ribs
1 ham hock
1 package of beef stock bones
1 chopped sirloin
20 lb. chicken breast
1 frozen bag of acorn squash & sausage stuffing
meal ready-
freezer bag full of frozen ice cube sized basil
freezer bag full of frozen ice cube sized pesto
freezer bag of swiss chard
frozen tomato soup (serving size 2)
2 bags of hot peppers (for salsa making)
freezer bag of skinned tomatoes
box of morningstar veggie burgers
fruit-
2 gallons of strawberries
3 ripe bananas
freezer bag of black cherries
dole brand bag full of mango, pineapple and strawberries
2 jars of peach conserve
1 gallon of blueberries
small tub of homemade cookie dough
with plenty of food still packed in my small freezer & a tight budget in mind, i plan to use at least half of this food during the month of may. each thursday i will check-in with my progress & possibly include a recipe or two. at the end of the month, i will report the leftover food in our freezer & photos for proof!
i never really thought i would write about my freezer, but sometimes i have to unearth those not-so-glamorous parts of my life. also, you guys keep me accountable & i hold zero willpower without accountability. in case you are totally uninterested by my freezer challenge, avoid this blog every thursday during the month of may! for the rest of you, i hope you feel just a little more inspired to make your list & join the freezer challenge!
week 1 progress:
+ blt sandwiches (goodbye, bacon!)
+ tomato soup
a slow start, but i plan to kick it in gear this upcoming week! who’s with me?!
love,
natalie
luke & i shared a wonderful weekend together. a little bit of this, a little of that & a lot of relaxing. he came home early from the farm & we had an afternoon of tea & cookies. a great start to the weekend!
date night was perfect. dinner & a movie. what is your typical date night outfit? i usually rock a skirt & cardigan, but the work days have left me eager for casual nights off. i love my saltwater sandals & the
t-shirt was a handmade project right before valentine’s day.
saturday we woke up a little later than usual & headed to the farmers’ market.
the weekend was not complete without a saturday afternoon trip to the strawberry fields! we picked 4 gallons of strawberries. i made 10 jars of jam (look for the recipe this wednesday at tend!) with two gallons of berries left. any ideas? i am thinking a strawberry rhubarb crumble from here.
ahhhh, sunday. you are wonderful. i cleaned up the entire house while luke tended to the garden & made dinner. i hung the newly thrifted mirror & relaxed on the couch for the evening.
a perfect weekend indeed.
love,
natalie
+ our home has stayed very clean this week. we are slowly cleaning out the things we no longer use. we have also made an effort to clean up our messes when they happen. luke’s better than i am! a clean house just makes me feel better when i come home from work.
+ this weekend’s meal plan included a celebratory spring soup in honor of may day. the combination of carrots, leeks & asparagus is just perfect.
+ i started the dirty life: a memoir of farming, food & love. i am making an effort to unplug in the evenings & limit my screen time. an enjoyable read really helps.
+ in the studio this afternoon! photographing new products & listing those soon.
+ tonight’s DIY pizza night. & then a movie at the theater! we haven’t watched a movie at the theater in a very long time. we just couldn’t resist. the five-year engagement looks so funny.
+ harvesting strawberries at the farm tomorrow. a perfect day for jam making!
+ happy weekend!
love,
natalie