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RE: The Making of a Homestead Pantry & Empowered Life
That's a SERIOUS pantry! Exactly how big is it? Mine is tiny, just 9' x 6'. Most of my canning ends up in the root cellar. When we make the addition, I am planning a bigger pantry and root cellar.
I don't can as much because I am going for the higher nutrition in frozen foods vs canned or dehydrated. So mine is mostly all in 5 freezers. I use freezer boxes and have for decades. Some of them date back to the 1960's...
Any of the straight side jars with absolutely no shoulder are made for freezing. I don't use them much because with the 2 guys in the freezers, they would get broken...
Yes, it is a compromise and I totally hear you on the slightly lower nutrition aspect. We do canning because we can't spare the energy - solar is such a balancing act and we just have one big freezer and the small one with the fridge.
It's not that large, I just know how to maximize space I think. I'll have to measure it. I struggle to get good photos because with the shelves and freezer/fridge there isn't a load of space to stand back and get a picture.
We truly wish we had a root cellar or basement in this cabin. You are so fortunate to have one!! We've been thinking of digging one out but it is easier said than done and we never seem to have the time.
You did really well with the photos. I have the same problem photographing my pantry, no room to get far enough back.
We got lucky when we were evaluated for solar. We ended up with a system much larger than they originally thought we needed. (Hmmmm, awkward sentence. Eval'd for 12,000 KW, given 10,000KW system biggest allowed.) Even with the 5 freezers, 2 dehydrators, the cold room/AC, we still make far more electric than we use.
The current root cellar was built after the foundation was put in, so it has a cement floor. The new one will have a gravel/dirt floor.
The original house was not supposed to have a basement. But it only measured 16' x 18' with a 12' x 6' shed for the pantry/entry. Just not enough room and no place for a wood stove. So we put a basement under it.