All through this month of No Send/Low Spend my main aim is to run down the freezers and the cupboards, but the freezers are the main priority. By emptying the one in the kitchen first I can start to move things from the large chest freezer to this one, with the aim that by the end of the month we will be able to switch off the chest freezer.
Usually if you're being self sufficient the chest freezer is one of your biggest allies, holding lots of the fruit and veg harvested through the Summer and Autumn to last you, as far as possible, until the Spring and the start of the main growing season. Luckily for us, in some ways that is, this year we haven't got this huge glut to store mainly because we have hardly grown anything, because as soon as we get the planning permission through the roof is coming off the conservatory (where the freezer is situated) so it will need to be turned off and covered over.
As you can see from the top picture this freezer is pretty full, mostly with picked berries, homemade soups and the odd bag of veggies.
The drawers are full of bargain 'yellow stickered' things and some veggie options, Quorn etc .... and despite my usual careful labelling there are a couple of UFOs (unidentifiable freezer objects)
Once I have really made inroads in this freezer I will restock it from the other one and continue in this fashion until I can pull the plug on the chest freezer. I wonder if I can do it in just a month?
I've made a start by taking out a tub of homemade Tomato and Pepper soup for lunch today, it's sat on top of the Aga thawing out nicely. One down lots to go. :-)
And here is your doggy picture for today.
Mavis out Blackberrying with me this morning, looking and I think feeling a lot better. She has her waggy tail back when you talk to her which is always a good sign. The other dogs were with us too but they were all off the lead and running around doing their own things. The sheep have been moved from the paddock to the triangular field so now we are free to wander our paddock again, I did walk the dogs in there while the sheep were in residence but it just seems so much easier with no gate panels to lift and shift each time I need to go into the field.
Sue xx
Good luck I know that feeling of identifying things in the freezer Im bad I dont label its just guess work looking into the bottom of the container. I really need to get a chest freezer ready for spring as my freezer this year had so many berries in there and grated zucchini it filled two shelves lol
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see Mavis out and about with the gang. What a wonderful little berry-buddy.
ReplyDeleteMavis is sooooo cute! I need to organize my freezer with hunting season coming up. I'm sure we will have venison to add to it, and I need to make sure I get the older stuff to the top.
ReplyDeleteIn cleaning out our freezer this past year, I've noticed that it takes a LONG time to eat down the contents of one's freezer and pantry. Even when other family members were stating that there was no food in the house, I could always come up with something.
ReplyDeleteSorting though our freezer here to and when I get five minutes I'll be sorting out the kitchen cupboards.........oh the joy! lol.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Mavis is tail waggly again, give her a squidgy cuddle from me xx
Ah, UFO's, I have two chest freezers which have several of these! Our freezers (we have three in total) hold our home killed meat, and have been full to the brim, but I have been trying to run them down in readiness for the animals we are needing to cull in a few weeks time. So what I have been doing is getting the large joints of meat cooked, then mince / slice / shred the meat and put it into kilner jars via my All American canner. I don't have much room in the freezers for veggies either, so much of our vegetable and fruit harvest also goes into kilner jars, or is dehydrated, or is made into chutney and / or jam. But am very respectful of the tidiness of your freezer! Mine is all a tumble!
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't I think of using empty ice cream containers to freeze soup in? Doh! I never make a huge pan full because I didn't know what to freeze it in. When I think of the number of containers I have thrown away/recycled over the last year! Thank you, Sue!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Mavis looks so much happier already :-)
Such a cute doggie picture!
ReplyDeleteWe lost our little Blackie cat yesterday. Apparently he had a tumor and it ruptured. We rushed him to the vet, but it was too late. Blackie O'Feral, was a feral cat we( no he) adopted us. RIP Blackie.
I was so sad to read this. :-(
DeleteAt least the tumour can't have caused him too much pain or you would have known about it, but still not nice for him or for you. To be adopted by a cat, especially a feral one, is a wonderful thing, they don't give love lightly but when they do they give it wonderfully.
RIP Blackie
so glad Mavis is responding well
ReplyDeleteMavis is looking healthier already - amazing what a little care and a lot of love can achieve - please give her another hug from me xxx
ReplyDeleteShe is isn't she :-)
DeleteI will give her a hug but gently, if you squeeze too lovingly you get covered with milk!! But it is reducing nicely now.
I too had a good sort out of both freezers then shopped for the week into the fridge freezer in the house, it makes meal prepping so much easier.The good thing is its made me realise we are buying far too much for our weekly needs, so I hope this low spend September and Stoptober will lessen the stocks a little.
ReplyDeleteLovely photo of Mavis, she is looking better each day xx
Sue I have just read your posts about Mavis...what a harrowing time she appears to have had and how wonderful that she is back in your loving care again...I just don't understand how people can treat animals so badly...give her a cuddle from me.
ReplyDeleteHopefully she will never be able to run off again, we have a new system in place that should ensure that. No more adventures for my lovely girl, they don't seem to turn out well !!
DeleteShe's getting lots of cuddles and she comes up and gives them back which is lovely :-)