Bee~ Journal of then...

[Farmfresh]

I have another question for all of you. Where and how do you store your canned foods? Where and how do you store those empty jars?

If you all are like me - I own a ton of each!

 

[Beekissed]

I have another question for all of you. Where and how do you store your canned foods? Where and how do you store those empty jars?

If you all are like me - I own a ton of each!

I'm a cardboard box collector...my boys will tell you this! They have such multiple good uses and I can't see a good sturdy box being thrown out in the trash at work without grimacing. I try to control my tendency, but I do have a small stash available.

I store my canned goods on my very wide and very sturdy shelves in the cellar....I swear these planks are about 2 in. thick, solid oak! They are about 2 ft. deep and 4-5 ft. long. I have two sets of these(6 shelves total) and one set of bins(6) that are approx. 2 ft. x 2 ft. x 4 ft. stacked like shelves, one above another. These bins are built with slatted sides for good ventilation. I also have plenty of floor space and raised areas in the rest of the cellar. When I empty jars they are washed in bleach water and place in a clean cardboard box. When it is full, it is stacked back in the cellar.

This spring I'm cleaning out all the odds and ends that have accumulated in the cellar throughout the years from other people and myself and start with a clean slate. I'm also going to be doing some additional insulation in the ceiling.

 

[punkin]

The whole back wall of our garage is lined with plastic cabinets. All of my empty jars and canning supplies are stored out there.

As for the canned foods, we put three shelves around the bottom of a bedroom closet and converted a halway closet into a pantry.

We don't have a cellar (unfortunatley) or a basement. Of course, the attic is out of the question.

If you look really hard, you can find the space.

 

[freemotion]

I'm looking hard!!! The jars I stored in my basement got rusty rings, everything down there gets musty, and boxes get yucky. I have a bookcase in my dining room filled with cases of jars, and just picked up some more underbed storage boxes, plastic, for half price at the grocery store in the clearance aisle. I want even more jars, so I will have to get creative, too.

Your cellar sounds awesome, Bee! Sounds like it was set up for food storage. What were those bins for....maybe taters? Onions? Squash and pumpkins?

 

[Beekissed]

Your cellar sounds awesome, Bee! Sounds like it was set up for food storage. What were those bins for....maybe taters? Onions? Squash and pumpkins?

I would say all of the above! These old folks were just real thoughty when designing this place and building the buildings. I think God brought me here at this time in my life for a purpose. I think I'm meant to fill those bins and shelves...or else why would they be there? They beckon to me......

Hey, free, you might consider getting some of that stuff that absorbs moisture in basements and such. A friend of mine swears by it...can't remember what it is called. I would remove my rings if I were you, they serve no purpose after the canning and you can always keep them handy in the house in case you need to cap an opened jar for some reason.

 

[freemotion]

Yep, I know what you are talking about. I always kept a canister of it in my tack trunk when I boarded my mare. Works great in cupboards and smaller spaces. My basement has a stream running through it during hard rains and spring melt. It is beyond that damprid stuff.

Somehow, jars without lids, even in boxes, end up with dead beetles and spiders in them....yuk! I know I should just grow up about it, but it....um....bugs me!

I think I might start to look for freebie cupboards for the garage, when people remodel. That would be great, as our little garage is attached. It is a storage shed and grain room now, no room for a car!!!

Yep, that cellar of yours begs to be filled! My damp cellar will be perfect for a root cellar, I've been monitoring it for a while now. Just need to have a successful garden!

 

[Beekissed]

My cellar gets a little stream in it with continual rains also....probably why all these shelves and bins are built a good 6 in. off the ground. When I came they had some boards thrown down on the floor but the rest of the floor was mud! I found a whole stack of old roofing squares and placed them, overlapping, on the floor. No more mud! Nice and neat. Still have some water with the heavy rains, but it drains out rather quickly. Probably gives my cellar just the right amount of humidity.

 

[Farmfresh]

See that is what I thought when I asked this question. Lots of different ways and means.

I have two rows of shelving that are in our furnace room that would be ideal to use - except for the furnace. It keeps the jars dry but too warm. I can only store emptys there. Rings clean and in Ziplock bags. I try boxes for those but with my stone foundation I get dead spiders and stuff. It is gross. I wash and sterilize the jars before storing and again when I need them.

For full jars I do have a small pantry closet in the kitchen which works for a few jars at a time. The remainder of the full jars now reside in the back of the basement where my washer and dryer are. They are on a stainless steel commercial type shelving system (I bought that at a liquidators and used to use it in the kitchen when I had NO cabinets). I have the shelves wrapped completely in those cheap old plastic table clothes with the front curtain loose so I can easily open it. This helps keep the jars clean and in the dark.

I always have a ton of jars in my kitchen too. The just washed ones that I have yet to pack up to store. I find myself more and more wanting a BIG first floor unheated pantry. I would move my two freezers in too. My days of hauling jars up and down stairs are about done. With my arthritis I want to save those knees for fun things like the garden and animals! Maybe when we build a new house....

 

[Beekissed]

I think walk-in cupboards are priceless! My grandma used to have one....so handy for all kinds of storage that you want to keep out of sight!

 

[Farmfresh]

When I was selling Real Estate many years ago I was in this house showing it to a potential buyer. The house was pretty old and it had one of those wonderful walk in pantries just off of the kitchen. There were cabinets all along two walls and even a window to let in the sun. It was wonderful. Every since I have wanted a pantry like that.