Filling The Fridge Without Going To The Store

Since harvest season is in full swing, I am having a hard time finding room in the fridge for much.  I am trying to stay on top of preserving my harvests by freezing some crops, and canning others.  At this rate my kitchen freezer will be full by the end of the month and I may need to plug in my chest freezer to store more.  I have also been dehydrating some things like yellow squash as I pick more than I can eat for myself.  The chickens have been very busy lately and if they keep laying at this rate I will be getting about three dozen eggs a week for awhile.

The fridge serves as temporary storage for things like cucumbers or fruit.  These are crops that can wait a couple of days until I have the time to preserve them.  I also keep the eggs in the fridge of course, but I have been writing the day they were laid on the eggs with a pencil, so I know which ones are the oldest and I can use them up first.  The freezer is how I am preserving things like broccoli and green beans.  I hope to be able to freeze enough to last through many winter meals.  My main broccoli harvest is over, but I think I have about 30 servings frozen at this point.  I may add a few more before the season it through.  The green beans have just starting producing enough extra for me to freeze, so I am not sure how big of a crop I will get from them.  I am just doing my best to harvest as thoroughly as possible to stimulate them to set more beans for me.

My pantry shelves have been filling at a rapid pace as well and I may have to invest in another set of shelving if the cucumber harvest continues as it has.  If they keep it up I will be canning at least eight quarts a week until frost.  I have also been getting offers of free apricots, so I'm sure I will have to make another batch of those soon.  I was thinking about getting another box of peaches, but I am still working on the first one that I bought last week. Once the tomatoes start ripening I will start making pints of salsa and tomato sauce.  I can look forward to the next eight or so weeks being filled with lots of time in the kitchen.