I'm almost ready for winter

Well, yesterday I had a great day with my boyfriend... we went to the farmer's market and came back with tons of stuff. I bought:

1 pumpkin
3 assorted winter squashes (one is butternut, one spaghetti and the other I'm not sure... I think it was called buttercup, looks like a small dark green pumpkin)
1 large bag of apples
1 huge bag of slightly damaged eggplants
2 large bags of red/green peppers

Last week I had also bought 10lbs of carrots and 10lbs of onions.

All together, that cost me around $25

After many hours of washing, peeling, cutting, shredding and roasting, I now have a freezer almost full of fruits and veggies for the winter ahead. I'm so proud of myself (I'd be even more proud if I had grown the veggies myself, but my balcony garden is too small for that)
Ok, I still need to prepare the pumpkin and squashes, but that shouldn't be too hard. And we might go back to the market next week for some tomatoes, hot peppers and a few more things. I wish I had started that earlier because a lot of veggies are not really in season anymore.
My boyfriend also wants to try making some candied nuts. I've never had any, but it sounds yummy.

Is everyone else ready to survive the winter ahead?

I stocked up on canned soups
Actually I've canned some stuff, mostly made jams and that sort with it. I dont like to freeze too much, Im actually hoping to get one of those vacuum sealers (eventually) so I can freeze stuff and not have to worry about it getting weird. I have been thinking about getting some squashes and pumpkins, Ive heard they freeze well and would probably stay nice and fresh in a good ziplock.

Originally Posted by MonaxLisa

I stocked up on canned soups

Actually I've canned some stuff, mostly made jams and that sort with it. I dont like to freeze too much, Im actually hoping to get one of those vacuum sealers (eventually) so I can freeze stuff and not have to worry about it getting weird. I have been thinking about getting some squashes and pumpkins, Ive heard they freeze well and would probably stay nice and fresh in a good ziplock.

Click to expand...

I use freezer ziplocs and I usually don't have problems. I try to remove as much air as I can before freezing.

The main problem I have with freezer food is that it dries out. But now I am careful to leave the ventilation at the back unblocked, and I always leave an open plastic container full of water/ice to evaporate slowly.

I wish I knew how to can stuff. I'll have to learn that some day. (next summer maybe)

I am proud of you too! That is great. Farmers Markets are the best. I have been stocking up on bell peppers as well this month. I hate winter! I will never be ready for it.

Well most people know by now the size of my veg garden. I have quarts of chopped tomatoes canned, pints of tomato basil soup and half pints of tomato paste. Plus leftover BBQ sauce and ketchup from last year.

I made some strawberry jam too.

I have 3 bushels of potatoes from the garden about 15 # onions and the carrots are still in the ground will have to dig out and store in a couple of weeks though.

The garden produced very little peppers but those are chopped and froze along with some of the corn. Broccoli was not good this year either. I did freeze green beans though.

I have a Food Saver Vaccuum sealer which I use for my meat.