tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433191378230739758.post2651580900029843351..comments2023-11-05T09:28:37.370-09:00Comments on Off-Grid in Alaska: Lessons from the LarderPlickety Cathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02252583762292412093noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433191378230739758.post-20216357077374509872011-04-02T14:45:24.421-08:002011-04-02T14:45:24.421-08:00With the installation of about 2100 sq ft of hoope...With the installation of about 2100 sq ft of hooped garden this year, winds kill us to leave much without covering, we hope to be doing a lot of 'putting up' of things. The idea of doing some of our own 'pastes' will get me doing some reasearch. <br />We can totally unplug our freezer but can keep it on a timer for only 3-4 hours at most a day of running. <br />We are also looking to move to a mostly DC system if the new RE battery/windmill/solar system comes through. <br />Like you there is still lots of 'learning' when living off-grid. Thanks for the ideas!!<br />UgaVicAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433191378230739758.post-26221285620985527162011-03-26T15:22:09.464-08:002011-03-26T15:22:09.464-08:00Being able to can up a ton of stuff through the ha...Being able to can up a ton of stuff through the harvest season and not have to worry about rearranging your pantry shelves until a little later when things calm down in the garden is a blessing. There's no way I could leave all that in a shed during the summer when I lived in the Carolinas! Heck, I probably wouldn't leave too many of the dried foods out there either since they'd degrade in the heat.<br /><br />But having Nature provide you with a free sub-zero freezer at least 4 months of the year, conveniently right around hunting season, is a truly beautiful thing. Especially when you consider that there is no way we could get a whole moose into our tiny 5cu freezer... forget anything else we wanted to keep in there. However, having a case of soda freeze up and explode in the shed because you didn't get it out before a cold snap... not so beautiful! LOL<br /><br />We normally get weather just right to give us enough time to dress and hang the moose while it's cool during the day and freezing at night, and then it starts freezing up completely. <br /><br />Of course, all the salmon comes in during the dog-days of summer; but we can make the salmon fillets and steaks fit in smaller and tighter spaces than a moose roast or rack of ribs. But there's that 2-3 week danger area in the fall when the hunt is in and needs to get frozen, the freezer is full of salmon and berries/veg, and it's not quite cold enough during the day to freeze the meat. That's when big coolers and lots of ice come in handy!<br /><br />When we get our livestock, we'll be able to space out the chickens and rabbits a little to keep eating fresh and frozen without too much pain; but I think the sheep, goats & weaner pigs might take some planning. Especially the hogs since they'll be coming up right about the same time as the moose unless we wait until hard freeze to slaughter them... but butchering a hog when it's below freezing just doesn't sound like tons of fun. We might have to cave in and buy the 8cu freezer that matches, so the big freezer is just for meat and the 5cu freezer is for everything else. But we can at least unplug the big freezer most of the summer, and unplug them both in the winter :)<br /><br />Drying and grinding is a great way to use up and hide stuff... like the 5 bushels of zucchini you couldn't give away! You can even make your own instant V8 juice powder and colored pastas (tomato, beet, spinach & carrot work great for that).Plickety Cathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02252583762292412093noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8433191378230739758.post-22276060049753498812011-03-26T14:58:33.492-08:002011-03-26T14:58:33.492-08:00When I first started canning, I canned all sorts o...When I first started canning, I canned all sorts of things and then later realized we really wouldn't eat some of it, those things are now off the list to be canned. I also only dehydrate the things that I will actually use in dehydrated form. I found your idea of grinding it up into a powder and adding it to food a pretty wonderful idea. <br />I keep my canned food in a cupboard in the house here in GA, it really does not stay very cool but does fine. <br />I would love to have my shed be my freezer. THat would be SO helpful! lol.becky3086https://www.blogger.com/profile/01026872543168452124noreply@blogger.com