Finding Contentment

My canning room

In our home, we have a cellar. That's all I can really call it. Half of it is just a crawl space, the other half is full size. It had a dirt floor until my husband laid down a crude brick one. He keeps his "workshop" stuff down there, as well as the gardening and fishing stuff. In the cellar was a tiny 6' by 6' corner room made of cement blocks. I have no idea what it was originally intended for. At first I thought to use it for a craft room, but soon realized that like many cellars, it stayed quite damp all the time. And when it rains the floor gets wet.

We have lived here for years, but soon after we decided to try to "homestead" and live a simpler life, Hubby got the wonderful idea to turn it into a canning room. He's worked on it for weeks - you have no idea how crude this cellar is - and finally announced it ready. Now I am working on filling it up! Because I am new at this, I am not canning enough to fill it up yet. Therefore, I am also buying canned goods from our local Aldi's to fill it up, along with gallons of water. Every time I have a few extra dollars I buy some more canned goods to put down there. I cannot put anything in boxes, or even plastic bottles that might not have as tight of a seal, because of the dampness (and the bugs). But sealed canned and jars that I have made sure are properly sealed seem to be doing fine. My goal is to get a year's worth of food down there, and to constantly replenish it so that it never runs out. I predict that if there is ever a nationwide disaster that shuts down the big stores, I will be one of the most popular people on the block.

I wanted to share some pictures of my canning room. I took the first picture from the inside of the canning room, looking out into the cellar. Each picture after that is just moving the camera in a counter-clockwise direction.

Here is the door. Doesn't look like much, does it?

Going counter-clockwise from the door, here is some of my canned items. Mark built the tables and shelves to put the items on. The room was empty before that. Yes, that's just cement beneath the table. I don't know why it was put there, but I guess it had something to do with whatever the room was used for.

Hopefully, I'll get all those empty jars filled!

Evaporated milk, since the dampness keeps me from putting boxes of powdered down here. The brick wall with the vent is the outside wall of the house (actually, I guess it's probably the foundation). The cement walls were built in the inside.

I need to make sure I start focusing on getting more water!

This is an old baker's rack that was in the cellar when we moved in years ago. It will provide some extra shelving if needed.

And there you have it. On the other side of that rack, we are back to the door. A little tiny room that someone once built for something - now my little canning room!

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11:46 AM, Friday, September 7, 2007 .. Posted by morningsunshine

couple of things on your storage room (that is what we call it here) - when you empty a canning jar, save the seal and turn it upside down on the bottle and place the ring on the bottle. this keeps your jar cleaner than storing it upside down. also, this empty jar that is sitting around taking up space can be used to store water from canning season to canning season. if you have the boxes from when you bought your bottles, they also make the storage of bottles easier - you can stack them.

I have found powdered milk in #10 cans that I store downstairs. you might be able to find some (check online for emergancy preparedness supplies), or buy some boxed from the grocery store and home seal them. there has to be a way.

there was something else I was thinking of too, but I cannot remember right now.

I think a year's supply of food is a great idea. and hey, if you never have to use it because of local or national disaster, it will also come in handy during a family financial disaster too....

oh yeah - don't store water in milk jugs. they break down and impart yucky flavor to the water. 2 liter pop jugs work good or juice bottles, or buy water storage jugs. there is also some formula for adding chlorine to your stored water if you do not fill from a culinary water source. I will try to find you some website on this topic.

Edited by morningsunshine on Friday, September 7, 2007 at 10:49 AM

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01:15 PM, Friday, September 7, 2007 .. Posted by haflinger

Very nice you have been busy canning. I also have a root cellar its in our basement . We built our home 7 years ago and had a root cellar put in I just love it it has small rock floor insulated inside and insulated door when I get done canning I will post a picture of mine hope you see it.. Blessing haflinger

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02:28 PM, Friday, September 7, 2007 .. Posted by FoggyMountainFarm

It looks great!! You on the right track!! Keep going and you'll have it filled up in no time!

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09:55 PM, Friday, September 7, 2007 .. Posted by meme21713

what a great idea and it looks so nice<>Love the bakers rack...Happy canning....Debbie

Wow...

04:07 PM, Sunday, September 9, 2007 .. Posted by Anonymous

I am so inspired!!! Where did you come by all your jars?

What is the difference between a cellar and a basement...are they one and the same....

Blessings, Melissa D. SC