Peas in my Food Storage

Do you know the story of the ant and the grasshopper? I think of that story a lot these days and how I'm doing my best to be like the ant, diligently gathering a preparing for winter. I hope my feeble efforts are enough. Sometimes they seem very feeble.

We have been busy working on storing our peas these days. I won't tell you how many hours of movies we have watched just shelling the peas. I know it is a lot of work and I also have economist friends that tell me I'm wasting my time. It is more economical to buy them.

Well, I don't care. I agree it is a lot of work. I love teaching my children how to work and help and most importantly, how to enjoy eating fresh peas right from the pod. All of my kids (ages 3, 2, & 1) enjoy fresh peas.

I don't usually share pictures of my kids on this blog, but I really couldn't help myself this time. They were good helpers - they picked the fat pods off the plants, and then as we shelled them, they picked the peas out of the pods when I popped them open. Eventually, they figured out how to pop the pods open themselves.

This is what one of my freezer shelves looks like. 20 quart bags ready for winter.