# Pantry photos



## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Okay, so I know we had one of these a few years back, but I can't find it to bring it back, and we all LOVE these threads, don't we? After the "empty jars" thread in Homesteading Questions, I felt the need to drool over pantry shots... so, come on, folks! Share!

I'll start. We do a LOT of canning, and my basement is set up for food storage. Here are a few shots of my shelves...





































So, come on, can I see your pantry???


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## Prov31Wife (Dec 20, 2012)

Here are just a few. The rest live in a closet where it is hard to take pretty pictures.

The closet used to hold my couponning stash as well before the jars took over. This is a picture from August, which is why there is still shampoo, etc with my salsa  There are more on the shelf at the top.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

THAT is a very pretty shot!!! Do I see unpeeled potatoes there? I peel mine before canning --- do you find they can well with the peels on? 

(can you tell I hate peeling potatoes?)


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)




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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Okay, Granny -- you DEFINITELY have the prettiest jars I've ever seen!!!


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Here's ours










The over-abundance of green beans









Our chalk contact paper marking system








Some dry storage


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## willielisa (Aug 15, 2011)

I love them all! Claytonpiano - yours has me drooling! I don't have one yet - that is this year's project.


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## Prov31Wife (Dec 20, 2012)

Claytonpiano, that looks amazing. I def have pantry envy.

Tracey, those were my first and only potatoes I have canned, so I don't know how they will turn out yet. 

I am sure some people will fuss at me a bit, but I almost never peel anything. I like the peelings on the potatoes, and I never mind if my applesauce/salsa/marinara sauce is chunky.


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## Prov31Wife (Dec 20, 2012)

I see in some of the pictures, people have jars stacked on other jars. I read somewhere that can cause seal failure. Is that a myth? It would make me really happy if it was, bc we are running out of space and it would help if I could stack them.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

You people are to organized!!!


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## seedspreader (Oct 18, 2004)

ClaytonPiano is an amazing individual. My Cider Press has a maple base inside the press basket from a piece of Maple he sent me.


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## Sunflowerhill (Dec 30, 2012)

Claytonpiano! I agree with the many others and give a shout out to you! I love, love, love the chalkboard labels! You have given me some great ideas!

I have a pantry, but it's pretty small. I'll have to get a picture taken and post one.


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## Trixie (Aug 25, 2006)

These photos are great! I'm drooling.


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

Wow, claytonpiano...


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I can't compete with those pantries. This year we grew green beans and have those in the freezer, as well as tomatoes and blueberries and meat. A couple of apple pies. I prefer freezing to canning. I guess I could photograph my high bush cranberry jelly and sauce?


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

Just chiming in to comment on the brilliant labels by Claytonpiano...excellent idea! ** 


Great pantries, everyone. I've got a mini pantry that suits my needs well, but it's nothing worth taking pictures of!


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## wanda1950 (Jan 18, 2009)

seedspreader said:


> ClaytonPiano is an amazing individual. My Cider Press has a maple base inside the press basket from a piece of Maple he sent me.


I am so impressed with ClaytonPiano's stuff. Amazing amount & amazing organization!


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

Here's mine.


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## Joelyn (Oct 9, 2012)

Ohhh I now have a serious case of Pantry Envy!


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## Trixie (Aug 25, 2006)

I can't explain it - but these pictures just makes me feel good!!!!


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## Joelyn (Oct 9, 2012)

Trixie said:


> I can't explain it - but these pictures just makes me feel good!!!!


The pictures warm the cockles of my little heart and renew my enthusiasm to work even harder on my small pantry!


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## dawnpacz (May 1, 2005)

You guys are my heros! Your pantries look awesome!


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## aftermidnite (Dec 8, 2005)

Mine is on restaurant wire shelves in my living room now.I have the bottom 2 shelves with home canned goods so far and knick knacks on the top 2 for now so wont show a picture but may at a later date (have been ill for a while and everything seems to find a home on the uppper 2 shelves by my dear daughter )
I used to have some in my bedroom on a small bakers rack but need more overall shelf space ,as well as some in my pantry that I felt got too warm since the furnace and hot water heater are in there .
I plan to fill all the shelves on the wire rack and will then find more room this next summer season .


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## Travis in Louisiana (May 14, 2002)

These photos are making me HUNGRY! You all just don't have storage, you all have WAREHOUSES!


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

Trixie said:


> I can't explain it - but these pictures just makes me feel good!!!!


It makes us all feel good. The basic instinct of having food stored for future needs. Beautiful!!!


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Wendy, move to the head of the class!


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

you are all stunning! truly! nice work, I am so envious!


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Prov31Wife said:


> I see in some of the pictures, people have jars stacked on other jars. I read somewhere that can cause seal failure. Is that a myth? It would make me really happy if it was, bc we are running out of space and it would help if I could stack them.


 
Well, I don't know whether it's a myth or not, but I have been doing it for years and have never had a problem. Some of my storage is in boxes that hold two layers and I have some of those double-stacked. I put a piece of cardboard between the layers in the boxes.


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

I'll admit it. I'm feeling a little envious right now.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

Wendy said:


> Here's mine.


I have shelf envy, Wendy! Mine are mostly modular shelves, and I've been BEGGING for sturdy, well-built shelves like that!!!


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

Those are GREAT!! I hope you all feel a sense of pride and accomplishment every time you go to your pantries.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> I have shelf envy, Wendy! Mine are mostly modular shelves, and I've been BEGGING for sturdy, well-built shelves like that!!!


I made those myself!  I can fit 4 quart jars deep or 5 pint jars. I used actual 1" boards. My brothers & dad have a sawmill, so I can actually get it cut at 1" instead of 3/4". I wanted them built to hold a lot & to last.


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## Nomad (Dec 19, 2002)

I must be weird because all I noticed was the way the wooden shelves were made. I just enjoy all wood projects.

Nomad


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## DamnearaFarm (Sep 27, 2007)

Seriously rockin' a case of pantry envy right now.....
My pantry has store bought stuff in it and it is FULL. My 'canning closet' is a closet in the living room, half of my son's clothing closet (oops. Sorry, Son. You like to eat, don'tcha?) and the shelves in the lair aka my husband's home office.


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

Sigh. I don't know what impresses me more, that Wendy built them herself or just the amount of jars in general. Wow great job everyone!

I have three pantry areas, all a mess as far as pic taking. I mean, I know where everything is but it's not picture pretty!


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## fantasymaker (Aug 28, 2005)

LOL I keep telling you we need the JEALOUS button!

I might have worn it out today!


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I live in a mobile home. This is the pantry I built in the hall.


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## Tracy Rimmer (May 9, 2002)

What a great use of space, Cyng!!!


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

Prov31Wife said:


> I see in some of the pictures, people have jars stacked on other jars. I read somewhere that can cause seal failure. Is that a myth? It would make me really happy if it was, bc we are running out of space and it would help if I could stack them.


 I don't think stacking would affect your seal at all as long as you replaced the rings after washing. The ring would stablize the flat, as well as suspend the top jar above it.


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## Rainy (Jan 21, 2010)

All of your pantries are awesome...Yes i have the pantry envy also...


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## luvrulz (Feb 3, 2005)

Homesteader said:


> Sigh. I don't know what impresses me more, that Wendy built them herself or just the amount of jars in general. Wow great job everyone!
> 
> I have three pantry areas, all a mess as far as pic taking. I mean, I know where everything is but it's not picture pretty!


Mine too, I have cobwebs and all sorts of junk in the way. Hubby finds a spot to put anything anywhere....DH, got to love him! At least he can find stuff when we need it! 

Seriously, Wendy! I am seriously impressed. You, YOU did a great job! 

And I loved the little chalk board labels. What did you stick the paper too and how did you fold it over to fit over the shelves?


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## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

Great job ladies! Alot of work went into filling those jars..You all did great.


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## backtocolo (May 1, 2012)

After my dd and I had hubby show us the basics of framing a wall we built this pantry. It's small. But it will contain more of my frequently used items. I have added a 12" deep shelf on the long wall wihtout shelves and over the door on the short wall. We still have to hang peg board on the side to hang kitchen utensils etc. Door trim and 5.00 skinny doors still need to be hung. I have dreamed of a pantry for a decade. I finally built one.


What we started with


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## Big Dave (Feb 5, 2006)

Wendy you have given me an idea on what to do with the empty jars. Have a shelf just for them. When empty wash, dry, turn upside down and place them on the shelf. I see it in your picture. Thank you.


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## Trixie (Aug 25, 2006)

backtocolo - I want some shelves like that so bad. Mine are all ole, kinda rusty, mismatched metal shelves. I'm thankful for them, but I like the kind you have.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> Wendy you have given me an idea on what to do with the empty jars. Have a shelf just for them. When empty wash, dry, turn upside down and place them on the shelf. I see it in your picture. Thank you.


I always put my empty jars back on the shelf. I have a cellar under the kitchen with some very steep steps that I do not want to carry jars down. I have nowhere else to put them, so they stay with the full ones. I have tubs of empty ones in the cellar if I need them.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

This was towards the end of my canning season for 2012. I cannot take a current pic cause this is actually all torn apart. My husband is building me better, heavier duty, permanent shelving


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## Bay Mare (Jun 7, 2007)

These are all wonderful! Hopefully, I will have some type of pantry this year but I love looking at everyone else's in the meantime. The one thing that I always think is how much work went into those jars!


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## mamita (May 19, 2008)

I think they are so beautiful, too. good food, and the colors are wonderful. amazing work everyone!


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

How do you eat that much food?


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## Kris in MI (May 30, 2002)

Wendy said:


> I made those myself!  I can fit 4 quart jars deep or 5 pint jars. I used actual 1" boards. My brothers & dad have a sawmill, so I can actually get it cut at 1" instead of 3/4". I wanted them built to hold a lot & to last.


Wendy, your shelves look similar to mine (except yours are more supported--my shelves are longer between the supports). My DH made them from reclaimed lumber when my parents tore off their old deck (dad had built it with 2 x 6s instead of decking boards). I too can get 4 qts or 5 pts deep on each shelf.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

Joshie said:


> How do you eat that much food?


One jar at a time


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> How do you eat that much food?


I can enough in case we have a bad year. In 2012 I got nothing out of my garden. The drought took its's toll. Thank goodness I have enough canned to last until this year's garden is done.


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Joshie said:


> How do you eat that much food?



We feed 14. It gets eaten. However, I do plant enough green beans to last for two years. I do the same when the year rolls around to plant peas. It cuts my work in half and it will keep on the shelf. We can meat, vegetables and fruit. We dehydrate lots of things as well.

I go to the grocery store once every two months whether I need to or not just to see how much folks who don't can are paying for food. Seriously, we save our seeds, re-use our Tattler lids, and re-use our jars. Food is pretty much free that way. That is how we make ends meat and can afford to be homesteaders. 

Now, if I could just figure out how to get the chickens to eat without having to buy feed!!! I am working on that for this year. If the food on the shelf gets too old for us to eat, it is not ruined and goes to the chickens. Nothing is wasted. I may have done that 10 times in 40 years. We eat the food on our shelves. It seems like a lot, but if you have a jar of vegetables, a jar of fruit, a jar of meat for supper and do the same for lunch, then you eat at least six jars per day. That does not count how much extra we eat when all 14 are at the table. I can convenience food as well......soups, roasts and on and on. It is the ultimate convenience food and much, much less that what most folks are paying at the store.


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## Itilley (Jul 29, 2008)

Your pantries are so nice myy eyes have turned green. I have a nice room in the basement I had made for a pantry. 
There is nothing like the feeling you have when all the shelves are full. But, I have not been able do much the last few years, do to health problems. But, I look at all your wonderful photos. Thanks for shariing.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

claytonpiano said:


> We feed 14. It gets eaten. However, I do plant enough green beans to last for two years. .....
> 
> I go to the grocery store once every two months whether I need to or not just to see how much folks who don't can are paying for food. Seriously, we save our seeds, re-use our Tattler lids, and re-use our jars. Food is pretty much free that way. That is how we make ends meat and can afford to be homesteaders.
> 
> Now, if I could just figure out how to get the chickens to eat without having to buy feed!!! I am working on that for this year. If the food on the shelf gets too old for us to eat, it is not ruined and goes to the chickens. Nothing is wasted. I may have done that 10 times in 40 years. We eat the food on our shelves. It seems like a lot, but if you have a jar of vegetables, a jar of fruit, a jar of meat for supper and do the same for lunch, then you eat at least six jars per day. That does not count how much extra we eat when all 14 are at the table. I can convenience food as well......soups, roasts and on and on. It is the ultimate convenience food and much, much less that what most folks are paying at the store.


I totally get it if you feed 14 people daily. There are only three to four of us and I cannot imagine eating anywhere close to that amount of food. 

I have to admire those pantries. I wish I had both the nice pantries and all that room!


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## featherbottoms (May 28, 2005)

Sigh....... I told myself not to look


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## Treewhisper (Nov 24, 2010)

claytonpiano....what food is in your green plastic bins? Did you drill holes in the bins for ventilation?

I definitely have pantry envy! But thanks for posting everybody. Its given me ideas on how to expand my little spot. I just started learning canning this year. I bought the blue book and winged it from their.


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## Trixie (Aug 25, 2006)

I used to keep canning when I had the produce. You don't know when you are going to have a bad year. Also, after about 3 years, if I had plenty, I'd feed it to the chickens, hogs, or dogs,

We had bees and got a lot of honey. After a couple of years, it turned dark. It still tasted good, but since we had plenty of still light honey, we used that to feed the bees during the winter.

When you think of canning, though, there are 52 weeks in a year. If you eat green beans just one day a week --. I used to can about 300 jars of potatoes. I canned all the potatoes we needed because we could never get them to keep. But we ate potatoes 3 or more times and week and I had two boys with hollow legs. I used them for frying, soup, mashed, potato salad - just any way you use other potatoes.

I love all these pictures - showed them to my husband, he was impressed, of course. He did ask if any of you were available for hire to organize my pantry???? It's a mess.


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## GrannyG (Mar 26, 2005)

And please do not look under my bed...you will find jars of canned fruit, jams, cranberry sauce and cowboy candy....LOL


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## Centralilrookie (Jul 12, 2012)

I applaud not only all of your pantries, but also the hard work involved in growing and canning to fill those shelves. Good job folks!!


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Cyngbaeld said:


> I live in a mobile home. This is the pantry I built in the hall.


This is a good way to store jars, just could use cushion between them, better protected during earthquakes...

All those who are storing jars on open shelves  All that hard work could come crashing down in a quake, severe wind storm, etc... Looks beautiful though.

LittleRedHen, job very well done :cowboy: Since your DH is building you better shelving, maybe he would consider quake/storm prepping type shelving. All your hard work deserves it!

Mine is stored with a quake in mind, so my jars are in boxes, behind secured cupboard doors, and inside cabinets.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

claytonpiano said:


> Here's ours
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am in awe, what a great job! Nice labeling idea, too.

I'd like your setup, but would put cardboard or some other material between the jars (we are overdue for a quake). The rest is something I aspire to, wow :clap: Your pics reminded me of my Grandma Bee's well stocked cellar, located in her basement. It was a concrete room, without windows, and just one door.


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## Trixie (Aug 25, 2006)

GrannyG said:


> And please do not look under my bed...you will find jars of canned fruit, jams, cranberry sauce and cowboy candy....LOL


Do I identify with that.

We co own a place with our son. He had put a double wide on it - then had to move out of state. We have been staying here for a couple of years getting it in shape to sell. Well, we took about 8 months off for the birth of new grandbaby and visiting other grandbabies, but we've been here a while.

It has 4 bedrooms, and an extra room. I began thinking about setting up bedrooms, etc., then wondered why. We didn't need any extras as our kids are out of state and not likely to be visiting. I decided to make a sewing room in one, an office in one, and the one that opens off the kitchen/den, I made into a pantry.

We are probably going to move back to our house this spring and I am going to miss having an entire room devoted to 'pantrying'. I'll have stuff under my bed, and in every extra nook and cranny.


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## Haven (Aug 16, 2010)

Claytonpiano, I want to come eat at your house everyday. I'm sure you won't mind


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Clayton piano, you have the best shelves I've ever seen! And I love the lip in the front. It adds strength and stability, and will keep your food in place in case of an earthquake!


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Joshie said:


> How do you eat that much food?


It's called food security. It is there when you WANT it, i.e. now, and there when you NEED it, i.e. a SHTF scenario, a job loss, a natural disaster that disrupts the food delivery systems, etc.


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## Schmidt (Jun 9, 2009)

My pantry is nothing compared to many of you. We don't can as I live in the suburbs and have a very small lot, so the veggies that come out of our raised beds go straight to the table.

But, a couple of years ago I turned our coat closet into a pantry. I ripped out all of the white wire racks and clothes rods, patched the walls, painted and then built and installed the shelves. The closet was not plumb and the studs were all over the place so cutting the shelves to fit, trimming it out and installing was a major pain. But, with four of us, this pantry has served us well. 

This picture was taken soon after I built so it wasn't very well stocked. Nowadays it is full to the brim to keep the four of us fed and make sure we have enough food in case something happens.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

We have never had earthquakes or anything bad here in MIchigan... my pantry is in the basement so its even better. However, the shelves he is building will have a lip to them which will help them a little bit in the event it did ever shake down there


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

No earthquakes here either but I had dh put lips on one set of shelves to I didn't accidently push a jar off the edge when moving things around.


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## TRAILRIDER (Apr 16, 2007)

Wendy, is that a whole long shelf of apple sauce I see? Ooooooo! Lucky you. 
Isn't it a wonderful feeling to look at your well stocked pantry shelves?
I could look at these pics forever....we call it pantry porn : )


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> Wendy, is that a whole long shelf of apple sauce I see? Ooooooo! Lucky you.
> Isn't it a wonderful feeling to look at your well stocked pantry shelves?
> I could look at these pics forever....we call it pantry porn : )


Yes. I canned so many apples that year. I picked 53 (5 gallon) buckets of apples for free.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Joshie said:


> How do you eat that much food?


 
Apparently you don't can your food. And you must be single. If you have a family, save all your receipts from grocery shopping for 1 year. (you can start now, since it's January). At the end of the year, count the containers that you have purchased, then superimpose those onto shelves. If you eat out a lot, count the meals as if you opened a can for each vegetable and each serving of meat - meat and 3 = 4 pint jars. You'll see that you eat _far more_ than you realize.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Joshie said:


> There are only three to four of us and I cannot imagine eating anywhere close to that amount of food.


 Use more imagination.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

For those that are concerned about the shelves falling down, attach them to the studs in the wall with 2 1/2" drywall screws.


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Treewhisper said:


> claytonpiano....what food is in your green plastic bins? Did you drill holes in the bins for ventilation?
> 
> The green bins hold dehydrated food, oats, noodles, rice, coconut, nuts, dried beans, carrots, apples, dried squash, dried pumpkin, broccoli and on and on. Purchased items in the bins are the oats, noodles, rice, nuts and coconut. I have a friend that has a co-op so I get it wholesale. The contents have been vacuum sealed in bags with oxygen absorbers. I do have buckets of wheat for us and the chickens that is stored in our pantry area. We have a mice problem so we seal everything and store in buckets and bins. We have seriously reduced the mouse population with cats and traps, but we still keep things sealed up just in case.
> 
> ...


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

I'm not in an earthquake area either. I do have a strip of wood holding the jars on the shelves so nobody walking by knocks them off, but I don't see any need to cushion the jars.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

Joshie said:


> I cannot imagine eating anywhere close to that amount of food.


I'm with you. For years I made copious batches of jelly/jams/butters (tweaked to be very high in fruit and low in sugar) that didn't get used up but eventually tossed even when I gave most of it to my mother (who put 3 T on a slice of toast) and father (who didn't use much less.) My 2 guys used maybe a cup a year; I did much less.

Pickled stuff I liked but forgot to open so again a toss.

I do love tomato sauce so that's pretty much what I preserve. A little salsa, pickled okra, dilly beans, special "sweet toast additions" (I've learned to make 1 1/2 pint jar ONLY of any type using bulk pectin) and I'm done. I do freeze and dehydrate; dried fruits and potatoes are really handy to have on hand.


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## Schmidt (Jun 9, 2009)

I thought about putting guard rails on the pantry I built above, but with two little ones I figured they might have a hard time getting items off of the shelves. 

Charleston lies on a very large fault line and experienced a 7.3 magnitude quake in 1886 that was catastrophic, so if that decides to shift again some guard rails probably aren't going to help me anyway.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I was in the big CA Quake, living near San Jose, CA. Due to the way I prepped things, one little vase was broken. That was a 7.3...

Also, if you aren't in quake country, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc... Just a thought for those who would not want to see all their hard work come crashing down.


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## Prov31Wife (Dec 20, 2012)

Joshie said:


> How do you eat that much food?


Most canning recipes will last for longer than a year, and next year's garden isn't promised. If I have fifty pounds of tomatoes, I'm going to can fifty pounds of tomatoes, bc maybe next year, there won't BE any tomatoes. 

If I have extra, I can share with others. Believe me, my friends and family would be happy to take any extra salsa off my hands.

A year's worth of food is a lot, we just don't usually see it all in one place. Imagine what you buy at the grocery store each month. Now multiply it by twelve and imagine that stacked up in a closet. It would take up a lot of space.

Plus, at least most of the stuff you see in these pantries is fruits and veggies and meats. MOSTLY healthy stuff. We aren't stockpiling candy bars in our jars


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Prov31Wife- Like you, I don't prep junk food, but good healthy food. Great point about canning as much as you are able to, especially when there is a bumper crop. This year, I canned 1.5 deer, as I had also removed the venison out of my freezer to can it. For the same reason you gave, never know what next year will be like... That is why I also began canning crab. Since DH and I caught so much this Winter, no telling what next season will be like. I am enjoying some canned plums with dinner tonight (they were from 2011). The more diversity, the more fun to choose from, too.


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## Janossy (Feb 3, 2006)

Everyone's pantries are amazing. They look great.


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Hubby doesn't hunt. I got a hunting license last year, but didn't see a deer all season. But if I were blessed with wild game, you had better believe I'd be canning meat like a mad woman! Meat for free? I've never had that pleasure, but if I did, I wouldn't let any go to waste! My pantry shelves would be full of meat, even if I had to go buy brand new jars for the whole animal!

As has been stated, lids are cheap. Jars can be reused for decades, or longer as long as they don't get chipped. So if he meat is free, it is a GOOD DEAL!


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## Jean in Virginia (Oct 5, 2008)

Wendy, what are the white jars on the top?

Thanks to you all--nothing like looking at full jars to get one excited about this season!


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

Joshie said:


> I totally get it if you feed 14 people daily. There are only three to four of us and I cannot imagine eating anywhere close to that amount of food.
> 
> I have to admire those pantries. I wish I had both the nice pantries and all that room!


Joshie, if you every get the chance, read Jackie Clay's book "How to recession proof your pantry".
We eat vegetables and fruit every day not in season from our canned stores, and sometimes meat. When I make chili or spaghetti sauce, I might use six quarts of tomatoes. I think you are looking at it from a perspective of "it would take us a year to eat all of that", when that is exactly what some of us are shooting for. The tomatoes we are eating now are from 2011, because our plants did terrible last year. Everything I grow, and can, I am basically paying only for the lid and a tiny bit of propane.


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## nduetime (Dec 15, 2005)

Our garden, the drought, and my accident did us in last year. I am so thankful we had lots of good home canned food to eat from the year before. That is why we are called preppers...we try to be prepared for the unexpected. I have to say though, I have a very serious case of shelf envy going on! Beautiful pantries everyone!


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## OkieDavid (Jan 15, 2007)

Envy in soooo many ways. I LOVE the pantries and I love all the full jars. I just started canning a few years ago and have a long way to go to get to those numbers. Well done everyone, you've encouraged me to raise the bar a little this summer. I did just spend my Christmas vacation doubling the size of the garden and clearing for a one acre fruit tree orchard to start this spring. Way to go everyone!


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## LisaT (Oct 28, 2002)

OK, this is driving me crazy:

Am I the ONLY ONE who can't see Claytonpiano's pictures?? Everyone else's pictures I can see just fine......:shrug:


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## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

Lisa, you must be. I do hope you can remedy that, because Clayton Piano's pantry is awesome. Have you tried clearing your cookies?


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## soulsurvivor (Jul 4, 2004)

Clayton Piano, please tell me you are not using that upturned plastic bucket as a step stool. I have a friend that will tell you about why you don't want to do that. She has steel pins in both forearms as a reminder. Otherwise I love your pantry and what you've done with the place. It's awesome.


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## Hears The Water (Aug 2, 2002)

All these pictures are making me want to get brave enough to try canning. I had planned on buying a dehydrator and dehydrating as many organic fruits and veggies as I could, but now I may be rethinking that. 
God bless you and yours
Deb


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## WestFork (Dec 20, 2012)

great pantry shots. Makes me hungry! We have our stuff stored in various places. Jars of applesauce all boxed up. Taters & squash in the garage. Next year gonna get organized!


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

soulsurvivor said:


> Clayton Piano, please tell me you are not using that upturned plastic bucket as a step stool. I have a friend that will tell you about why you don't want to do that. She has steel pins in both forearms as a reminder. Otherwise I love your pantry and what you've done with the place. It's awesome.


No, but my grandson had been sitting on it while he was "helping" DH.


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## SilverFlame819 (Aug 24, 2010)

I am posting on this thread just so I can be subscribed and continue to see more awesome pix!


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## Roadking (Oct 8, 2009)

Our primary one is presently undergoing an expansion...from 8'x14' to 8'x 22'.
Second one is about 8'x10'.
Love the pics...great ideas for the shelving to use.
Unfortunately, pictures are not an option...right now.

Matt


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

Shelves pull out and have a safety feature that allow only one drawer
to pull out at a time.









Each Shelf hold 32 quarts. I can double stack pints.
I usually keep my jars in their boxes for that.









I use the tops of the cabinets for empty jar storage and pressure canners.
These types of drawers, the fronts do not recess into the cabinet.
I put flour, sugar, etc into this type because there isn't any entry for varmits. 

*My pantry solution isn't as pretty as most, but it is great for rotating my stock and for keeping light away. Also, these cabinets are VERY sealed with no holes in the back or underneath for varmits to get into. I keep canned goods in lateral file drawers that have pull out shelves for easy rotating. *









Lateral File Shelves Closed









This is how I use to store my EMPTY boxes before we moved. 
It kept them out of the way.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I had one of those type cabinets tip over. Only the top drawer was open. I'd left it open after pulling out a file and went back to my desk. I was on the phone with a client and the cabinet went over, hit my desk and slammed my desk into my chest. I wasn't hurt but it knocked the wind out of me so I was listening to a client rattle on while trying to get my breath. If I'd been standing between my desk and the cabinet I would have been seriously injured or killed. I'd bracket those cabinets to the wall to make them 100% safe. They make great storage and I like the idea of everything closed up and staying clean.


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## jmtinmi (Feb 25, 2009)

Ann-NWIowa said:


> I had one of those type cabinets tip over. Only the top drawer was open. I'd left it open after pulling out a file and went back to my desk. I was on the phone with a client and the cabinet went over, hit my desk and slammed my desk into my chest. I wasn't hurt but it knocked the wind out of me so I was listening to a client rattle on while trying to get my breath. If I'd been standing between my desk and the cabinet I would have been seriously injured or killed. I'd bracket those cabinets to the wall to make them 100% safe. They make great storage and I like the idea of everything closed up and staying clean.


Yes, I am VERY careful when I do pull out a drawer, it is done slowly. And I should add that a full cabinet will not be top heavy.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

Roadking said:


> Our primary one is presently undergoing an expansion...from 8'x14' to 8'x 22'.
> Second one is about 8'x10'.
> 
> 
> Matt


SHOWOFF!
(said with complete friendly envy  )


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Ravenlost said:


> You people are to organized!!!


That's what I was going to say! I am not that organized. And those pantries are beautiful. I love the homemade wooden shelves in so many of them.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

jmtinmi said:


> Yes, I am VERY careful when I do pull out a drawer, it is done slowly. And I should add that a full cabinet will not be top heavy.


That's an ingenious use of files! Love the way you have repurposed them. 

I had a lateral file fall. The drawers were completely closed and just started sliding out. With that type setup, only one file drawer should open at once - however, all 5 drawers of my file slid out causing the file to topple. Thankfully, no one was hurt.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Here's our set up. My DD-10 is all worried, she knows we don't talk about the pantry with anyone. So she's a bit freaked out that I took some pictures to post....GOOD GIRL! These are DD approved, but we are still getting the "hairy eyeball" from her for being so "sharing", lol.

As you can see we have an old "cold room" with Michigan walls....so our space is limited, but works!


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Looks great, but I'd "earthquake/storm proof" it a bit to protect all that hard work.


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## aftermidnite (Dec 8, 2005)

I am in so much pantry envy ..
I have a very large restaurant wire shelf in my living room that so far has the bottom 2 shelves full ..working on filling all of them (4)..also have a white dresser with 2 long drawers and 2 short drawers as well as a tall door with 3 shelves inside that has my dehydrated goods in it ..My store bought goods and boxed goods are in my kitchen pantry (which also holds the hot water heater and furnace ) ..I keep watch on all those items due to the heat ..But one good thing is it is on an outside wall so it doesn't get too hot or too cold ..


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## gotmules (Mar 3, 2011)

claytonpiano: where did you get recipe for beef with mushroom sauce? that sounds yummy, so far I have just done "plain" beef and venison.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

lorichristie said:


> Looks great, but I'd "earthquake/storm proof" it a bit to protect all that hard work.


Most of it is, honestly. Most of the jars are in wooden boxes, but there is one or two jars in front of each box, so you can't see the box. But then we live in "Plain Jane Ohio"....no earth shaking around here. Last quake I felt (and it didn't reach this far south) was only about a 4.0....didn't move the jars on my mom's shelves at all, and she was less then 40 miles from the epicenter.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

LittleRedHen said:


> We have never had earthquakes or anything bad here in MIchigan...


So, this was just because of poor construction workmanship? 

The picture won't print. Anyway, it's a house in my county that was torn off its foundation last March by a tornado.

Nope, nothing bad happens here - nothing at all.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

suitcase_sally said:


> So, this was just because of poor construction workmanship?
> 
> The picture won't print. Anyway, it's a house in my county that was torn off its foundation last March *by a tornado.*
> 
> Nope, nothing bad happens here - nothing at all.


Every time I see all the hard work folks go to, but don't see the shelving secured, nothing to hold the jars in, or anything to keep them from falling? I kinda cringe, because I know there isn't anywhere in our Country where there aren't adverse weather conditions OR earthquakes which can destroy all the hard work :nono:

I was in the bedroom when a towering tree crashed through the front of it. The impact of that double trunked 100' + tall tree shook our home enough to send things flying. Also, I was in CA for the big quake, was here in the Seattle area for that last quake, but have had only minor ones here. 

Heads up---don't store china or crystal on glass shelves...(they shatter). While my MIL lost a lot of valuable china in CA, I didn't. The difference between us? My china was stored on wood shelves in my hutch. Hers were on glass shelves in a beautiful china cabinet. The shelves shattered... I lost one small vase, which flew off the top of the hutch while she lost a few $1K's worth.


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## sandsuncritters (Nov 18, 2011)

Goodness me! I just read this whole thread with my mouth open and my eyes bugging out! WOW is all I can say :clap:

Lorichristie, you and I share the same passion for protecting what we've worked so hard to acquire. We lived in Northern California during two major quakes and although we were miles from the epicenter, still things got a little tipsy :ugh: in Florida we have occasional high winds that will topple mobile homes, barns, sheds, etc. and even cause walls to shake inside brick and stucco homes.

My kitchen and house pantry have heavy duty pressure locks (childproof) on the cabinet doors. Non-slip shelf liners to cushion jars. Double rows have cardboard spacers between the rows. 

The dedicated pantry is actually a small mobile office, lined with cabinets and shelves throughout. You better believe the glass jars are boxed with liners and spacers! Everything in there is firmly secured in boxes and/or tied down in case we have to roll on short notice! This has come in handy several times when we evaced for fires. 

We hooked a tractor to it and drove to a safe place, broke out the awning, and set up to feed the masses . It's how we do it around here LOL

Somebody's going to ask - no I have no pictures to post. 

In His Love
Mich


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

Any more pictures?

This is one of my favorite threads. Love how people work out creative solutions to storage problems.

I don't think we have done anything more with our pantry since I last posted pictures, but I think later this winter we will be working on it some more and I will be able to post updates.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Elizabeth said:


> Any more pictures?
> 
> This is one of my favorite threads. Love how people work out creative solutions to storage problems.
> 
> I don't think we have done anything more with our pantry since I last posted pictures, but I think later this winter we will be working on it some more and I will be able to post updates.


I'll post some, none recent tho, as it looks the same.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

As you can my canning increased because we had moved to this place and as my gardens and work was finished on rebuilding this house, I was able to have the time to cann more. I do not have anything gaurding the jars, if this rock and brick room in this 100+ year old house gets distroyed-I'll have more to worrie about than some canned food.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

7thswan-- Your pantry is beautiful.... just beautiful.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

mekasmom said:


> 7thswan-- Your pantry is beautiful.... just beautiful.


Thank You. The boxes and the strange green/white thing in the first pic contain potatoes.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Outstanding job, 7thswan!

In our case, if we have a quake, we may be cut off from being able to access the only road out, so protecting the canned food is a big priority.


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## Queen Bee (Apr 7, 2004)

Wow.. You all amaze me.. I love the shelves, chalkboard markers and jars... BUT you have to tell us what's in them. LOL.. Beautiful..


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

lorichristie said:


> Outstanding job, 7thswan!
> 
> In our case, if we have a quake, we may be cut off from being able to access the only road out, so protecting the canned food is a big priority.


I can imagine, it has been quite interesting learning from people on this site the diffrences in everything from gardening to eating diffrences in diffrent parts of the world. I don't think I could live in tornato ally, unless I slept in a bunker all during the season. And Texas, great place,but the heat would put me in cardiac arrest. But, even if the canning got wiped out,we do have 3 freezers ;-)


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## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

WOW!! Just wow!!!


Lables! Rubbermaid containers!! all neat and stuff. 




I love these threads! I was trying to find a thread like this when I made my spare bedroom into a pantry. It's just for 2 people and I don't have any home canned produce. I have home canned meat though, and store bought stuff. It's only for 2 people. 



I stayed home from turkey hunting just to organize the room better, I put 2 shelves up last weekend. I'm getting a lot of good ideas even for my little space.


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## squirrelwhisper (Jul 3, 2011)

WOW! 
I have not tried canning yet, been wanting too, just not sure about how too. Now I am going to have to investigate this and learn how to do it.


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## 78Parrothead (Apr 6, 2013)

A question for you with the very large pantries. How many canners do you run at one time?


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I have two canners one holds 7 quarts or 9 pints and the other 7 quarts or 18 pints. I often have both going. I also have a couple of water bath canners and have once had tomato juice going in all 4 canners, but that is definitely the exception. More often I have one processing as I'm filling more jars and will have the second processing about the time the first is finished (waiting for the pressure to go down).


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## margoC (Jul 26, 2007)

I don't know if my pantry qualifies as big yet but I run 2 canners at once as well. I have an old national 7 and all american 921. I sometimes can a lot of venison or other meat at once. I like having 2 smaller canners instead of one large one cause there are times I only need one canner. They are easier to handle too.


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## 78Parrothead (Apr 6, 2013)

Thanks. I was thinking one would need multiple canners to put up to the extent some of the larger pantries.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> A question for you with the very large pantries. How many canners do you run at one time?


I run one canner. I may spend days on end canning things, but I only have an electric stove with 4 burners. I have the canner on the front big burner as it won't fit on the back one. I have my kettle of whatever I am canning, simmering on the back burner. The 2 small burners are pretty useless when canning.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

I have run two canners at once, especially when I had a lot to can. If I have an entire deer to can, you bet I will get both going at once. Otherwise, also when I am canning anything in larger quantities.


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## Elffriend (Mar 2, 2003)

Wendy said:


> I run one canner. I may spend days on end canning things, but I only have an electric stove with 4 burners. I have the canner on the front big burner as it won't fit on the back one. I have my kettle of whatever I am canning, simmering on the back burner. The 2 small burners are pretty useless when canning.


I only have one water bath canner, though in the beginning I just used a big stock pot. I use one of the little burners to hold a small sauce pan of just below simmering water that has my canning lids in it.

Right now all I can is pickles, applesauce and tomato sauce. No one in my family eats jams/jellies. That's a shame since we had a bumper crop of raspberries last year. I am hoping that someday I will be able to get a pressure canner to take care of some of my other garden extras. Since I can't can a lot of the stuff I grow, I try to put it in the freezer.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I use 2 Pressure canners at once alot(used to have 3 before dh "hurt " one with his truck). I like to cann such things as beans and corn in mass quanities. I make a mess,canning and getting it done all at once saves me time. I plant so I can harvest quanitys, have many sourses of heat so water is boiling over here,lids going, canners going ect. I thoughly clean my cooking areas before canning,then again after,so it's a big job and rather get er done and move on to something else.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

This is mine as of today. It would have been larger had we had a fruit season last year. I just cleared a section for pork. My husband is in the process of building me a second set of shelves cause fruit season should be great this year... and we are 2 1/2 months away from the beginning of it. There is no way we will eat all of this food in time to make room for them here


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

78Parrothead said:


> A question for you with the very large pantries. How many canners do you run at one time?



Usually 2.. no more than 2 will fit  but I own 5-6 canners.. 3 pressure and 2-3 water bath. I have a turkey fryer I can use as a water bath but I haven't used it so far


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

I can in mass quanitites too. I will can from the time I get up until way past the time everyone else has gone to bed to get stuff done. What kind of stoves do you guys have that you can sit a canner on the back burner?


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

7thswan said:


> I use 2 Pressure canners at once alot(used to have 3 before dh "hurt " one with his truck). I like to cann such things as beans and corn in mass quanities. I make a mess,canning and getting it done all at once saves me time. I plant so I can harvest quanitys, have many sourses of heat so water is boiling over here,lids going, canners going ect. I thoughly clean my cooking areas before canning,then again after,so it's a big job and rather get er done and move on to something else.


This is the way I like to do it. When I am using two pressure canners, I can also use my water bath canner. My propane cooktop can fit two canners, but I have a propane crab cooker I can use outside. I will be getting a smaller AA, for the times I have smaller quantities to can, just to keep up with the harvesting!


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

I have a antique gas stove-it puts out huge BTU's, something I'm picky about because I like to cook on High, from there I can regulate heat. I hate cooking something like fried chicken, bacon ect. where things just sit there and gaggle(is that a word?). Also in my kitchen(very large ) I have a woodburning cookstove. As most know,heat is regulated by moveing pans/pots from the left to the right. The left is right over the fire box and gets cooler moveing rightward. Ofcourse there are idiocincrisitys about dampers,oven dampers and pipe dampers... Then outside I have a gas single burner, and a woodcook stove and a side burner on the gas grill. I don't use the gas turkey fryer burners anymore,but could if I need and have used them before but they don't regulate unless you have a special regulator on the tank it's self. I do cann more outside when the days get too hot to do it inside. We have air conditioning,so canning inside heating the house,,,, and that is really dumb,but can't turn off the air because of Dhs breathing issues. I really do need to enclose my porch and make a canning/cooking area.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

We just built a garage. My hubby will be moving his tools & stuff out of the summer kitchen & into the garage. I would love to turn my summer kitchen back into a working summer kitchen. Then I could do all of my canning out there & keep the heat out of the house. I may have to look into that.


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

Tracy, would you make this thread a stickie? Please!


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Such amazing photos, and great ideas!!


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I have a gas stove in my kitchen and use the two front burners with a canner on each. The one time that I had 4 water bath canners going at once I used the stove in the kitchen and the older stove in the basement. Totally steamed up the house!!! I would never use pressure canners upstairs and in the basement at the same time. When I have a canner under pressure, I stay right there until its done. I really really hate electric stoves for canning...actually for cooking too.


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## bryncalyn (Jan 7, 2013)

Ok Claytonpiano - my husband is curious and wants to know .... how did you support the corners? He can't see any visible support. 

Thanks!


claytonpiano said:


> Here's ours


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## cntrywmnkw (Jun 5, 2013)

I have the worst case of envy, it's not funny. I do have to say that all these AWESOME pics have given me some good ideas for my "work in progress" panry. I'm an absolute "newbie" to canning, so don't have much put up yet, but thanks to all of you, I've got the incentive, LOVE IT.


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## OHmama (Jun 3, 2013)

I have been wanting a pantry for a while but now I am BEGGING DH for one..I even have stuff to put on/in it!!

Do canned goods expire?


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

OHmama said:


> I have been wanting a pantry for a while but now I am BEGGING DH for one..I even have stuff to put on/in it!!
> 
> Do canned goods expire?


 They last for years, but the color may change, things like that. If the lid is still good and sealed, the food should be fine to eat. Most people like to use up their goods within a year, I am not one of those. Some years ,one might have crop failure,illness ect. and not be able to put up a specific item. Having canned extras will help you feed your family even if you have a bad crop. This happens here with our fruit crop quite often, bud freeze and such.


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## Guest (Jul 1, 2013)

7thswan~your pantry just takes my breath away! :goodjob::goodjob:

I learned to pressure can,water bath can & dehydrate for the first time last year by watching youtube..have nobody to teach me..

My very first time using the pressure canner I canned Meatloaf..:bouncy: A local store was having hamburger on sale so I figured I would go for the gold rather then start out small..It was a success for me...out of 36 qts only one broke and we had that for supper..

The only food I made using the PC is the said meatloaf,beef in a wine sauce,skinless boneless chicken breast,taco meat & tomato sauce with meat..
I have close to 100 jars so far..:spinsmiley:

My WBC I canned applesauce,cole slaw ( talk about gross) pickles ( didn't come out right?) 

Im looking forward to hopefully a good harvest out if my garden this year..Ive not been fortunate to have much a harvest due to diseases..:grumble:

I would like to hear your thoughts on anyone who has had the canned Cole Slaw whether you liked it or not.


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## Ann-NWIowa (Sep 28, 2002)

I've tried a couple different but similar cole slaw recipes and I like both. Dh does not like them as he likes creamy dressing rather than the vinegar. I've been told that I could rinse the canned cole slaw and then put on a creamy dressing so I think I'll give that a try.


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## OHmama (Jun 3, 2013)

mythreesons said:


> 7thswan~your pantry just takes my breath away! :goodjob::goodjob:
> 
> I learned to pressure can,water bath can & dehydrate for the first time last year by watching youtube..have nobody to teach me..
> 
> ...


About your pickles,how did you do them?What didn't turn out right?


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

I found another batch of pantry photos!!

This one shows Wendy's on page 1 and Little Red Hen's on page 7. Little Red Hen, DH was wondering what the attachment was that you can see on the front of your 2x4's. Lag bolt?


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