Easiest Way to Organize a Deep Freezer and Full Freezer Tour

[@AcreHomestead]

I forgot to mention we also have an alarm in each freezer if the temp changes! This is the one we have --- amzn.to/3ebZQ5i

[@sandynightingale273]

All your videos are awesome! Very organized life. I know it takes work, yet look at all your rewards. You definitely need to get a home generator

[@nickyb.9588]

We have those too! Super handy!

[@lucieengen7046]

Thanks for this, didn’t know this was a thing 🤗.

[@rachka8655]

Thank you... as we just moved to California and we have experienced power outages and it’s a great concern of mine. Luckily are freezers are empty from moving.

[@sandrajohnson9926]

I just ordered hard sided bags. May go in deep freeze . I may need to order more for grocery shopping. I buy way more than we need & forget what we have. So I replicate what I didn't need several times over. We all could use more organizing in our lives.

[@MissMaisieBelle]

Becky! I remember back in the day when I had your energy. ☺️ 45+ years ago I got married started having kids. The more kids the less energy I seemed to have and now with 10 grandkids I need help getting up from my chair! 😉 Okay not QUITE that bad but almost. ☺️ Watching your videos gives me energy. I feel like I could do anything! I want to jump up from my chair and clean my garage and organize EVERYTHING. Alas, the old body says, “nay”. 😆 You are a force to be reckoned with! Just know in life you have an old woman in a rocking chair somewhere who is in awe of you and who is a big cheerleader for you! God bless you, Becky! I’m sure everyone in life that knows you is better for for it. I certainly am better for just watching!

[@sandrajohnson9926]

I'm 64 & understand perfectly. Life is good when you have food put up for your family. Becky has done a great job with providing for her family. Her mom more than likely had a great deal to do with her skills. God bless.

[@juneortiz1104]

I empathize with the body not willing to cooperate any more. Becky inspires me too and I’ve compromised with my body by making a list and tackling my projects at my own pace 😊

[@gailpetchenik3048]

I’m with u Deb. It’s hard when the brain says to do something & the body says no. It is renergizing to watch Becky with all that energy…like we used to have. Use it while u have it Becky👍

[@jameyfisher423]

I love all these comments! I love that she inspires all you gals!!! Me too! God Bless you all!

[@frankripley5188]

I know the feeling ladies. I'm a 69 year old type 1 diabetic.

[@debracutler6847]

Make an inventory list and hang it on each side of the cabinets that are in between the freezer’s. Delete, erase etc… and add what you put in. You will always know what you have. After the holidays I’m going to do the same

[@wildrose37]

Or on that kind of freezer you can use a whiteboard marker

[@sonjabaker426]

Dry erase board would be helpful with that. I think im going to try that. Ty!!

[@snarky4lyfe144]

@@sonjabaker426 that is a fantastic idea ! ive got to get a dry erase board for mine . my freezer is a very small one but still holds a ton of food stuff .

[@mes9766]

You should be able to dry erase right on the freezer

[@terryhenderson424]

When I ran a full sized freezer, used spare freezer space at my parents, utilized my refrigerator freezer, and had a lot of freezer "stuff" - I generated a form using spread sheet software then printed it with the grids on feature to create a blank freezer chart. I tucked several copies on a clip board hung beside my full sized freezer with a mechanical pencil attached by a string; ultimately I ended up with 3 colors, one per freezer. When I began my inventory,I was religious when I added items and when removing listed items. I then worked on the least full freezer space which was at my parents. Then shelf by shelf in my full freezer. We ate through the 7nlisted stuff in the refrigerator freezer before it was fully inventoried.

[@kpeck1206]

Haha! My freezer is over 50 years old and a work horse! My old deep freeze the same, but I gifted it 3 years ago. Friends had a 3 year old freezer that died and they lost all the contents. I will keep my old ancient freezers!!!

[@bengali481]

"Free" cat litter pails work well as freezer compartments/bins.

[@lilipotgieter6263]

As a South African I am blown away by the sheer amounts of food in one home...we are just not familiar with such food security! 25 packs of ground beef, I dont think I use that much in a year!

[@choosegoodalways]

And it’s only 2 people ! Most people even in America don’t do this but Becky does a cooking show for her job and living! I love watching her freezer meals and the idea of not eating out!

[@peachykeen7634]

We had that much as a family of 7 when I was growing up. Cycling through it is challenging.

[@froggystyle642]

The whole reason people do this is because food security is on the decline in the West.

[@SuperTinyTurtle]

Bruh, I'm from the U.S. ....and this woman is strange. Also that's Italian sausage, not beef, which makes it even stranger. I would wager that she is a compulsive shopper who wastes tons of money on stuff like this. Most people do not hoard food like this.

[@vicki8042]

Not uncommon for people who live on farms. We keep a large amount of food on hand. Only get groceries once every few weeks. I also grew up in a family with 9 kids and I had 5 kids. Now they are gone but I still have just as much food on hand.

[@peaches833]

Portable generators are fine if the power goes out for a short period of time. I live on the east coast and when super storm Sandy hit and we were without power for a week those portables were a hassle. You constantly had to fill it with fuel and run extension cords to the ‘essential’ appliances. Well with all your freezers and refrigerators I suggest a whole house generator. We installed a generac whole house natural gas generator a few years ago and it’s a blessing. No hassles, basic maintenance and less worry. I don’t know what type of utilities you have but a whole house generator is a great investment for your home and piece of mind.

[@bethanpound1396]

Not sure if this comment will be seen but to let everyone know in a power cut/outage freezers will keep food at the same temperature for 24/48 hours if kept closed before starting to defrost

[@KristineLeach]

You know what I love about your videos? You really explain everything and you say "we're going to do this together". Makes us feel like a part of it. Thanks for sharing! :D

[@Tiffitar]

Hey Becky, I thought it might give you a little smile to know that when my 1 Year old hears your voice she immediately comes over and sits down to watch your videos with me. She loves when you show your chickens.

[@nancycoy9510]

I use totes in my freezer for veggies and bread. I don't eat meat so it saves me room. I dehydrate most veggies which saves room, unable to lift boiling water anymore so canning is out. I enjoy your videos.

[@treasurespastnpresen]

I can't lift either because of myelomylacia. But I put my water bath canner on burner and fill and use it for high acid foods. I just dip out water when finished. Same process with pressure canner. I use a jar lifter to lift each jar separately. I didn't can for a few years until I decided to try this. It takes longer because it's slower way to fill and empty but it works.

[@PatriotCoder]

My mom has a whole house Generac natural-gas powered automatic-start generator. In February 2021 Texas froze, the entire state, but my mom didn't lose power except for about 10 seconds. Guess where I went to sit that nightmare out!! Highly recommended!!!

[@justpatty7328]

As long as the natural gas is working, it is a great option. I'm gearing towards eliminating more from my freezers, canning and dehydrating. I still use my freezer for meats, some things that I cannot can or choose not to. My thought is that I have to be willing to lose those items. Possibly cook and can in a rush. Just my thoughts. God bless and Merry Christmas!

[@m.q.7149]

@@justpatty7328 Pressure canning is a great way to preserve meat long term and free up freezer space!

[@Nell0669]

If you have room. Put in some soda bottles full of water. That way if power goes off you have extra cooling i and it makes running the freezer more efficient. You also have extra water stored, should it be needed.

[@meagantrout2127]

We just got ours installed a couple of months ago! I agree they are awesome. They run off of a tank. I guess in cities people have gas lines run but out in the country we have tanks and they come fill them up.

[@nancyalberghini7581]

@tex2flaTex2fla you are right whole house Generacs are wonderful but they are about 16K…way too expensive of an investment unless one looses power often.

[@vanessarheadart9708]

You can get freezer thermostats alarms that have an app on your phone, so you never have to have that dreaded moment. Maybe worth the £10(don't have a dollar sign) investment.

[@katiebrower5552]

Thank you so much for promoting buying directly from the farmer. Our family raises beef and sells to consumers like what you do😊 it's so disheartening when people think we're taking advantage of them by selling beef by the hanging weight- I promise we work hard at taking the best care of our animals and we definitely don't get rich at it.

[@ms.newcomerteacher6554]

God bless you guys! Our nation needs more independent farmers like you.

[@sandrajohnson9926]

My grandpa & uncle raised dairy cows. My 92 year old farmer dad is still raising beef. We appreciate the hard work that is involved with raising beef on the hoof!!

[@katiebrower5552]

@@ms.newcomerteacher6554 thank you❤️

[@beccas.6907]

My family raises beef but we've always sold at a sale-barn instead to directly to the consumer...people just don't understand. We sell a cow for an average of $1.10 per pound and look at what it is costing in the stores. Between that, the rising price of fuel and fertilizer, many farmers in my area are quitting. In the 1980s there were over 70 dairies in my county and today there is 1 left.

[@michelleholladay2225]

Agree!!! We are the same and have aa farm I appreciate your encouragement to shop from local farmers.

[@Kikyo353]

Predator 3500 Watt Inverter Generator. I will always recommend this generator. It’s inverter, so it’s pretty quite. Very easy to maintain. If in the future you find that you need more power, two of these generators can be hooked up together.

[@ellendesanctis3035]

I think freeze drying liver for your pups is a great idea!! It's really expensive to buy a bucket. You sooooo inspire me to do better Becky! I tend to start projects.....but I'm not a closer! I always have lots of ideas.....but nothing actually gets done. You are wise beyond your years!!

[@happymama6324]

Same. I'm great at the planning, just not the execution! Lol

[@va1445]

I dig the idea of using the hard-sided bags! I am currently using plastic bins which I like because I like the structured organization, but the plastic gets brittle. These bags look so much easier to lift out and move as well.

[@tonileigh8660]

Walmart usually has that kind of bag.

[@debbiebenge9398]

I use plastic "milk" crates from Walmart. About $5 each and they're so easy to lift in and out (which helps this short person not fall into the chest!). The holes in the sides lets you kind of take a peek without having to move too much either. But you're kind of at the mercy of your freezer dimensions. I may give Becky's firm-sided but still flexible totes a try.

[@michelleblock7752]

@@debbiebenge9398 great idea!

[@jeanniecollins3332]

I use "milk crates", too. They don't fit perfectly in my freezer, but I love that they are so durable. I want to explore the idea of the hard sided tote bags so there's a little more flex.

[@coleenm2404]

I agree about the bags vs bins! I use cardboard boxes but they get flimsy after awhile. Totally going to check these out

[@karimonster]

What I do to make my freezers more organized is I write on the freezer what's in there and where. You can 100% write on your appliances with dry erase markers! If I have 6 bags of frozen red peppers in the lower right hand corner of the freezer, I write "Red Peppers" on the door where the peppers are stored and make 6 tally marks. When I pull out a bag, I erase a tally mark. If I have 4 bags of frozen corn on top of the red peppers, I write "Corn" with 4 tally marks over Red Peppers with 6 tally marks so I know when I hit corn, red peppers will be one more layer down. This is also helpful if, say, my onions didn't do as well in the garden this year. I know exactly when I need to buy onions because I'm erasing the tally marks and can see how many bags I have left instead of digging around and trying to count. Sometimes frozen veggies are hard to discern what they are when they've been in the freezer for a while, so its great to have exactly what they are written on the door of the chest freezer!

[@cynrok]

i do this on my fridge! the fridge is black and i use neon chalk markers to write my weekly meal plan and shopping list on one side and a mini inventory on the other.

[@justpatty7328]

City Prepping channel has great videos on generators and solar powered generators.

[@wishiwuzahomestead6338]

One very important thing to remember is that you HAVE to have a switch installed at your fuse panel that turns the power off to the power lines. Linemen working to restore power have been electrocuted from generators feeding power back into the system. We bought an electric start Predator generator that powers our whole house from Harbor Freight for about $700 on sale. My husband installed a tri-fuel kit for about $200. It can run on gasoline, natural gas, or propane. We have to switch power over and turn the generator on (push button) but for us, it sure beats paying several thousand for one that starts automatically. It works great!

[@debbiedoor2693]

Becky, my mother-in-law and I canned beef for years, it tasted great and was so easy to warm up with some green beans and mashed potatoes when she was cooking for a big group of hunger farmers. His family homesteaded a 40 acre farm in 1856. It has grown to 400 acres over the years and are on our 7th generations. We don’t can much anymore, but watching you work your garden sure brings back many fond memories.💕💕

[@SuperTinyTurtle]

Canned beef? ....no.....just no. Stop it.

[@debbiedoor2693]

Your story sounds exactly like our farm. It was homesteaded in 1856 with 40 acres. We are now a 7 th generation farm family, although, now we rent some of our land and bale about 5,000 small hay bales for horse farmers . We now have 400 acres or thought we did for many, many years. We had a survey done and discovered there was 14 acres across the river that we thought we sold some 60 years ago and another 7 acres in another land sale with another neighbor. Thankfully, the 7 acres was conveyed back to us and the other 14 acres, well it’s just there. I still can beef. I learned it from my mother in law. And you are right, there was nothing better than mom opening 2-3 quarts of beef with all of the yummy juices that she made a gravy with, peel up some home grown potatoes and fresh green beans and wilted lettuce. Then she would whip up a couple of pies faster than you could blink. Oh what fond memories. People that have never tasted canned beef have no idea how flavorful it is. We still buy a beef every year and split it with our daughter and you can bet your bottom dollar that we can some of that beef. When we ordered our last one, I told the butcher I didn’t want a lot of steaks, just cube it for canned beef. The butcher asked me twice if I was sure and I said “yes I was sure”. He said ok, but my meat cutters are going to have a fit when they cut those beautiful porterhouse steaks into cubes. Of course, we saved the t-bones and rib eyes. I’m so glad they did. Merry Christmas.🎄🤶🧑‍🎄

[@paulawilliams1474]

Canning meat is super easy. Raw pack and process at 10 pounds pressure. 45 min for pints 90 for quarts. No liquid needed. It comes out shredded. If you prefer chunks, chunk the meat and cook in frying pan a few minutes before placing in jars. Pork butt tastes like you cooked it all day. I always add a tablespoon of better than bullion to my quarts

[@treasurespastnpresen]

Isn't it 75 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts? I think you may have a typo.

[@paulawilliams1474]

@@treasurespastnpresen No typo, just a brain fart. Thanks for the correction.

[@shannoneg2000]

For those in apartments, just getting started, or even those who just have tiny freezers... I used the $1 plastic shoeboxes to organize my freezers for YEARS. I could fit 7 shoeboxes in my old apartment freezer and they really helped me maximize that small space. They may not have been a PERFECT solution, but they served me very well for a long time. Those little plastic shoe boxes are incredibly versatile, so you'll always be able to find a place for them if need to change things in the future. 😉

[@AB-ol5uz]

and now you can purchase plastic shoe boxes that open on the end - so if you are stacking them, you don't have to unstack them to access the interior.

[@shannoneg2000]

@@AB-ol5uz Yessss! I've never done those, but that's a great idea!

[@Judten1]

I do exactly this to organize my freezer! Bags work great so things are it rolling out when I open the upright freezer also. TIP….if not in comments already. I large marker number each bag! Have everything in that bag written in my paper pad. I’ll look at my list, and pick what I want. Go directly to that particular bag! Less time with freezer open while looking! Hope I made sense with that! Lol. 💕

[@tinabruner8248]

Becky, freeze-dry your onions, peppers, celery. It has been an awesome way to preserve them and SO easy to use. Grind up some for powers to add to soups, stews or leave chopped and throw them in any dish - no need to rehydrate with water prior to cooking, just toss into your pan with a little butter or oil.

[@sallysummerfield9952]

Good to know. I just ordered a freeze dryer

[@cathybradford5685]

Even freeze dry milk, chicken, hamburger, (fresh eggs too), all your garden veggies. Freeze dried food can save you during power outages.

[@kyfarm]

If you don't have a freeze dryer, I guess you could dehydrate, couldn't you?

[@deblanfair8510]

Looks great! A tip my Mom gave me years ago was to fill empty gallonand half gallon milk jugs with water. Freeze a few if them. If the power goes out the frozen water jugs will help keep your food frozen longer. Works great if you don't have a generator or until you can get one

[@carmencitadavis9043]

That was a great tip your mother gave you 👍👍👍👍

[@choosegoodalways]

She has no room for water jugs lol

[@daisyduke1468]

Get your stuff processed in the freeze and dehydrate dryer ASAP. When I find frozen veggies on sale I dehydrated them. And I pull q7lbs of ground beef at one time and cook it up with onions and garlic and freeze dry and it makes the most simple fast food dinners. Good luck finding generator they sale very fast. Costco has a nice one that does both gas and propane and it’s awesome also, get a $10 magnetic lock for the upright. They work perfectly

[@BucketListHomestead]

We added insurance for our deep freezers, we have 3. One large one for meat, one for veggies and a smaller one for fruit. We are planning a generator in the new year but having that insurance takes a bit of stress off my shoulders! I hate liver, like really hate it lol

[@manteltje]

Insurance for your freezer? Do you mean for when the electricity goes out and the food gets spoiled. That so… weird 😆 only in America I think.

[@BucketListHomestead]

@@manteltje we are in Canada and we care covered if something happens to our freezers due to power outage or power failure. We have to take a photo of freezers showing what was lost. It's topped out at 2500.

[@connieanfinson3118]

I have canned beef for years. It is so handy for beef and noodles, soups etc. Well worth the time and effort The flavor is wonderful.

[@donnabecreates]

I'm so glad you showed us your freezers. I have a small chest freezer - I keep a notebook on top of it with a pen, I keep a list of what's in there. Anytime I add to the freezer, I write it in the notebook. Anytime I take something out of the freezer to use, I cross it off the list. Take Care!

[@countycalling]

I can a lot of meats, I do 20 lbs of ground beef at a time, my hubby has a texture thing so I buy chicken boneless and skinless and grind it to can. It’s great in soups. I also do Turkey this way. Beef is really good canned, I can the cheapest cuts I can find. After canning they are so tender. I do advise seasonings some of your meats.

[@baileepalmer8804]

Tip: Add some lamented paper and tape it the inside door. Then use a fine expo marker and write down what you have below your line of sight! You can easily change inventory numbers and won't forget what's at the bottom.

[@soccergirl932]

Dont worry about the texture cannned roast is amazing its like opening a the most tender yummy easy meal ever. put a bit of stock in it and thicken and boom gray over tatos or toast

[@lyndamoore4808]

I have just been using the outside if my freezer for my dry eraser board. It cleans off very easy with a little squirt of windex or soft scrub. I also use the bags except mine are colored coded. White for chicken, green for beef, black for pork and on and on. Works great because all I have to do is look for the right colored bag.

[@mehtarelingolien]

Excellent idea!

[@sallysummerfield9952]

Love this idea!

[@katehopkinsbrent5573]

I do the left to right move. 😁 All new goes into the left side - small boxes - meat- veggies- greens ect... I take from the right side, same box system, day before grocery day it all gets put to the right all but the greens/veggies, only refill to the right. The new goes into the left to restock. It works well oh- on the top of the left side is rolls, biscuits, sweet breads ect and my fridge freezer is just bread, homemade baked beans, bacon n such that is used more frequen. Bread day is always fridays giving fresh bread all week 👍

[@taylormims2006]

You have such a peaceful disposition and a calming voice, I love watching your videos!

[@AcreHomestead]

Aw thank you!

[@Kari-iu9jx]

You might like Moroccan lamb skewers, they are delicious! We chop/grate onion, garlic and cilantro. Then we add salt, pepper, cumin, ginger powder, paprika, turmeric powder, small grating of nutmeg and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. Add a glug of olive oil and let marinate overnight. You can grill indoor, but the best flavour is on a charcoal grill outside! Traditionally, we eat it with homemade bread and sweet mint tea. It's also really good with salad. Hope you try it!

[@SuperFoodParents]

When I worked in surgery we were trained to only touch things once too. It helps any job, big or small, go faster & more smoothly plus your brain gets more detail oriented 😆 Leaving the fridge/ freezer door open is an epidemic in my home😲Yes to top closing

[@1313MockingbirdLane]

Yes, there is always so much to learn on KZbin.

[@kathimouse5558]

We raise our own beef and pork, selling also to local people, and keep it all (plus garden/orchard produce) in chest freezers in the shop. After a HORRIBLE ice storm, losing everything, hubby upgraded his welder, investing in a portable welder. Not only does the welder work on the farm it also doubles as a generator. Being portable, we can move it where needed. I have been using cardboard boxes to organize the freezers but just orders these totes. Excited to see how they work for me! Thanks so much for your videos! I pick up new tips and tricks with each one 🥰

[@AhJodie]

Oh, I am so glad I found your video! Not only did you do a great job, but, you are so human and likable! I am old, but a lot like you with saving peach skins and pits to make jam type of things, it was great to see you do all this, and have everything where you know where it is! I just got done cleaning my chest freezer... for some reason it got unplugged when I did not know, I think it was a plumber or something down in the basement, but, we had to toss all the food, because I did not have a clue how long it was thawed! It was gross, dripping, so when we got all the food in the garbage, I plugged it back in, and waited till now (a few months later) to do it. I need to have a different system than I had for organization, and yours is fantastic! Thank you!

[@DragonflyRefuge]

I have the Generac whole house generator. I purchased it when I built a house in town. I chose to keep it and convert to propane when I moved to the country. I also had it hooked up to my well so I will always have water and power no mater what happens. It has been well worth to upfront cost.

[@countryluv6135]

I had watched this video months ago and used the walmart bags to organize my freezer, Loved the ease of finding things in the freezer. But the best thing about this, we were evacuated due to fire and afraid electric might be turned off, it took less than five minutes to unload freezer, We ended up at my son's place and thank goodness they had an extra freezer and the food did not go to waste. This I will continue to do.

[@crossingtheline2579]

Canned meat is wonderful. It was my grandmother's "quick" meal prep. I started canning meat 3 years ago and we both really enjoy it. I like to hear the canned meat and juice, make some egg noodles, use the canned meat liquid to make a gravy and you have a wonderful main dish in 20 min. Enjoy your videos!

[@debbiebowman6846]

Homesteading Family has videos on canning different types of meat

[@CardsbyMaaike]

i used to have one of those deep freezers. I bought baskets in separate colors, like blue for fish, red for beef, yellow for dough etc..you can make you own, I kinda went with the chopping board colors. I also had printable or writable magnetic labels. i stuck those on the front so I could see what was in it and how many packets. then if I lift a green basket to get peas or so, I would move the magnetic label to the side (out of sight) helped with groceries as I knew what was used and also what I still had

[@lisageeck]

My husband loves the chest freezer over the upright, but it's a nightmare to keep organized. I have bins, but they get frosted in and are hard to move. We live in the south and have hurricanes, he stayed for Hurricane Ida and manned the generator to keep the 2 fridges and 2 freezers running while power was out (5 days before it came back on). I keep the bottom of the chest freezer loaded with frozen milk jugs (rinsed and filled with water). It will keep the food frozen longer if the power is out and a fully loaded freezer stays frozen longer than a half filled one. Thanks for posting about the alarms, that's the one thing I haven't gotten around to for the freezers.

[@mariannesouza8326]

That’s a brilliant idea, about the filled & frozen jugs of water. 👍🏼

[@suburbanhomesteadliving9212]

I suggest a solar powered generator. Super quiet and they will keep your chest freezer running for 3 days or so if needed. Canning chicken is super easy but it does over cook it in my opinion... you should freeze dry it with your dryer! That's what we'll be doing. God bless you sister and Merry Christmas!

[@sandyoklahomatransient8557]

Love chest freezers because if the electric goes out they seem to keep everything solid longer than stand up freezers. I also date my veggies (month & year) to make sure I use the oldest first.

[@laurahender2365]

I can meat all the time, chicken and roast are my favorite. I do can hamburger and venison. I use some broth with my hamburger once I have browned it. It is great for tocos and soup. You will enjoy the convenience of canned meats.

[@thalinororcbreaker2840]

I can venison and it is awesome! It is delicious and tender and falls apart. I mix in a packet of onion soup mix for every 6 pounds of meat, which is just trimmed, cubed stew meat. Then you pack it into the jars, leave an inch headspace and pressure can @10 pounds pressure for 90 minutes. It is soooo good! I promise you will love it and you might not freeze as much meat once you start canning because it is so easy to use.

[@giniascott2575]

We can most of our venison too! Ground, strips, and stew. I don't notice a texture difference and I am texture sensitive. It's delicious and tender!

[@deneenwehner6873]

I have a much of older venison that I should do with this . Also need to do this pantry challange myself

[@leesahuddle2854]

Becky, I can all kinds of meat , veggies, soups and stews. It gives me more space in the freezers for casseroles, marinated meats and things that I don't feel safe canning. For years we grew it or raised it if we ate it. I enjoy seeing you work so hard keeping food security of healthy nutrient dense food. Once you start canning your meats youll love that convience too I believe. I use an All American on my glass top stove. Just remember to lift and never drag it on your glass stove top. My canner is 50 years old. Every year I inspect all the parts and replace anything that needs it. In 54 years I've lost very few jars. Keep keeping on. Love to you and your hubby. From another Washingtonian.

[@Ndaara]

Becky, love your channel! For backup, we installed solar panels and batteries. We've had them for a few years now. It's silent, 100% automatic, and zero maintenance, it just works. We may not even notice when the power goes out. We are just south of you, near Portland, and yes we do get enough sun here!

[@bertie511pb]

4 Patriots has solar charged generators. You don't have to buy gas for them. They come with the solar panels.

[@tonimartinez9400]

Becky, you are such an inspiration! I have a small suggestion for an app that this lazy old lady (I'm 75) has found really useful! I have 3 freezers for 2 people! One chest freezer, one upright, and a cross bottom on my French door refrigerator. I like to meal plan a week to a month ahead, but I am not inclined to "read" inventories written on my appliances. I use an app called No Waste to keep track of my inventories, both frozen and in my pantries. So I can sit at a table or in my comfy recliner and plan to my heart's content!

[@madzabinga8382]

Hi! All you need to rely on an upright freezer is a lock, and an alarm. Part of the alarm goes in your house and the other part goes inside the freezer, just like what you have in your chest freezer.

[@donnaclarke5014]

I always check the dates on my freezer meats and when packages are six months old, I bring them into my kitchen and thaw them. Then, I can the meats: beef, pork (including bacon), chicken, fish. These then go onto my canning shelves and are a ready meat product for a quick meal. The results are wonderfully tasty and the meat is very tender. In addition, I also can cheese, veggies, fruits, fruit pie filling, spuds, pumpkin, etc. Whatever I am able to get my hands on that we like....yep, it gets canned. Since there are only two of us now after having a family of six at home, whenever I make a casserole for us or turkey dressing, I always make tins of it for the freezer to have and enjoy later. You are doing an excellent job of being a great example of a woman who is diligent with finances and the foods that you produce. Appreciate your honesty and just being 'real'.

[@lisanewell4646]

We purchased a Generac whole house generator in the spring. Our electrician was helpful in ordering the right size generator so we could use everything in our home in case of a power failure. If you do plan on purchasing best to put an order in as soon as you’re able to. It took months for our generator to be delivered and a couple more months for installation due to shipping delays and contractors being booked solid.

[@gholzem]

I use those hard sided bags all the time for organizing and shopping. I never thought to use them in the freezer. We also have two. One standup ane chest.

[@thesarabrown]

Until we moved into a home with a whole home generator, we used 2 Ryobi generators to power our fridge/freezers and a small air conditioner. I think you said once that your husband loves to research stuff… mine does too! That said, I’m sure your hubs will find y’all a great one that suits your needs! My only recommendation is one that’s easy to use and maintain. Something that you can potentially start and set up yourself in case he’s not around.

[@chris109]

I really enjoy your videos. It amazes me how much food you have…frozen, & freeze dried & dehydrated, & canned, & stored up! I think it’s fantastic! Plus, I love the way you talk! You have the gift of being able to speak about anything, without being at a loss for words. I’m never bored listening to you…not even for a second…no matter what you’re talking about! So thank you! You’re much more interesting to watch than any TV show!

[@Mylittlehomesteadlife]

You mentioned wanting to can meat, those turkeys in your freezer would be a wonderful to can. You can raw pack the turkey (almost any meat actually) when canning it and it will help the texture not be mushy.

[@qweeknee4208]

Started canning meat last year using SuttonsDaze and Alaska Prepper tutorials. We like the ease of it. I worry about electricity failing as well. I got a Bluetti solar generator to help. Eastern Wa has more sun but once you get it charged it lasts awhile charged up.

[@lisam5744]

We live in Florida and after Hurricane Irma, we lost power and water for four days ( I had filled ever available container/jar in the house prior to the storm). But we purchased a Generac stand by generator. It's definitely an investment, but the peace of mind it gives is awesome. They have natural gas and propane run ones. I have two freezers and a fridge/freezer full of food and knowing if our power goes out that our food will be ok and we'll have water...so nice.

[@jedimom7934]

I’m a visual person so hanging a dry erase board above the freezers with what’s in each one would really help me. We have a portable Honda generator. In a power outage, we generally run our fridge and freezer all night while we sleep , then change over to the air conditioner and tv during the day. Alabama Power is great in our area and our power is generally restored quickly.

[@karoleanharris3180]

I haven’t done it in years, but I’ve canned venison before and was a huge fan. It wasn’t visually appealing when I saw it from the guy I got the instructions from but I was willing to try. It took out the gaminess and it was so tender. We used it in soups and stews mostly but also made bbq sandwiches too.

[@langstroth9334]

can you please list some recipes or the one to take out the gameness & tenderize it?

[@karoleanharris3180]

@@langstroth9334 the key is to soak the meat in ice water for 48 hours and change the water a couple times to get the blood out. You also add 2 bouillon cubes to each quart of meat when canning.

[@langstroth9334]

@@karoleanharris3180 ty

[@jh4675]

Ooh, our Infinite Health (Undoctored) members would kill for all your lovely healthy organ meat!! I didn't like liver either until I learned to soak it in Heavy Whipping Cream for 15-30 minutes in the fridge before cooking in butter or EVOOil. You are a dynamo and do so much with your videos for me as a new subscriber to encourage me to make more freezer meals and learn to can. Your enthusiasm is contagious! Thanks so much!

[@mjsalome7751]

I have and recommend a dual fuel ( propane/gasoline) generator. I like the fact I can have 20 lb propane tanks ready to vs storing gasoline . Another plus about the propane is that it’s a more reliable cold weather fuel source.

[@lindajohnson2950]

Thank you for this video!! I love your energy, at 65 I remember those days. The tote idea is awesome!!!! So many organizational videos use baskets that cost. The totes are more reasonable, and sometimes even free!!! We have 2 grandsons (8&9 yrs old) living with us, so every penny counts!!! I do love all your videos! Thanks for all you do!

[@jerib8654]

When I cook something that I don’t care to eat for my spouse, sometimes I’ll cook a different meal for me that he doesn’t like. Then we both are happy 😂

[@marilyncapehart663]

Becky you are one busy young lady., With so much to do., I Just brought a very small portable freezer., Thanks For Sharing 12-20-2021👏🏽👏🏽❤️❤️

[@corinazanatta6372]

I never thought I’d enjoy watching someone clean and organise so much! I’ve just recently come across your channel and I need to admit, I have totally binged on all your episodes! Much love from Australia x

[@daniellewoodward4728]

I have canned beef and chicken and they are great to have on hand. I use the canned chicken for chicken salad, chicken and gravy, chicken pot pie, and chicken Italian medley. The beef I use for quick beef stew, beef stroganoff and philly cheese steak regarding a generator I would get one with dual ways to run it such as gas and propane

[@Mrsbryan907]

We’re buying a home next year with farmland acreage and I cannot wait to work on tasks like this!

[@DixieGirl9876]

I agree, deep freezers are hard to keep organized. I use the re-useable bags too and store like items together, I do an addition step and color coordinate where I can, like dairy in yellow bags, veggies in green, meats in red bags and when I go through it I put all the oldest on top in each bag. I like to keep a list near the freezer of everything that's inside and mark it off when I take something out and write in down when I add items, with a pen handy for others to do the same. BTW our deep freeze is 20+ years old and still running good. One tip; always keep space around the unit for good air flow.

[@flob6591]

You are so right about the different freezers. I have an upright one and have had my door left open or it got accidentally unplugged at least 2x and one of the times I threw away a lot of food. I also like to stock up meat when on sale. I live in Ontario Canada and it is very expemsive. Wish I knew before why people buy the chest freezers.

[@juliemilliron849]

I can meats. My favorite is chicken. You can raw pack and that is the easiest, but I like to either par cook chicken pieces and can in broth or a spicy broth. It is so convient to use. I use the broth for soups, or just to warm the meat in the broth, or use the broth to cook rice or noodles in. The texture is great. Our venison I can in a broth also and it helps with any gamey taste. I cut them in chunks and put them in broth raw or par cook. My husband likes to eat it right from the jar or make a sandwich. It is so tender. I have done this with beef roasts or extra steaks. Ground beef I do can for chili, rolled tacos, soups and am very happy to have on the shelf. I must say that it looks like it wont be good, but we like it. Try in small portions and see what you like and then can it that way. You did great on your freezers. I found some totes on amazon just a bit smaller than the ones you had linked because they were a bit big for my small freezers. There are many choices. Thank you so much for all your help. Love it.

[@roxannesampley56]

I canned meat this fall for the first time. We recently tried some of the ground beef and it was very good. It was not hard, just takes longer. Use the wide mouth jars and pints are best.

[@sandrajohnson9926]

I haven't done it but you can also can bacon.

[@danniemcdonald7675]

@@sandrajohnson9926 It is not an approved process.

[@mimiohnine]

I enjoy canned stew meat. I like canned ground beef if I precook it before canning. Raw pack ground beef tastes odd. Chicken is really delicious. I use boneless skinless thighs and breast. Raw pack or precooked are both good to me. I do use bouillon for the chicken.

[@robine916]

As far as a generator goes, if you can afford one that is hard wired (I think that's what it is called) into your electric system, I think that is a great way to go, especially if your area loses power often, or for long periods of time. We didn't go that route, instead opting for a gas powered one just to plug in a few things. Our city has it's own municipal lighting plant that covers our city and a few neighboring towns. Because of this, preventative maintenance is better than the bigger companies, as well as having "on site" equipment and supplies (cable, poles, etc). Repairs are relatively quick, so we aren't without power for too long.

[@kimcritchfield5796]

Gas doesn’t store long. A propane tank does. I recommend a propane or dual fuel generator for that reason. Otherwise you have to keep swapping out the gas cans. Yuck.

[@robine916]

@@kimcritchfield5796 Yeah, we would only add gas when we needed it (2 times). We did ad and additive to help, but purposely used up the fuel before storing the generator. 🙂

[@kimcritchfield5796]

@@robine916 but you’d have to store gas if your purpose is for emergency use. It’s no good without the gas. Great, if you have advance notice.

[@robine916]

@@kimcritchfield5796 Not sure why you think I told her to get the gas powered one. I had just mentioned I had that one, as we didn't go for long periods w/o power, and that is what we personally could afford. I agree propane is the way to go, especially if, like my cousins, you can go weeks w/o power. BTW Stabile (sp) gas additive has kept our snowblower gas "fresh" all winter, and still worked for the mower in the spring, if we didn't use it all. ❤

[@kimcritchfield5796]

@@robine916 oh! I misunderstood!

[@lindaholliday4536]

I've dehydrated alot of my veggies to make room in my freezer also canned some chicken. It comes out like what you'd buy in store only you are in charge of what goes in it. I've canned alot of soyps to use up beef,chicken,and ham. Good luck with freeze dying, I'm looking forward to how it comes out.

[@billson11]

Great video! I have two upright freezers and I use plastic bins from the dollar tree. 3 trays fit on a shelf. I’ve had them for about two years no problems. Give it a try!

[@kristadavis2825]

Thank you for this! We are about to reduce our food storage shed (we live in a RV with lack of space) and this is so needed. We love lamb. We go with traditional olive oil, garlic, and rosemary for seasoning. Lamb bone broth and stew are our favorites. You might be interested in the raw (BARF) dog food diet. Our 11 year old dog has been onnit for about 2 months now and it’s like he is a new dog. Before we fed him the highest quality grain free dog food and he still had skin issues and lack of energy. His skin (he is hairless) is beautiful now and he is acting like he is half his age.

[@jh4675]

Same for my niece's dog...he was old and ill and they had fed him terrible food over the years. Vet advised BARF. This 12-year-old dog became like a puppy...running, jumping, full of life! Was amazing to see for his last year with cancer that he was so happy.

[@shannoneg2000]

Even though I have a series of wire freezer baskets to store my food, my deep freezer is a hot mess... well, a cold mess! 😂 Doing an inventory on my freezer and my cabinets is definitely on my to do list. Thanks for the motivation and for being real with us!

[@Linda-tp5ik]

I can meat often, I have done raw pack and par cooked both work well. The meat is very tender and so nice to have on the shelf. I highly recommend

[@Votethepower]

Becky, in my opinion, it's best not to have a loads of meat in a freezer. It is best to pressure can your meats so that in the event of a power outage, you don't have to worry and you maintain your investment. Check out Granny Karma's video on her KZbin channel about how she lost thousands of dollars in meat due to a deep freezer issue. It is an eye opener!

[@debbiebenge9398]

Great to have an alarm freezer, but I learned a neat trick to know if you lost power while gone for an extended time, like vacation. If your power goes out and comes back on in time for things to refreeze, you'll never know it. So put an ice cube on top of your goodies before you leave. If you come back and the cube is still intact, you'll know you didn't lose power for an extended time. If it's gone, it's time to look more closely at your frozen goods for signs of damage from a thaw & refreeze.

[@jessicastinson1165]

I actually love liver. We brown it and cover it with cream of mushroom soup. It’s a tough meat but it’s so good for you. We also used to can beef roasts and it’s so good! I want to try canning hamburger because we just had a power outage the other day that lasted close to 24 hours and the thought of losing all that meat just makes me sick. We were very lucky it came on when it did and everything stayed frozen solid.

[@KatyInNH]

For a standalone generator, I recommend a 6.5-7 KW Honda (with a remote start - so you can turn it off when you go to bed without having to get up), or a Generac.

[@SauerA15]

We have a Generac. I almost fell over when you said your freezer was a mess! That is called very clean and organized at our house. I am going to get some totes! We have had mystery thaws more than once.

[@roki5337]

Yes I too have had those days when I feel like I am trying to clean and organize more than 1 place at a time. i also agree that the chest freezers are better for making sure the door is closed!

[@rebeccacron8614]

A tip for keeping track of your inventory! Place a small whiteboard on top of each freezer. They are magnetic so will stick to the lid. Mark down things as you put them in, cross them off or erase them as you use them. That way you can know exactly what you have without opening the freezer and raising the temps.

[@kimberlybeckham2412]

I actually go even simpler than that and write with wet erase marker directly on top of my deep freezer (it has a smooth surface just like a white board). I cross things out as I go and once a month I take a picture, erase it all and refresh my list with stuff not crossed off. Everything comes right off with water and there is no staining left behind. I use wet erase so nothing accidentally gets wiped off (learned that one early) Also, instead of stacking my freezer meals, I label the side and stand them on their sides after they are frozen solid. That way I can see all of them at once and not have to lift them up to get ones down below.

[@cathydavis9259]

I bought canvas totes with smaller handles and a place for a label online, I think from Walmart. I bought different colors to color coded each item. Pink-pork red-beef green-vegetables yellow-chicken orange-fish. I can see at a glance which tote I need to go to and the smaller handles don't get in the way but are still easy to lift.

[@debwiley3914]

I actually used plastic milk crates to corral my different types of meats when I purchased my 1/2 cow and 1/2 pig this fall. I also store 50# of flour and 50# of oats in my freezer to prevent bug infestations. I need to dig to the bottom of each freezer so I can find the produce I know is lurking.

[@stephaniecurtis4249]

How do you keep your flour and oats dry in the freezer? I've been trying to figure it out. TY

[@debwiley3914]

@@stephaniecurtis4249 the oats are in ziplocks. The flour is in the waxed paper bag in which I bought it

[@treasurespastnpresen]

I always froze my grains and flours for 6 to 8 weeks. Then you can save freezer space by removing and placing in very large food grade plastic buckets with special screw on lids and keeping buckets elsewhere. The initial freezing kills any insect infestation. Although I've read you can skip the freezing step if enough O2 absorbers are added to an airtight container as the insect eggs, etc. cannot survive with no oxygen.

[@lost.boy.nursery]

I find writing or labelling in the outside what's in the freezer in what quantities is super useful

[@ms.newcomerteacher6554]

Becky, I also love Butcher Box! What's great is that you can order the perfect size box for your family and select what you get. I love how well it's packaged as well. I will look into getting meat from a local butcher. Living local is best.

[@julimartin3312]

You are such a whirlwind, kiddo, and so enthusiastic about everything that you are doing/ interested in- I love it, you remind me so much of my 2 daughters! 🤗 🤗🤗 (For me, at 59, the mind is still willing and able, but the body is … not so much!😏 Just 7 years ago, I had your energy, but 2 back injuries in quick succession, and all of a sudden it was like I had aged 25 years overnight!!😤🙄 Anyway, it is a miracle and a joy that I can function fairly well - still homesteading- gardening, raising poultry and milk goats, etc.., but I am mostly SO so grateful that I can spend time with my grand babies❣️) Using those grocery totes in your chest freezers is an absolutely brilliant idea! 🎉Thank you so much for taking us along on your freezer organization event, that really brought back some good memories of filling our freezers with our homegrown/raised/butchered meats… LOTS of work, but there’s no other feeling like reaping the rewards of many months of constant, thoughtful care and investment. (Also applies to gardening, and preserving your harvest- you have got quite an impressive garden this year!- 2022🤗) I am SO proud of your decision to source meats locally & support your local farmers/ranchers… you are such an inspiration to your generation!☺️ Lots of applause and appreciation sent to you from East TX❤️

[@hopedeclared3673]

I gotta get some totes! Currently using cardboard boxes that I cut the top lids off of. It’s a small 3x5 freezer but it’s a start! I froze everything flat and it stores well. Thanks for the gardening glove tip! Why didn’t I think of that? My poor fingertips… 🥶😂

[@jacquespoulemer3577]

If you don't care for lamb try doing a hindu dish with yoghurt and spices. Very delicious and it does tone down the lamby taste. love your videos. Jim

[@MelanieCravens]

When I need to defrost my deep freezer, I unload it into my washer. It is more insulated and easy to clean afterwards. When I run out of room in the washer, I load into coolers. The I used water to help defrost and clean the freezer quicker. Wipe out, dry, turn on, reload (organize as I go). I use plastic milk crates to organize my freezer.

[@francinebowman990]

Great idea, thank you😊

[@berlyn1187]

That’s one of the nice things about a deep freezer, even if the power goes out, as long as the lid stays closed, your stuff will stay frozen for a couple of days. Gives you a bit of time to get the problem solved.

[@chargingourfaith8462]

Chest freezers also will stay colder longer in case of power outage and will be colder in general. We have a lot of power outages where we live so this is a must. Thanks for the video. Always looking for some ideas for organization. Your best option on a generator is a dual fuel gas or propane. We have a small one that will run our two freezers and fridge in the garage where we store all the food. I don't like lamb either. I found a recipe for musaka that is half beef and half lamb and I couldn't even tell.