Stocked Up

The Hermit avoids too many trips to town in the winter; he may blame the ice and snow, the chance of accidents, the inconvenience. But his nature is to avoid people. The first signs of winter has him stocking up the cellar, freezer and pantry. This year the cellar contains twenty pounds of red potatoes, and twenty of russets, ten pounds of yellow Spanish onions and ten of red. There are fifteen pounds of carrots packed in sawdust, and two boxes containing a variety of apples. There are canned goods, corn, beans, peas, and ten pints of a fine salsa with a chipoltle flavor. On the shelf there are a variety of squash and one pumpkin. Oh, and not to forget, nearly sixty bottles of wine… The freezer is near full with two turkeys and five chickens from the Valier Hutterites, part of a custom cut beef hind quarter and a half hog from Farm to Market. There are also the vacuum-sealed garden produce, beans and berries mostly and five pounds of Sumatran dark roast coffee. And in the pantry, a world of teas, barley, rice, lentils, beans, and spices from the garden. Space remains in the freezer for venison. There is satisfaction in knowing that despite the worst winter could throw, he would not go hungry.
In order to survive as a hermit in the northern Rocky Mountains, the woodpile is essential. This year there are four cord in the shed, another seasoned cord and a half under plastic in the woods, and a green cord stacked seasoning itself for the next year.