Meet the ultimate prepper - a mum who already has 426 meals preserved to feed her family for the next eight months. Kelsey Shaw, 30, keeps her pantry stocked full of home-grown canned fresh vegetables, pre-made meals, herbs, rice and pasta. The mum-of-three started preserving the food from her five-acre farm when the family moved to Crown Point, Indiana, US, in September 2017. Kelsey taught herself how to preserve everything - from pickles to a beef stew - and uses methods such as dehydration and water-canning to keep her cupboards stocked up. It takes her three months to preserve all the food and has enough stored to feed her family for eight months. The family eat fresh food from their farm during the summer months and use their pre-preserved meals during the winter. Kelsey started preserving food so the family could eat home-grown food all year round, but it also means she is prepared for any natural disaster or pandemic that could cause an issue in the supply chain. Kelsey, a stay-at-home mum and photographer, said: “When we moved to the farm we wanted to live a slower lifestyle and wanted to know what we were eating and where it was coming from. “I taught myself how to preserve food and learnt lots of hacks like making corncob jelly which tastes like honey. “It does take a long time. “I spend at least two hours a day in the garden and then the process of preserving things can take days as I go back to things in stages. “It is a skill to be able to do all the preserving. “I’m very proud every time I walk in the pantry. “Preserving food is time-consuming but I’ve found a real love for it, and it makes meals easier for us as a family. “We’re prepared for anything.”
