We raise most of our food, and in addition to canning those items appropriate for canning (beans, tomatoes, carrots, fruits, etc) plus root cellar for potatoes/etc, we freeze quite a bit, especially meats. Raise couple pigs/yr, run thru a large beef about every 18 months, I'll do a catfish harvest couple times/yr, and put 25-30 6-7 broilers in freezer once a year. All our meat is home butchered and sealed in vacuum bags.
Freeze strawberries (15-20gal/yr), blueberries 4-5 gallons, because freezing about the best way to keep them (other than jam), things like broccoli, wife makes up things like casseroles and freezes them...that kinda thing. Wife will often buy things like bulk cheese on sale, or butter, and bring it home, divide into like quart size vac pouches, then seal/freeze.
As a result, we've 'grown' into having 2 uprights (18cf and 15cf) and 6 chest models (7-9cf). We prefer small chest units and more of them so as we use the food out, we cut it off. By spreading the food out, it lessens the potential loss if one fails (never had one fail yet though). Currently, we're using 5 chest units, and about to empty/cut off one of them. The largest upright, we rarely use except when we kill a large beef and need the space to quick freeze it. All the units I set on 3/4" plywood bases with casters so they are easy to move around, and when it comes time to defrost, I can roll out in the driveway and hose them out easy.
Part of 'freezer' row:
Wife does a GREAT job of keeping a running inventory, on each freezer, plus an Excel spreadsheet. She goes out couple times a week and pulls stuff out for meals the next several days, then let's that thaw in the house fridge.
Have small freezer alarm on each unit....not super happy with the amount of noise they put out....you'd never hear it in a basement, but I haven't run up on a LOUD one yet.
