Getting Ready for Canning??

[ProudGranny]

I was wondering if everyone is getting geared up for canning season? What types of things is everyone planning on canning? Are you canning homegrown or locally produced products?

I guess since I asked, I'll start:

We initially planted the garden (a small one - we usually utilize the local Amish market quite a bit) the latter part of April and ended up replanting grean beans, squash, cucumbers, and some other things. We planted the above ground crops earlier than should have been. But, the potatoes are beautiful! All is growing now, and so far, so good. But, I don't like to "count my chickens" before they hatch.

My plans are to can salsa, tomato juice, tomatoes, various jellies and jams (blackberry, apple, pear, maybe strawberry), corn, green beans, and whatever else happens to work out at the time, Lord willing! Most of the items I can will be a combination of homegrown and locally grown due to small garden size.

I have purchased some new jars (I usually use the new jars for pressure canner batches to avoid breakage issues - it usually works!), need to purchase some more lids, found a deal on pectin, and am just waiting to see what the growing season will bring.

***Mods, if this thread "thrives", what are the chances of making it a temporary sticky??

[happymommy728]

We're canning beets this weekend. It's my first time to do it and I'm pretty excitied:) My father-in-law is great at it so he's going to teach me how to do everything. We're planning on canning or freezing just about everything we're growing this year...tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, zucchini,peppers, beans...
We're also doing apple butter and a few other jams...I'm going to try a peach jam this year.

[ProudGranny]

Wow, happymommy728, I love canning pickled beets! They are fun (pretty color), they taste great (although, that is debated in this house, lol - an aquired taste maybe????), and I love the smell when canning them. But...I freely admit to being geeky in the canning dept...

Hope all goes well in your first canning endeavor, you will be hooked! Let us know how it turns out.

[HSmomto4]

proudgranny, I have all kinds of things that I want to can, but I just don't seem to understand how to work my canner without burning everything inside. I had to pitch my baked beans and I have tons of tomatoes that I want to can, but I'm afraid I will ruin them as well. I have over 20 lbs of roma tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce with but again I'm scared! Have any advice for me?

[ProudGranny]

Good Morning, HSmomto4! I will try to help you, as much as possible from a distance, lol.

1st- When you mention that you don't understand how to work you canner, are you talking about a pressure canner or water bath canner? (Remember: non-acid products are pressure canned, acid products can be water bath canned). Were you cooking your baked beans in a pressure cooker when they burned?


2nd-Is spaghetti sauce your only idea for the Roma tomatoes? I think salsa is great with the Roma tomato. 20 lbs of Roma tomatoes would make 3 batches of salsa. If that is your plan, here is my idea:

-Get some Mrs. Wages Salsa Mix (in either regular or hot, I make both). Follow the directions on the package or at this site:
http://www.mrswages.com/recipes/salsamix.asp
The package states to process the pints for 40 minutes in a boiling water bath.

I recommend starting with salsa if you have never canned because spaghetti sauce is a little more complicated.

If you are going to make spaghetti sauce, I recommend using Mrs. Wages Spaghetti Sauce mix and following directions carefully. I make and can spaghetti sauce occationally (my other half does not like spaghetti sauce, but loves salsa-so I make lots and lots of it)and I always have to remember to use a very heavy bottomed pot and to be very careful about cooking the sauce slowly, very, very slowly. Tomato products burn easily and if they are not watched and slowly processed, they will make a big mess. ICK, ICK, ICK.

-Try to remember that when processing tomatoes, you really have a "2" step process going on. The first is preparing the salsa, or sauce, or juice, or whatever. THEN, the second step is canning the product. You make your sauce or salsa like you would eat it tomorrow, but just can it instead.

Baked Beans are a pressure canned item, because of the beans.

***Rule of thumb: if what you are making contains any non-acid products, it is pressure canned. For instance: spaghetti sauce can be water bath canned, but put meat in it and it is pressure canned.

HSMomto4, if you can give me more specifics on what your intentions were/are, I will try to help. And, what type of processing you were trying to do.

[deanne53]

Plan on canning beans, carrots, beets, relish, pickles, jams, jellies, apples, peaches, pears,..... peach , cherry and blueberry pie filling, apple butter, tomatoes, Italian Peppers, tomato juice, and V-8, if the good Lord willing.
Drying----- broccoli, potatoes, strawberries, carrots, celery, corn, pinto beans, onions and herbs. ( this is my daughters job)

I share can. I have people who have no time to can but will give me bushels of veggies, or fruits, and I give them half to 1/3 of what I can, depending on sugars, and jars that I use... I also have 3 gardens, plus my herb garden and my small orchard.

Does anyone have good ideas what to do with gooseberries?

[ProudGranny]

deanne 53-Oh my, I have never canned gooseberry jelly, but sure am wanting to...I take it you have access?? I have read mention of an ice cream sauce from gooseberries. I bet that would be super!

***Quick story: I canned choke cherries years ago (I am giving my identity away to those that know me, lol) and the first batch I tried to make jelly with did not jell. That was the best ice cream sauce I have ever eaten. No joke!

Sounds like you are going to have a very busy processing season. What a list! Drying all of those items is great. I love dried potatoes and carrots and onions and celery (handy to have around). Dried strawberries are wonderful. I have never dried corn or pinto beans.

Also, your share canning sounds interesting. If others provide the produce, do you provide the jars? For me, this is always the biggest expense involved, usually. That sounds like a great concept. I should check that out!

[icebear]

i'm just getting my plants/seeds into the ground. planted the hops yesterday.

[ProudGranny]

Good afternoon, icebear! I am not surprised that you are just now getting things into the garden. You live quite far north. How long is your growing season, usually?

I am praying that we all have a productive growing season, with lots of great things to can!

[deanne53]

Also, your share canning sounds interesting. If others provide the produce, do you provide the jars? For me, this is always the biggest expense involved, usually. That sounds like a great concept. I should check that out![/QUOTE]

Sometimes, but I always get my jars back. The people are good about doing it. It helps me get some produce that I don't raise, or isn't doing as great, that why I'm insured of having some.
Another way I have done it, is with a friend. She cans the peaches, I do the cherries, she does one kind of pickle, I do the relish. Then when we are done canning, we meet and trade our goods.