Author Topic: Does anyone can? (Read 3359 times)

Indiana Karen · « **on:** July 19, 2007, 05:38:48 PM »

Our vegetable garden is going strong. We got up this morning and picked green beans. I canned 35 quarts and my kitchen table is still piled high! My Mom and Sister came out to help break them. We had a great day and will finish up tomorrow.

Does anyone else can? If so, how about some pics.

miguynmkoi · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2007, 05:47:13 PM »

I've seen it done....My neighbors use to can my Babcock peaches and they turned out delicious. Plus they do all kinds of veges and other fruits.

Last night we took DS and his friends out to dinner for his BDay and I had to explain to him, the funky jars they use for drinks are actually canning bottles. Co-ink-a-dink that you should write about canning.

Your green beans look so healthy. Must be quite the garden! Canning is a whole lot of hot sweaty work. Not for me

Ky Kim · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2007, 07:20:30 PM »

Oh those look good, nothing like fresh greenbeans.

Kim

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2007, 07:39:24 PM »

Here are some pics of our garden. Right now we are enjoying green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant and several varieties of squash and peppers.

I love to can, but I do it in the comfort of my air-conditioned kitchen. My Mom is 87 and was telling us today about how she helped her mom can beans. They cooked them in a hugh pot over a wood fire outside.

Karen

livetogarden · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2007, 08:09:05 PM »

Yes, I can. My mom never did, said it was too much work so I didn't come by it from being raised doing it. But myself, hubby and kids love fresh veggies. Only home canned comes close, in our opinions so we can whatever we are able to.
Your garden is gorgeous. They are a lot of work, but worth it, right? Ours is 50' x 100'. Unfortunately all of ours is a few weeks behind. We got a late freeze and our entire spring was pushed back about 2-3 weeks.
Thanks for sharing, Karen. It gives me a glimspe of what will be coming in the next couple of weeks.

Esther · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2007, 08:12:13 PM »

I quit canning when I went back to work the last time. I remember when I first went back to work after my oldest was in school, mercy, that would be 33 years ago, I even canned beef, chicken and pork. But then I grew up on the farm and that was just the way we lived.

I hated canning corn. It was so hot and the juice would squirt out when you cut the kernals off the cob and you'd get so sticky. There were flies and it was icky having to sit there as a preteen with Mother and Grandma and do women's work. I'd rather have been out in the field driving tractor for baling. Oh yah, I did that too.

There was a bank customer whose house had burned down. Their church friends were helping them build a new home. She was telling me she had this huge garden and how they preserved everything they could get their hands on to save money to use on the house as the insurance didn't pay what they expected. So I tell her she can have my canning tools and jars. I give her my big pressure canner, three different size waterbath canners, the tongs, cherry pitter, apple peeler, funnel, and everything I had having to do with canning. I gave her boxes of different size jars and rings. OHHHHH she was so thrilled and promised to bring me things from her garden. So here I was all excited about having a few fresh vegetables and maybe even a jar or two of peaches or jam. Guess what I get, ===== 2 zuchinis!! That was all. 2. She never spoke to me again either. She would go out of her way to work with different people at the bank.

Just a few weeks ago I made up a batch of 2 1/2 quarts of salsa. And last week I put up 16 pints of wild black raspberry jam. I have been giving it away so my picture will look like I am lieing. I love to do strawberry and raspberry freezer jam. Oh and I loved canning black cherries. I didn't even pit them. I would put 2 cups of syrup in a quart jar and then fill the jar with cherries. I put that in black cherry jello. We always had to remind everybody to watch out for the pits. But I think they tasted better that way.

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2007, 05:49:28 AM »

Esther, sorry that your customer was so unappreciative. I bet you sometimes wish you still had some of that stuff. I inherited all of my canning equipment from my mother-in-law. I have two pressure canners, a waterbath, a great juicer I use for tomatoes, and all the gadgets. It is all really old, but does a great job. I also have oodles of jars, from people giving them to me when they quit canning, most of them are old ones too.
We don't have any fruit trees. My son always picks wild black raspberries for my Mom and she makes seedless jelly in half-pints and gives it to all the neighbors.

Livetogarden, yep our garden is late this year too and we don't have any grapes and few berries because of the late freezes. My Mom never canned as an adult either, but my aunt did and I stayed with her a lot. She also quilted and made rag rugs, which I love to do.

I'm looking forward to the tomatoes and peppers that are just now starting to ripen. I like to make relishes and salsa. Everything looks so pretty in the jars. My family always teases me because I leave my jars on the kitchen counter for a couple weeks to admire before I carry them to the basement.

Karen

Desertponder · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2007, 08:54:16 AM »

I used to can, mostly tomatoes and pickles. I actually like to do it but I just don't have the time for a big garden and canning anymore. I got rid of all my canning stuff when we moved two years ago. I probably shouldn't have but I just don't have the room for stuff.

Esther · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2007, 09:57:05 AM »

Yup, you're right. I'm sorry now I gave all my jars and equipment away. Now I have the time to can. But I never was much into vegetable gardening. That was my mom and she would either give me stuff or we would pick together.

Here's the picture of what is left of my salsa and black raspberry jam.

The black raspberries grow wild on my neighbor's property and they don't do anything with them. I got enough for several meals, cobbler, and the 16 pints of jam and still didn't get them all.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2007, 04:53:31 PM »

I can and make freezer jam. I would like to do more than I do. I read an article on small batch preserving and there is a book available too. If it isn't an entire weekend thing, I'd do more. I've made strawberry, raspberry, apricot and blackberry jam so far this year. I don't know why I make so much. We don't eat it all. I've got freezer jam that is years old and still tastes fine. We do Dilly Beans and they are a pain to trim. Everyone loves them though I don't.

Esther · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2007, 06:12:40 PM »

When you guys snip the beans, do you snip off the pointy end? Last night we had company for supper and I didn't snip them off. I just cut off the stem end. I figured it was a good part of the bean and not tough. Nobody noticed. My mom always cut off both ends.

Bonnie · « **Reply #11 on:** July 20, 2007, 06:56:05 PM »

Looks great Karen.. those memories will last a lifetime.

We canned alittle when I was growing up but mainly froze corn and freezer jam. Mom made pickled beets (which I hated and still don't like) and pickles too.

A few years ago, MIL and I made 'kraut, homemade tomato juice, canned tomatoes and frozen corn but truthfully the only thing that I really like to mess with is corn and jams/jellies now, Raspberry and Blackberry especially!
Oh, I do occasionally like to make chunky applesauce and freeze it ........

The only thing that I am growing this year is tomatoes and I put them out late so I don't know how many I'll get from them.
I traded Ed and got some Blackberry plants from him and put them at the edge of our property by the woods because I no longer go blackberry picking because of the ticks.. I think I'm allergic to them now because the last 5 years I've had to be put on antibiotics after I pick one off of me.
So..hopefully I will get some berries from the plants next year, I'll be happy even if it's enough to make a pie or cobbler!

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #12 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:30:19 PM »

Esther your jelly and salsa look yummy. Yes, I do break off the little pointy end, don't know why I do, just always did it that way.

I usually make the strawberry freezer jam. This year we had a friend that gave us two gallons of blackberries, the tame kind. Some of them are as big as the end of my thumb, but they are not as tasty as the wild ones. LeeAnne, all of those jams sound so good, they would make great gifts. I'm not familiar with dilly beans, but that sounds good. Could I have your recipe, or maybe it would be in my canning book. I love to put corn up in the freezer but we have quit growing it because of all the squirrels eating it.

We got the beans done today, here's a pic, all 55 quarts

Karen

thepitclub · « **Reply #13 on:** July 21, 2007, 05:12:39 AM »

I do also, but I didn't get a garden in this year. :'( My garden area had standing water until about a month ago, and I couldn't get it turned over. It's usually very wet at the beginning of the season, but never as bad as this year. Ah well, there's always next year.

I learned canning from my grandma and my mother- it's almost second nature.

usually I do stewed tomatoes, okra, hot peppers, and peaches. I prefer to blanch and freeze the corn and beans (I prefer my veggies CRISP). I occasionally do jams and jellies too. (Esther- it was an excellent year for wild blackberries (black raspberries?), wasn't it?! I had millions this year.)

Here's my FAVORITE canning site! http://www.paulnoll.com/Oregon/Canning/index.html I used this site so much last year, I felt like Paul and Bernice were my grandparents...

Esther · « **Reply #14 on:** July 21, 2007, 06:07:35 AM »

Blackberries and wild black raspberries are two different things. They look a little alike but the raspberries are a cap type shape whereas the blackberries aren't. The stem of a raspberry pulls OUT of the fruit. The blackberry stem breaks away at the fruits lower surface. Blackberries are larger than raspberries also, maybe almost twice the size. Maybe they're cousins.

LeeAnne151 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 21, 2007, 08:04:35 AM »

The Dilly Bean recipe is in the Ball Blue Book, I think it has been discussed and is posted on this forum somewhere too.

I cut off both ends of the beans.

I buy all of my produce at farm stands or farmer's markets. No room for a garden on this tiny lot other than a few tomato plants.

I used Ball Freezer Jam pectin this year, it is in a envelope not a box. I used many more berries than it said to use and it worked great. I think it said 4 cups of crushed berries and I used the entire half flat that I bought on all batches. To me, freezer jam is supposed to be somewhat sloppy.

I give it away but not for Christmas because it needs to stay frozen. I should do some in jars in a water bath because I would love to ship it to my friends in Arizona who don't know what real berries taste like. I tried taking freezer jam on the plane with ice once but it made a horrid mess as it melted even though it was in zip lock bags.

thepitclub · « **Reply #16 on:** July 21, 2007, 08:26:59 AM »

Quote from: Esther on July 21, 2007, 06:07:35 AM

Blackberries and wild black raspberries are two different things. They look a little alike but the raspberries are a cap type shape whereas the blackberries aren't. The stem of a raspberry pulls OUT of the fruit. The blackberry stem breaks away at the fruits lower surface. Blackberries are larger than raspberries also, maybe almost twice the size. Maybe they're cousins.

Thanks for the clarification! Then it is black raspberries we had soooo many of this year. The kids would come in with purple fingers and faces every time they went outside.

Mikey · « **Reply #17 on:** July 22, 2007, 09:51:37 PM »

Wow Karen, that's some serious canning. I pickled several jars of jalepenos last year but I used a cold process that uses all vinegar and the top is "sealed" with a couple tablespoons of olive oil.

Lorraine · « **Reply #18 on:** July 23, 2007, 05:23:44 AM »

That is some serious canning. Bet those beans taste wonderful. I used to cann too. I did tomatoes and pears. Before the tree died, I canned the pears, they were a hard pear, I cooked them for a few and then canned them by using a waterbath canner. One year I canned 119 quarts of pears and about 100 canns of tomatoes. I went to the farmers market and got the tomatoes. I feel like doing it again (the tomatoes) I use a lot and with the price of canns and all this 'tained food ' going on maybe time to start it again.

Esther · « **Reply #19 on:** July 23, 2007, 06:04:33 AM »

I understand what you mean when you say you go look at your handywork several times before you put them away. We had some old kitchen cabinet doors and they just happened to fit over the gap on the shelves in the basement. WE put them up to keep the sawdust off the jars. I remember going clear down stairs to get a jar and opening all the doors to gaze at my stash and feeling so proud of my work.

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #20 on:** July 23, 2007, 03:25:30 PM »

Pitclub thats a great website!

Mikey, you are brave to can jalapenos. I don't like spicy foods, but my boys do. One year we grew different hot peppers and I made salsa. I got in the biggest mess with getting it in my eyes, on my lips, etc. Now I use a packaged spice mixture for my salsa, add a few jalapenos and wear rubber gloves!

Lorraine, I would love to have 119 quarts of pears!!! We have never planted fruit trees since moving here sixteen years ago. We had them at our other house, but it seemed like a lot of work spraying them, and most years the frost got our peaches. I canned spiced peaches one year, they were beautiful in the jars and delicious.

Karen

Mikey · « **Reply #21 on:** July 23, 2007, 05:20:31 PM »

Quote

Mikey, you are brave to can jalapenos. I don't like spicy foods, but my boys do. One year we grew different hot peppers and I made salsa. I got in the biggest mess with getting it in my eyes, on my lips, etc.

The first year I canned Jalapeños I had a huge bowl full of the sliced Jalapeño peppers, peppercorns, onions, garlic etc. The fetching Mrs. Mikey suggested I wear rubber gloves or use a large spoon to mix up the stuff. Humph! "Rubber gloves" I thought..... So I dug in with both hands and mixed everything up. I washed my hands immediately afterwords and was careful not to rub my eyes. About 30 minutes later I noticed a dull burning sensation in my hands. I washed them again. In about 45 minutes my hands were throbbing and nothing would alleviate the pain. I took asperin... After about two hours the pain was reduced to just that dull burning sensation and in another hour or so the pain was gone. The next time I processed Jalapeños I wore rubber gloves

The fetching one didn't give me that, "I told you so" even though I deserved it. I love that woman...

Esther · « **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2007, 07:03:46 PM »

Oh my word Mikey. I don't like spicey stuff so never have dealt with peppers except the regular green, red, orange and yellow ones. They're the ones that all look alike. I use a little of them for color in some dishes. But I had no idea the hot ones could burn a person't hands like that!!! And you eat those things!!! Once I had planted some green pepper plants and somehow I had ended up with a bananna pepper plant. I remember breaking the stem off of one and touching it to my tongue and it burned pretty bad so I gave the plant to my neighbor.

Brian · « **Reply #23 on:** July 24, 2007, 09:26:35 AM »

Karen,
I noticed the Saladmaster stock pots next to your pressure cooker. Don't you just love them? I have several pieces and just love the stuff. It is expensive and why I don't buy any more, but I've got enough to get me by. I bought what I have when I was still living at home with mom and dad and didn't have any bills to speak of.

barb · « **Reply #24 on:** July 24, 2007, 10:03:10 AM »

Wow, you guys are industrious! I remember watching my grandmother can. I never have, always wanted to, but I did make freezer jam a few weeks ago.

Sandyd · « **Reply #25 on:** July 24, 2007, 01:47:23 PM »

The only thing I can is tomatoes and juices.

I freeze and vacuum pac beans, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, squash, peaches, apples, cherries. It is time consuming but we don't have to buy fruits or veggies in the winter. We have 4 large freezers and use 2 for meats and 2 for the veggies and fruits.

Hats off too you for canning up the veggies. It is so rewarding.

Indiana Karen · « **Reply #26 on:** July 24, 2007, 03:40:21 PM »

Brian, yep I love my waterless cookware. I have had it for about a year, waited thirty to get it

I throw frozen chicken breasts in it, add some frozen vegetables (no liquid) and in about thirty minutes dinner is ready. Always "boil" my eggs with no water, only one damp paper towel. Cakes bake great in the big skillet too!

Sandy, you do some serious freezing. We have a big deep freeze and buy our beef and pork off of local farmers. I wish I knew a chicken farmer

Karen