Learn to can fruits and vegetables

this goal falls in line with eating healthier and being frugal.

I asked my mom… she’s gonna teach me this summer! WooHoo!

I have heard it is one way to improve the environment. I love my grandma’s canned beans and tomatoes. And My mom makes awesome canned hot peppers! I want them to teach me how to do it. I will learn this summer! I promise!!!

So, I’ve been wanting to learn this for a very long time. My mother didn’t do this and my grandparents all died when I was young so if they knew how I missed out. I just turned 42 and realized that I better get moving on this stuff if I want my kids to know. Guess I’ll visit amazon for a good used book on this.

might need ot do more next year.. trying to harvest year round (slightly above lat 45º N)

I just requested 3 canning and preserving books. It’s funny. Some things (gardening, canning, cooking, etc) that people just know, from parents, other people or osmosis, I have learn to discover myself. And the choice method of absorption, at least at first, reading library books.

has agreed to teach us both, but not until July or August when there’s actually something to can… I love that I have a friend that wants to learn how to do this, too. It seems like such a random interest in this day and age.

I’ve discovered that I don’t really like fruits or vegetables with a ton of added sugar/salt/vinegar. So I actually prefer dehydrating fruit. I’ve had success with apples, cherries, strawberries, pears, peaches, tomatoes, and nectarines. Less so with watermelon, canteloupe, carrots, squash…

Is all that I have ever done, therefore, I think that counts. I would like to make some chili sauce and can it – however, the season is over … maybe next year. A friend up-north makes “Sweet Fire” – it is bread n butter pickles canned along with jalapeno peppers. It is wonderful on a wheat thin spread with cream cheese and a pickle slice … Sweet with a Kick. TRY IT – YOU’LL LIKE IT!

So far this year I have put up strawberry jam, gooseberry jam, mixed berry jam, strawberry-rhubarb jam (it didn’t last long), dilly beans, applesauce, sweet relish, dill pickles, dill relish, peach butter, and pear mincemeat. Everything came from either our own garden or the local farmer’s market. I also froze a bunch of green beans & tomato sauce.

Water-bath canning is about the easiest thing in the world, you just follow the recipe. Get the Ball Big Blue Book & check garage sales for a canner if you don’t have a lot of money. As you use stuff, save the jars for next year & it gets pretty cheap pretty quick. :-)