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Farm Kitchen:  My first canning experience!  |
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beekeepersgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1423 Posts
Luanne
Cresco
PA
USA
1423 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 04:28:51 AM
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Hi ladies -
Now I really feel like "one of the gang". I canned for the first time last night! It was just a half bushel of tomatoes, but it's a start. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, so maybe I'll get brave and try something else. What else is easy to can for a beginner?
Thanks for all the advice you've given me about instruction books, etc. - it was a real help!
Blessings,
Luanne 
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 05:57:10 AM
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Congratulations! It feels like such an achievement, doesn't it? And tomatoes are not so easy--what a mess my kitchen is after canning tomatoes and salsa!
I love to can jam, though, admittedly my first attempt made jam "hockeypucks", but I KNOW you'll do better!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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paradiseplantation
True Blue Farmgirl
1277 Posts
julie
social springs community
Louisiana
USA
1277 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 06:03:23 AM
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Yea, Luanne! How fun for you! I just learned how to use a pressure canner this year, and now there's no turning back! I like doing jams, jellys and pickles. They're pretty easy. And Mrs. Wages has a salsa mix that's easy, too, if you want to try that.
from the hearts of paradise... |
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beekeepersgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1423 Posts
Luanne
Cresco
PA
USA
1423 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 06:04:05 AM
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Thanks Jonni!
Actually, the mess from the tomatoes was nothing compared to when we extract and bottle honey. Now that is really a sticky mess!!!
Do you have a good jam recipe?
Thanks!
Luanne
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 06:17:15 AM
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Good for you, Luanne! Now there's no stopping her. Green beans are pretty easy, too.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 07:09:55 AM
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I wish I could say I have an amazing jam recipe, but I just use the one on the back of the pectin box. Seems I got into trouble everytime I used on that I found online--so I just started "back to the beginning" and noone EVER complains :)
We make wild bramble jam (blackberries)...
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Ms.Lilly
True Blue Farmgirl
826 Posts
Lillian
Scotts Mills
OR
USA
826 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 09:15:39 AM
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Welcome to canning - the addiction that won't stop! Apples are real easy to can and make great pies. If your family likes pickled jalapenos that is an easy one, just remember to wear gloves when slicing them. You could also make tomato sauce. I could go on forever.......if you don't have the ball canning book go pick one up, there are so many ideas in it. Do remember if you can green beans they need to be pressure canned. Have fun.
Lillian |
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beekeepersgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1423 Posts
Luanne
Cresco
PA
USA
1423 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 09:18:26 AM
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Thanks Lillian!
I couldn't find the Ball canning book locally, so I ordered one from their website. It should be here any day now. I think I'm going to invest in a pressure canner. All I have is an old graniteware one that I inherited. We are in apple country, so think I will try some for pies and maybe some applesauce too!
Luanne
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
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beekeepersgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1423 Posts
Luanne
Cresco
PA
USA
1423 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 6:03:44 PM
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Help !!
I was so excited about canning for the first time (tomatoes), and put the jars in the pantry for 24 hours to cool with no draft, etc. Checked on them this evening when I got home, and several of the jars have quite a bit of empty space in the top above the tomatoes and they look kind of brown (burned?) What did I do wrong???? The seals appear to be tight, so are they safe to use?
Thanks,
Luanne
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
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pinkroses
True Blue Farmgirl
2350 Posts
Sheila
Virginia
USA
2350 Posts |
Posted - Aug 18 2009 : 6:18:04 PM
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congrads on your canning
I am sure you will love it.
My Mom and Grandmothers all canned.
I however don't because of health problems.
But,
I remember helping Mom.
All she canned was yummy.
I enjoyed seeing all the pretty canned food and fruits she use to can
I am glad your first time is a good one.
Keep up the good work. hugs sheila
www.ohkayteagirl2.blogspot.com
http;//www.sheilascreativewritings.blogspot.com |
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Roxy7
True Blue Farmgirl
1083 Posts
Robin
Denver
CO
USA
1083 Posts |
Posted - Aug 19 2009 : 06:44:49 AM
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Welcome to the club!
I want to see pictures of preparing the honey! |
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geminidream62
True Blue Farmgirl
74 Posts
Molly
Spokane
Washington
USA
74 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2009 : 08:40:16 AM
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May I tag a question onto this thread? My first solo canning experiment yesterday was puzzling. It seemed the jars ('wow', 4 pints of salsa...not much compared to you experts!)didn't seal because they never pinged. At the end of the day when they were cool I refrigerated them to be safe and then planned to reboil the salsa today and just freeze it.
I don't have the Ball book but do have the Sunset canning book and by their testing methods, it did seal. However, I can see little air spots (that move around easily enough and go to the top if I jiggle the jars) along the side. They processed 40 minutes, what the packet recipe said. It was one of those Mrs. Wages salsa mixes. What do you experts think? Safe/unsafe?
This has been a very puzzling experiment and rather deflating to my budding farmgirl fun. I'll try to add a photo...http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30195204&id=1537268731&ref=nf
Molly
http://geminisdream.blogspot.com/ |
Edited by - geminidream62 on Sep 06 2009 08:42:11 AM |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Sep 08 2009 : 6:58:52 PM
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Molly, do the lids pop up and down when you press on them or are they in a solid down position? That is how you can tell when they are sealed - sometimes mine ping when they are still in the canner so I don't hear them. And welcome to the forum "neighbor" - I work in Spokane even though I live out of town:)
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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geminidream62
True Blue Farmgirl
74 Posts
Molly
Spokane
Washington
USA
74 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2009 : 3:34:28 PM
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Molly, do the lids pop up and down when you press on them or are they in a solid down position?
Hi Amy (that's my sister's name!), the lids stay down...no movement. Like Mom always did I was careful to inspect the rims and seals well but that lack of pinging got me. Guess I was looking forward to that pretty noise. How strange that it can do that in the pot, good to know! And you don't think those little air pockets in the sides are any cause for concern? I'm hoping they just came about as the contents got jostled in the water bath as they processed.
Nice to 'meet' you neighbor! I live on the Northside of Spokane and work at Fairchild so you and I both log a lot of miles.
Molly
http://geminisdream.blogspot.com/ |
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graciegreeneyes
True Blue Farmgirl
3107 Posts
Amy Grace
Rosalia
WA
USA
3107 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2009 : 5:21:22 PM
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Molly, sometimes there are airbubbles in stuff - typically in green beans and other real chunky stuff where air can get trapped. I haven't ever really noticed them in salsa, guess I'd have to look at it to be sure, but if your top sealed you should be fine.
Yes, lots of miles:D I put 33,000 miles on the car I bought in June of 08 so far, at least I've got the gas mileage going for me now!!
Amy Grace
Farmgirl #224
"use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"
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Autumn Leaves
True Blue Farmgirl
463 Posts
Jennifer
Northern
California
USA
463 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2009 : 5:30:07 PM
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Hi girls!
I mostly make jam apricot, peach, blackberry and strawberry over 80 jars this summer. Guess what my friends and family will be getting for Christmas? When my grandma & I made applesauce when I was little we froze it. I was wondering with all my garden salsa couldn't I just freeze it as well? Looked in the canning books and all the veges in the salse can be frozen, can they all mixed up?
Jennifer
Never let yesterday use up too much of today - Will Rogers |
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Tapestry
True Blue Farmgirl
1223 Posts
Cheryl
Wisconsin
USA
1223 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2009 : 8:01:23 PM
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Isn't canning fun and addictive? Even though its a lot of work the results are sooooo worth it. So far this summer I've done 11 1/2 pts. of plum butter and 5 pints of apple butter. I still have half a bushel of apples to make up yet. My garden is so small there is just enough for hubby, myself and our next door neighbor who gave us compost. We hope to expand a bit next yr. I really love the raised bed gardens. So easy to weed and no tilling.
Happy farmgirl sister #353
Look for rainbows instead of mud puddles
http://www.Tapestry2u.Etsy.com
http://tapestrysimaginings.blogspot.com/ |
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Autumn Leaves
True Blue Farmgirl
463 Posts
Jennifer
Northern
California
USA
463 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2009 : 07:52:42 AM
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Ditto on the raised beds, I wouldn't have it any other way! I do believe they hold the water better and here our well really appreciates that. I also used the oak wine 1/2 barrels for my tomatoes, you can screw 1x1's to the sides and you use string to make the cages. They hold up better than the wire ones. Then plant pretty trailing flowers under the tomatoes, functional and beautiful! Our apples are just starting to get ready. I love fresh applesauce in the winter. My grandma made the best apple rhubarb pie. My garden was just perfect size this year but, I do have plans to change things around a bit next year. I've only made jam, salsa and will make applesauce this year. I hope to be confident enough next year to maybe do other things.
Jennifer
Never let yesterday use up too much of today - Will Rogers |
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naturemaiden
True Blue Farmgirl
2569 Posts
Connie - Farmgirl #673
Hoosick Falls
NY
USA
2569 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2009 : 03:52:24 AM
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CONGRATS!
..canning is something i will try someday....i'm afraid i wont do it right and i'll poison my family with deadly bacteria, lol. I have books, but with all the projects i do now, i will wait a while to try canning.
connie
www.NatureMaiden.com -Handcrafted Bath & Body Products that I make myself- including soaps, salves, lotion bars, lip balms, natural deodorants, body sprays, hydrosols, salt scrubs, and MUCH more!
http://site.naturemaiden.com/blog1/ (Business Blog)
http://flowerchild-lifeinthegarden.blogspot.com/(Personal blog)
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Farm Kitchen: My first canning experience! |
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My first canning experience!
