It's Canning Time

[PistolBob]

It's that time of year...tomatoes, beans, corn..all starting to come in. We've been canning green beans for about three weeks and will start some tomato goodies next week (salsa, juice, and whole maters).

Get a pressure canner, pressure can everything. We can chicken breast, pork loin, venison, even hamburger.

Follow the instructions found here in the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning.

This is another good site for the newbie canner. Ball Home Canning 101

ebay has a ton of used pressure canners, no matter what though, when buying a used canner, ALWAYS replace the seals and gaskets before using. If you get one with a gauge and the needle isn't set on zero when not in use...then the gauge needs replaced too. The two main brands of canners in use today are Presto and All American. We have a couple of the older Presto canners, they hold 7 quart jars or 20 pint jars.

Youtube has literally a thousand videos on canning stuff from veggies, to meat, soups, stews, and whole chickens. You can spend days watching those videos.

 

[halfmileharry]

Rural King is really stocked up on canning supplies, how to pamplets, and everything you need.

 

[PistolBob]

Forgot to mention...even if you don't grow your own...when you see green beans for less than 99c a pound, you can get a bushel of green beans for $28 since there are 28 lbs in a bushel. We can 1 lb of green beans per quart jar and we usually keep about 28-30 quarts on the shelf for the two of us...lasts us exactly a year. If you can get your hands on some tomatoes, even late season one with a few scars on them, they make great salsa, juice, and diced. We get about 60 pints of salsa out of a bushel of tomatoes....we use the Mrs Wages Salsa mix and some extra peppers and onions. You can also make up 10 lbs of meatloaf mix, and can that in wide mouth pint jars. canned meatloaf is the BOMB DIGGEDY. 10 lbs of meatloaf mix makes about 10 pints of canned meatloaf.

 

[rhino]

Are canning jars still all glass, or do they make them from polycarbonate or some other suitable polymers yet?

 

[pudly]

They are glass with metal lids. Several benefits- no leaching chemicals into the product, able to be used in pressure cookers for hot water canning, etc.

 

[spencer rifle]

Mixed berry (raspberry and blackberry) jam from last week.

We have a used All American when we need pressure canning. That thing is HEAVY. When the chickens stopped laying last fall, we canned them. Makes a tough old bird more edible.

 

[PistolBob]

if you want to stop the lime build up on your jars....dump a 1/4 cup of white vinegar in your canner water before you start. Keeps the lime off the jars.

 

[Spear Dane]

Are canning jars still all glass, or do they make them from polycarbonate or some other suitable polymers yet?

There is no and probably never will be a suitable polymer. Glass is perfect, other than it is somewhat fragile.

 

[Spear Dane]

When the chickens stopped laying last fall, we canned them. Makes a tough old bird more edible.

Well, that's a whole new take on getting fired. And harsh too!

 

[Leadeye]

We'll have to try the salsa canning, only worked with juice and regular tomatoes so far.

 

[fordfarmboy]

60 guart bags tonight .Man did the house get hot two pans boiling . But it will sure be good this winter .

 

[Old Dog]

30 qts of green beans this past week, and 16 qts. sour kraut. Waiting on 'maters to finally ripen. Nothing compares to home canned salsa- fresh tomatoes, onions, bell peppers yum-yum. Coons have wiped out my early sweet corn, but 3 have suffered from lead poisoning so maybe the late planting will produce.

 

[PistolBob]

30 qts of green beans this past week, and 16 qts. sour kraut. Waiting on 'maters to finally ripen. Nothing compares to home canned salsa- fresh tomatoes, onions, bell peppers yum-yum. Coons have wiped out my early sweet corn, but 3 have suffered from lead poisoning so maybe the late planting will produce.

How do you make your kraut?

 

[2in1evtime]

28 quarts of green beans,22 pints of bread and butter pickles, 22 quart bags of frozen corn, pickled squash and zucchini in pints total of 30. will be doing more beans and lima beans in pints also. and were just getting started

 

[bwframe]

Getting started, a lot waiting to go in the canner.

 

[Jackson]

I'm probably way too lazy for gardening, but I like the idea. So I have a few questions for those who are canning home-grown produce.

1. How much area does the garden take up?
2. Does the above garden supply a full year worth of veggies?
3. Do yiu harvest your own seeds and replant them, buy seeds every year, or buy sprouted plants?
4. What are the long-term storage options other than canning? Freezing? Root cellar?

 

[pudly]

I'm probably way too lazy for gardening, but I like the idea. So I have a few questions for those who are canning home-grown produce.

1. How much area does the garden take up?
As much or as little as you want. You can grow anything from a single container tomato plant up to an acre+ for home use. I started small with three containers and have built up to 1/10th acre for mixed use in different stages of production- raised beds, mini-orchard, berry plants, and in the future a greenhouse and birds.

2. Does the above garden supply a full year worth of veggies?
Depending on the size, output and plant mix, you can grow a a full year's supply of some vegetables for a family. In our modern world, where you have so many options, it is highly doubtful that all of your vegetables will come from there as you will want some things that simply don't grow well in Indiana. Almost no one will produce 100% of their food from their own garden.

3. Do you harvest your own seeds and replant them, buy seeds every year, or buy sprouted plants?
Personally, I use a mixture of all three. Seed saving saves money and can result in plants that have adapted best to your particular environment. You purposely harvest seeds from plants that do the best in your soils/climate, produce the largest/tastiest/earliest produce, etc. Seed packets are a great/cheap way to bring in new varieties. You often get enough seed in a packet to use over multiple years. I'll buy small potted plants for something that I only want one or two of or want to get off to a faster start.

4. What are the long-term storage options other than canning? Freezing? Root cellar?
A root cellar is great if you have the option, but many don't. Other than that canning, freezing, curing, drying, or freeze drying are all options depending on the specific type of food. A few vegetable types don't need much in the way of preservation, some squashes will last 6+ monthes on a shelf, apples/onions/garlic/potatoes can keep for a fair while in a ventilated/cool area.

My answers above. You should also consider the following:

• Growing plants can be very therapeutic. After a tough day, getting outside and working with the plant for a few minutes each day can be a good way to de-stress.
• If you aren't sure you want to dive in, I'd definitely suggest starting small- tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash/zucchini are some easy to grow and very productive options to start with.
• You are very likely, even with a small garden to share some of the output with neighbors, friends and/or family. This helps build better relationships/community which is the real secret to dealing with many potential SHTF scenarios.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

If you get one with a gauge and the needle isn't set on zero when not in use...then the gauge needs replaced too.

Just because the gauge is on zero when not in use does not mean it is accurate. They recommend having them checked every year. Most (all?) county extension offices will test for free or cheap.

 

[PistolBob]

Just because the gauge is on zero when not in use does not mean it is accurate. They recommend having them checked every year. Most (all?) county extension offices will test for free or cheap.

I also use a 15 lb jiggler on my canner....my new gauge must be working right, at exactly 15 lbs on the gauge my jiggler does it's thing and jiggles...

 

[nate77]

Bought a weight for my gauge canner, it is so much easier than adjusting pressure with heat, and a lot more set it, and forget it.

I also can on the back deck with turkey frier type propane burner, much nicer keeping the heat outside.

I've done 7 quarts of red tomato juice, 7 quarts of yellow tomato juice, 24 pints of salsa, 14 quarts of green beans, and five pints of spicy dill pickles.