I bet I'm not the only one on here that has been canning their butts off to increase your pantry supply... My garden was a total bust this year and I felt so depressed about it. At our last farm we had the garden almost in perfect shape and everything we planted just produced and produced some more. Well, we bought this farm and it has been one huge up hill fight to get the garden going. I was really frustrated until I thought about it and decided to just go buy the stuff I would normally be canning and can that instead. It's not the same as picking it from my own garden but it's better than sitting here twiddling my thumbs and looking at empty canning jars! Lol. Bought myself a new canner this year. All my life I wanted an All American canner so finally was able to get one and am so happy with it!!! Now I can can 19 quart jars at one time and it makes the work easier. Made a bunch of pickled peppers, canned green beans, tomatoes, and doing pickles tomorrow. I got tomatoes coming out both ears and getting more Monday. Got 2 big boxes of green peppers and cut and froze those for winter chili. When I get enough of those done, I think I will can up some convenience meals like pinto beans, chili, potato & tomato soups. This is FUN! Today it was so nice outside me & hubby got to finish making our can rotator shelf. It isn't quite as big as I wanted it but it will still hold 810 cans of veggies and fruit in a pretty small space. Me and oldest son attached the rails while hubby installed the shelves. I took out some of the odd sized cans like spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, and peaches etc.. to measure out spaces for them too. Didn't have time to paint it but heck, I'm the only one who has to look at it and it looks GREAT to me since it will give me more room in the pantry. I asked him to put it on rollers so I can angle it out to drop the cans in and then push it back against the wall. I guess tomorrow I will be rearranging all those cans!
What a wonderful encouraging post. I wish I had been so productive. My efforts have been along other lines. Your post is a great example to others. ..
OK, lol. I'll try to get pictures up tonight if I get it all back in the pantry.... IF! When my husband first added the pantry for me it looked so huge, now its too small and I'm scrambling to try and reorganize so I maximize storage without losing convenience. Thank goodness we have 2 kitchens in the house since we built moms granny flat onto the back of the house, because the main kitchen is all ripped out and theres no water in there yet which is driving me bonkers!!!!!Especially while trying to can and cook. I'll post pics if you don't laugh at my unfinished kitchen... I'm doing an early 1900's retro kitchen using 2 old Hoosier cabinets for work surfaces, enamel table if it fits in there, cast iron etc... most people won't like it but thats what I wanted!
I'm so sick of picking, shelling, cleaning, & vacuum sealing Peas it ain't even Funny. Bought a small 7cubic feet freezer & put in basement. It slam full now with squash, peas, & butter beans from Garden, & theres MORE COMING!!!!
My garden was also a bust this year. Thought this was going to be the best year ever when my strawberries produced well and every single jar of jelly sealed. Jokes on me, no rain, hotter than I have ever seen it here. Tomatoes look like cherry tomatoes and the skin is so thick! Nearly an acre of sweet corn, whithered without a single ear produced. Can't even talk about the condition of the potatoes, it's too painful, LOL. The one bright spot is that the peach tree is loaded with fruit. Hadn't thought about buying my veggies and canning them. Duh. Talk about not seeing the forest through the trees. Would be nice to see some fresh veggies and not want to cry....may have to road trip it south, the farmer's markets around here had the same problems we did. At any rate, thanks for the idea, brightened my day!!!
My garden has produced pretty well on some things, not so well on others. I've canned a ton of different salsas, plus made gobs of powdered and crushed peppers and seasoning mixes, but not much else. I put a post on a local Facebook swap page looking for green beans, cucumbers, and a few other things. Offered to swap fresh eggs for it. I got several folks happy to trade over a ton of produce, so am canning all that up. Those All Americans are the bomb eh?
Kathy in WV could you post your recipe for canning potato soup, please and thank you? Also, do you have any problems canning with dairy products (if you use dairy in the soup)? I've done pickles, tomatoes, green beans, potatos, jam, salsa, juices, would love to do some soup. Hubby & I ordered a cow from local butcher, it'll be here in about a month. Was going to try to can some beef, any experience anyone has with that would be appreciated. Read tac's posts, lot of good info there, just worrying about turning beef into inedible slush. Totally agree with ditch witch. All Americans are the bomb!! The one bday present hubby got away with buying me kitchen stuff....
My garden produced enough to supplement out meals and that's about it. I was able to do some canning of Jams, beans, pickles & tomato sauce however. Went to a local U-Pick strawberry place and got around 24lbs of strawberries. The in-laws blackberry bushes produced well. Got some beans from the in-laws as well. For my tomatoes I went to the local farmers market and asked for the "canning tomatoes". Came home with approx 85lbs of tomatoes for about $20.00. Spent an afternoon processing and canning them. The lady at one of the booths at the farmers market told me to come on back and get more tomatoes. I don't know what they do with them if they don't sell, but I know I got some funny looks when I was leaving with 4 boxes of tomatoes.
We ask for salsa tomatoes. Gets us the ugly ones that haven't sold by the time they want to go home. Funny how people get about a little scar or bug spot. I saw a woman once get wiggy over dirt on carrots. If anyone likes pumpkins, go by any garden center that sells them and offer to haul off the excess after Halloween/T-giving. I had two that would call me the day after, and I'd load up a 16 ft stock trailer with perfectly good pumpkins. They were thrilled I saved them the hassle of dragging them to the dumpster. Be prepared for a few rotted ones, but most will be good. I canned a bunch, and fed the rest to the sheep and goats over the winter. Long as they don't freeze solid, they'll keep nearly all winter. I love raw pumpkin; cut a chunk out, salt it a little, and just eat it like that.
Mmmmmm.......pumpkin butter on a frigid snowy morning..... peanut, no real recipe. Just can it without the milk or butter and you can put those in after opening. I've been tempted to try canning it with all ingredients, but then I'll read yet another post somewhere about someone trying it and getting bulging lids within a week. So I chicken out because I HATE to waste food!
peanut... about canning beef (or any meat). Find you a Ball Blue Book, aka beginning canners bible. It is inexpensive and helpful to refer to it when you forget something. I can beef and chicken. I de-bone all my beef but with chicken I leave the bones in because my dogs love them(they fall apart after being canned). I like to partially cook my meat, pack loosely in jars, cover in broth and process at __lbs of pressure for 90 minutes per quart. Go lightly on spices because they seem stronger canned.
Santa didn't bring me my "All American canner" this year. I guess I was a bad boy a time or three. I am lucky I got more than a lump of coal. Oh well, it's still on my wish list and I have my birthday to look forward to. ...
