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Post by angel97701 on Jul 26, 2014 5:01:54 GMT
In the last week I have canned 8 pints of apple sauce and prepped 20+ pounds of apples for pies. Any other refupeas out there doing the tedious work that it takes to prep, can, or freeze food for later use? We also have two steer in the field that will be butchered in the fall, but I don't have to do that part! Just load up the freezer! We have a garden for the first time on our property this year. We will see if we get anything!  We live at a higher elevation that does not have a set freeze date. . . so it make it difficult to get things to maturity. We can't plant until about June 15th outdoors, and I was too busy to start anything indoors. Raised mounds or raised beds are the only way we can get the soil temps up so the plants will grow a little more quickly. Temps the last two nights have been in the low 40's. |
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marianne
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys. . . My monkeys fly!
Posts: 4,176 
Location: right smack dab in the middle of SC
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Jun 25, 2014 21:08:26 GMT
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Post by marianne on Jul 26, 2014 5:22:22 GMT
We don't can, we freeze - peaches and corn in the summer, sometimes tomatoes, and apples in the fall. We don't have a garden - we get our produce from our local orchard/farmers market. I make applesauce, apple pie filling, and apple slices. The peaches I just slice and the corn gets cut off the cobs. Tomatoes I just freeze as is and use when I'm ready. I think we ended up with about 20 pints of applesauce, 25 pints/bags of corn, and about the same for the peaches. I don't remember how many pounds of tomatoes we did. Yes, it's a lot of prep work, but oh, so worth it! Nothing better than a fresh dish of peaches or corn in January.  I also do a good bit of freezer cooking. We really like being able to just pull dinner out of the freezer and heat it up. |
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 6:23:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2014 7:25:25 GMT
I can peaches and tomatoes every year. Jam will vary, depending on my mood and available time. This year I did sour cherry preserves because I happened on sour cherries at a great price. We have a short growing season here in northern PA too. We wait and wait and wait to plant, then everything comes on in a rush, and then it's all over. I have winter squash, tomatoes, onions, asparagus, strawberries and potatoes this year. I wish I had put in some hot peppers as I'm thinking about doing spicy tomato juice.
It's a lot of work, but there is nothing more satisfying than the POP of jars sealing after they come out of the canner. I also love seeing the rows of canned goods on the shelves.
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Post by gmcwife1 on Jul 26, 2014 7:47:05 GMT
Last year I made my first batch of freezer jam. This year I made three batches! One batch each of strawberry, blackberry and raspberry.
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Post by formerpea on Jul 26, 2014 8:37:23 GMT
I can some, freeze some (I have a vacuum sealer which I love) depends on my mood). I water bath can, not pressure cooker can, Ifind it too intimidating - anyone have any advice on that method?
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purplebee
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,792
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Post by purplebee on Jul 26, 2014 12:09:06 GMT
Just canned 25 lbs. of beets last week, pickled them for dh, his favorite. Got 13 quarts. Boy beets are a messy PITA, but they sure do look pretty in the jars. I even took some pics for a scrapbook page!
Our butcher steer steer will be ready to go in a couple of weeks. We have the local meat processing place/slaughterhouse do the deed, and they will age the carcass for us for a week, but we have a small butcher shop in our shop and do the cutting and wrapping ourselves. I am very grateful that we raise and process all of our own meat. We know exactly how they are fed, and we cut it up to our liking. Have a few pangs when we sent the steer off, but once he becomes a side of beef, no problem processing, cooking and eating him!
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Post by juliet on Jul 26, 2014 13:23:38 GMT
I'm hoping to can apples (applesauce and pie-filling) this year. Last year I prepped 30lbs, but decided to freeze it instead of canning it. I'm still a bit scared I will mess it up!
Is freezer jam different than canned jam? I would love to make a few jams as well this year.
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Post by Zee on Jul 26, 2014 13:23:40 GMT
I can some, freeze some (I have a vacuum sealer which I love) depends on my mood). I water bath can, not pressure cooker can, Ifind it too intimidating - anyone have any advice on that method? If I can do it, anyone can  I love to do green beans, which requires pressure canning. I bought a pressure canner a few years ago, read the instructions, and had at it. If you can water bath can you can pressure can! It's very similar only there is a locking lid and a gauge to tell you the psi. You wait for the water inside to boil and a good stream of steam to come out, and then you follow the directions as to how to monitor the pressure. It's not hard, just takes a while. You just have to babysit the pressure gauge for the prescribed amount of time (around 20 minutes or so, whatever the book tells you for your particular food item) by turning the burner heat up and down as needed. I'm sure there are fancier systems but I got the entry-level model they sell at farm and fleet, Wal-Mart, etc. Then you let it sit until the valve releases and the canner can be unlocked. Voila, you're done! |
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Post by AR Scrapper on Jul 26, 2014 14:28:20 GMT
I bought a pressure canner last year, but haven't been brave enough to can anything yet.. I plan on attempting it this summer. I just made strawberry jam with my husbands aunt (hot water bath, she did all the hard work, lol). We just finished our first set of blueberries. We go to a u pick place around here that is $1/lb so we normally freeze a lot of blueberries to use all winter long. I have 15 lbs of blueberries in my freezer right now.
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mimima
Drama Llama
Stay Gold, Ponyboy
Posts: 5,074
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Post by mimima on Jul 26, 2014 16:20:00 GMT
I love to can - this week I've done dilly beans and raspberry jam. I've also done strawberry jam. Peaches and tomatoes are next, and blueberry jam and in a syrup
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Post by lbp on Jul 26, 2014 19:25:35 GMT
So far this year I have canned: 14 pints of cherry preserves 52 quarts of green beans 24 pints of tomato juice 14 pints of salsa 20 pints of relish 7 pints lime pickles and frozen: 4 quarts of tomatoes 21 quarts of yellow squash 8 pints of spinach 7 quarts of green beans and 2 gallon bags of sliced jalapeno peppers. Needless to say our garden has been fantastic this year!  |
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Post by Jubel on Jul 26, 2014 19:42:48 GMT
I freeze and can, just waiting for my tomatoes to get ready so i can start spaghetti sauce. So far we had 12 lb of strawberries this year, as soon as i bring them inside my sons use them for smoothies, so it doesn't look like i get any jam this year  Guess i need to plant another 50 strawberry plants next year. Been shredding lots of zucchini for the freezer. Note for next year, don't ever plant 6 zucchini plants again, lol |
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eastcoastpea
Prolific Pea
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Jun 27, 2014 13:05:28 GMT
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Post by eastcoastpea on Jul 26, 2014 20:15:14 GMT
I'm in the mood to but my sister is redoing her kitchen and that's where we can. I think we probably won't do any until next year.
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Post by angel97701 on Jul 27, 2014 0:34:17 GMT
Our butcher steer steer will be ready to go in a couple of weeks. We have the local meat processing place/slaughterhouse do the deed, and they will age the carcass for us for a week, but we have a small butcher shop in our shop and do the cutting and wrapping ourselves. I am very grateful that we raise and process all of our own meat. We know exactly how they are fed, and we cut it up to our liking. Have a few pangs when we sent the steer off, but once he becomes a side of beef, no problem processing, cooking and eating him! I felt a little pang or two when the kill truck came last year, as our steer were gentle enough to bucket feed. I've butchered venison before when I was a kid. I am NOT interested in butchering 700 lbs of meat!  Glad that you have the facilities to do the job! Our butcher cuts it just the way I order. Love it! Guess i need to plant another 50 strawberry plants next year. Been shredding lots of zucchini for the freezer. Note for next year, don't ever plant 6 zucchini plants again, lol I've always said, one zucchini plant will feed 3 families! I am glad I asked this question! So far this year I have canned: 14 pints of cherry preserves 52 quarts of green beans 24 pints of tomato juice 14 pints of salsa 20 pints of relish 7 pints lime pickles and frozen: 4 quarts of tomatoes 21 quarts of yellow squash 8 pints of spinach 7 quarts of green beans and 2 gallon bags of sliced jalapeno peppers. Needless to say our garden has been fantastic this year!  Oh my goodness lbp you have been BUSY! Who eats all this food? Does your family? Or do you give it as gifts? |
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Sarah*H
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by Sarah*H on Jul 27, 2014 0:39:48 GMT
So far I've only done strawberry jam. I'll can peaches and tomatoes next month. Right now I'm preserving basil and it's so tedious to get rid of the stems. I'm drying some, blanching and freezing some and also making pesto to freeze.
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Post by Linda on Jul 27, 2014 0:45:08 GMT
I've canned:
13 half-pints of peach jam
7 pints and 2 quarts of sliced peaches
25 quarts and 21 pints of pickles (slices and spears)
6 pints of tomato sauce
14 pints of pinto beans
7 pints of black beans
7 pints of navy beans
24 quarts of sweet potatoes
and I've frozen a flat of blueberries.
My son (who still lives at home) canned 26 pints of corn and froze 100 half-ears of corn on the cob
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jenniferg
Shy Member
Posts: 17
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Post by jenniferg on Jul 27, 2014 1:08:08 GMT
Earlier in June, I canned 16 pints of cherry jam and 8 pints of strawberry. Today, I froze 7 quarts of creamed corn.
Still on my list -- can banana pepper mustard and maybe freeze some yellow squash
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Post by gmcwife1 on Jul 27, 2014 2:09:41 GMT
I'm hoping to can apples (applesauce and pie-filling) this year. Last year I prepped 30lbs, but decided to freeze it instead of canning it. I'm still a bit scared I will mess it up! Is freezer jam different than canned jam? I would love to make a few jams as well this year. I want to can apple butter and applesauce when its time. So far freezer jam has been easy and a great baby step. It's basically fruit (blackberries, strawberries or raspberries), sugar and dissolved pectin. It's also quick and something I've been able to do after work! |
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violet
Full Member
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Jul 9, 2014 2:39:32 GMT
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Post by violet on Jul 27, 2014 2:23:55 GMT
I started canning last year since I started 2 gardens. So far today I've canned 12 pints of peaches, 14 jelly jars of strawberry jam. Tomorrow I'll be canning blackberry jam and pie filling, salsa, pickles and green beans. I'm going to have one heck of a messy kitchen! |
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msbee1
Shy Member
Posts: 16
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Post by msbee1 on Jul 27, 2014 2:38:05 GMT
No canning for me this summer. I didn't put in a garden and I did too much last year. We still have plenty of tomatos and jam left. As soon as we can sell the house I am moving to Colorado.
I am so jealous when I see everybody's canning posts on FB. I miss it.
In the past I have canned chicken, beef, soups, beans and of course the fruits and veggies. We can a several hundred pints of items a year. The soon to be ex husband takes a pint jar of soup or stew for lunch every work day. Sometimes he has one for dinner too.
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Deleted
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Oct 7, 2024 6:23:33 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2014 3:41:44 GMT
Earlier in June, I canned 16 pints of cherry jam and 8 pints of strawberry. Today, I froze 7 quarts of creamed corn. Still on my list -- can banana pepper mustard and maybe freeze some yellow squash Would you be willing to share how you do your creamed corn? |
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Post by gotranch on Jul 27, 2014 3:46:42 GMT
So far this year I have canned: 14 pints of cherry preserves 52 quarts of green beans 24 pints of tomato juice 14 pints of salsa 20 pints of relish 7 pints lime pickles and frozen: 4 quarts of tomatoes 21 quarts of yellow squash 8 pints of spinach 7 quarts of green beans and 2 gallon bags of sliced jalapeno peppers. Needless to say our garden has been fantastic this year! That is impressive! |
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Post by gotranch on Jul 27, 2014 3:50:22 GMT
The chokecherries are ready, so I'll be making jelly and syrup in the next week. I usually make 40 or more pints for other people. We have some left over from last season, so those will be given away first.
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Post by dreamer on Jul 27, 2014 4:56:50 GMT
You ladies are amazing!!! Do you do all of this alone or do you have help?
i can pears 2 years ago. Got 6 jars and my kitchen was a disaster! I was to over whelmed
to try it last year.
Do you have your salsa recipe? And what are lime pickles? Sounds tart!
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Post by Sparki on Jul 27, 2014 14:34:43 GMT
I'm at a higher altitude so the only thing ripe in the garden is the zucchini. 1 plant only and it's feeding us, and the neighbors! Like someone else said, chokecherries will be ripe soon, so I'll be making jelly from them. I have loads of tomatoes on the vine and want to make salsa to can, but none have ripened yet.
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marianne
Pearl Clutcher
Not my circus, not my monkeys. . . My monkeys fly!
Posts: 4,176
Location: right smack dab in the middle of SC
Site Supporter
Jun 25, 2014 21:08:26 GMT
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Post by marianne on Jul 27, 2014 16:08:27 GMT
You ladies are amazing!!! Do you do all of this alone or do you have help?i can pears 2 years ago. Got 6 jars and my kitchen was a disaster! I was to over whelmed to try it last year. Do you have your salsa recipe? And what are lime pickles? Sounds tart! My husband helps me - we have it down to a science now! lol He peels the apples, I core, slice, and season; he shucks the corn and monitors the blanching pot, I cut the corn off the cob; we both peel and slice peaches. I add the preservatives. Then when we're all done with the prep work, we work together to get things packaged, sealed, and/or jarred. It's kinda fun and we definitely enjoy the end results.  |
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jenniferg
Shy Member
Posts: 17
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Post by jenniferg on Jul 27, 2014 16:09:57 GMT
Creamed corn -- This is for 1 bushel of silver queen corn --
Cut off corn kernels, then using the back of the knife, scrape down the cob to get all the yummy juices.
Cook on the stove with 4 sticks margarine (my Granny says margarine freezes better in the corn than butter) for the entire bushel. I split the corn in to 2 large pots, using 2 sticks/pot.
Cook for about 15 - 20 minutes, just to parboil the corn, not cook it all the way. Cool down.
Using good quality quart size freezer bags (Ziploc, not Walmart). Ladle 16 - 20 oz of corn into labeled freezer bags. Make sure to get as much air out as possible when sealing.
Lay flat on a large sheet pan, freeze. Using the sheet pan allows the corn to freeze flat, then it is very easy to stack in the freezer and it doesn't slide all over the place.
I get 7 quarts from 1 bushel of corn.
I season with salt and pepper when I heat to serve.
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Post by Linda on Jul 27, 2014 16:54:16 GMT
Do you do all of this alone or do you have help? Sometimes my son cans with me (or on his own) but most of the time I'm working alone |
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Post by peasful1 on Jul 27, 2014 18:01:11 GMT
In the last week I have canned 8 pints of apple sauce and prepped 20+ pounds of apples for pies. Any other refupeas out there doing the tedious work that it takes to prep, can, or freeze food for later use? We also have two steer in the field that will be butchered in the fall, but I don't have to do that part! Just load up the freezer! We have a garden for the first time on our property this year. We will see if we get anything! We live at a higher elevation that does not have a set freeze date. . . so it make it difficult to get things to maturity. We can't plant until about June 15th outdoors, and I was too busy to start anything indoors. Raised mounds or raised beds are the only way we can get the soil temps up so the plants will grow a little more quickly. Temps the last two nights have been in the low 40's. I canned strawberry jam, blueberry jam, tomatoes and pasta sauce. Our lows have been in the 90s. Lol |
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lionsimba
Junior Member
Posts: 85
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Post by lionsimba on Jul 27, 2014 18:33:49 GMT
I'm an avid canner - love to put up food that we grow and fruit that is locally grown! I freeze some things as well but I prefer canning. Pressure canning really is no big deal. Just follow the instructions that came with your canner and you'll be fine. The ping of lids sealing is SO satisfying!
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We live at a higher elevation that does not have a set freeze date. . . so it make it difficult to get things to maturity. We can't plant until about June 15th outdoors, and I was too busy to start anything indoors. Raised mounds or raised beds are the only way we can get the soil temps up so the plants will grow a little more quickly. Temps the last two nights have been in the low 40's.
I also do a good bit of freezer cooking. We really like being able to just pull dinner out of the freezer and heat it up.
I love to do green beans, which requires pressure canning. I bought a pressure canner a few years ago, read the instructions, and had at it. If you can water bath can you can pressure can! It's very similar only there is a locking lid and a gauge to tell you the psi. You wait for the water inside to boil and a good stream of steam to come out, and then you follow the directions as to how to monitor the pressure. It's not hard, just takes a while.
Guess i need to plant another 50 strawberry plants next year. Been shredding lots of zucchini for the freezer. Note for next year, don't ever plant 6 zucchini plants again, lol
Glad that you have the facilities to do the job! Our butcher cuts it just the way I order. Love it! 
