[Food] Storage – Canning

Pops · Last edited by Pops on Wed Nov 16, 2005 3:40 pm; edited 3 times in total

This will eventually be the canning thread...

OK it’s starting to be that time of year – at least here.

If you grow it, you gotta save it, so lets hear about your preserving.

We're doing pickles right now: Brined, Limed, Bread & Butter, straight canned Dills with a few Sweets and a little relish.

We’ve got some sour cherries in the cupboard as well as frozen and canned squash (more than Susan will ever pull out).

What are you doing?
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Shannymara · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:20 pm Post subject:

I am looking forward to harvesting and preserving my own produce next year. This year I am still buying most of our food. However, I just purchased a bulk order of organic fruit and vegetables, and plan to can much of it. I have used my pressure canner a couple of times for practice, and I have to say that as long as you carefully follow directions and have the proper tools (jar lifter, etc.) it isn't rocket science. I did make 14 jars of blackberry jam from our berries this year. Took forever to jell, but jell it did, without adding any pectin or anything. So that's about the extent of my preserving experience so far. I'm looking forward to hearing about what those of you who are farther along are doing.

pstarr · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 6:24 pm Post subject:

We had rare summer rains in here northern california so the wild himalayan blackberries are going nuts.

Last year I processed 15) 2 qt. frozen bags and 2-3 dozen canned preserves--low-sugar, normal-sugar, and honey jams. Also canned leftover juice.

Next I'll can local albacore tuna. First though I need to eat last years Smile

Anybody know how long the preserves and tuna lasts in the basement in the dark? Otherwise what do I do with this years crop. Egads Shock

pete
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cynthia · Heavy Crude Joined: May 29, 2005 Posts: 382

Anybody know how long the preserves and tuna lasts in the basement in the dark? Otherwise what do I do with this years crop. Egads

Call your county extension service. If you don't have one in your area call the Oregon State University Extension Service Food Safety Preservation Hotline: 1-800-354-7319 (9:Am- 4Pm M-F starting July 18 and ending October 14, 2005.) Before the 18th 541-766-6750

DomusAlbion · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:23 pm Post subject:

I was down at the new farm again last week end.

While exploring the property I found an old, wild apple tree full of beautiful and as yet bug free fruit. We'll be making apple sauce with those sometime in late September, early October.

Also there are some very old Black Walnut trees present, so we'll pick up our share of nuts and hull them in the fall. I'll also take a number of the nuts and scatter them about the woodland and see if I can get a few seedlings next spring.
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RonMN · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:27 pm Post subject:

I haven't gotten to preserving yet Pops (except for my heirloom seeds (drying))...So far, for several years, i've been learning the cultivating the soil part...and the picking out heirloom seed part...and growing-watering and weeding part.

Then reading on how to harvest/dry the seeds for next year while i save them & stock up on store bought items.

Too darn many things for a person to know Sad

Throw computer tech on top of it all & i fear every new thing i learn pushes something old out of my brain. Me thinks i need to find me a good woman! Smile

MD · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:55 pm Post subject:

Buying mass quantities of nitrogen packed freeze dried, that's it for now.
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dissimulo · Heavy Crude Joined: Jun 01, 2005 Posts: 372

I'm experimenting this week. So far, I have okra and a surprisingly early crop of bitter gourd (it has been a pretty sunny year so far for Seattle). I have not grown or preserved either before, so I will both can and pickle some of each to see how they turn out. I know you can pickle okra, but I have never tried it. I have never seen preserved bitter gourd of any kind, so I'm very interested to see how it works out.

This year I'm practicing growing asian vegetables that I would badly miss if they become too difficult to find in the future.

DomusAlbion · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:02 pm Post subject:

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1422

So far this year we've canned up just a few things.
I tried to make some wild plum jelly - and got wild plum syrup Crying or Very sad

- oh well, it'll eat, as my husband says Smile

. I've got blackberries in the freezer - picked 'em and didn't have time to make the jelly. So they'll probably be the next jelly failure lol.

Our melons are doing well, as are our pumpkins. I'll be canning pumpkin and making watermelon rind preserves when those are all ready - and likely be selling a lot of watermelons and cantaloupe. Why in the world do I always plant this many...?

Normally we'd be up to our ears in pickles too, but the cucumbers didn't do worth a crap this year. It's okay, though, because I made so many pickles last year, I'm sure I'll have enough to get us through next year.

I've canned up sweet peas, purple hull peas, scads of green beans (all in pint jars, since there are only two of us), and some potatoes (in quart jars). I get asked often why in the world can potatoes? Well, they go instantly into soups or stews, and cut down cooking time, and you can pour the potatoes out, drain off the liquid and have potato salad in a jiffy. So I always put up several quarts.

We've frozen okra (bunches - and lots more to go), and some squash too.

The tomatoes are just now coming on strong, and before long, our house will smell like them 24/7. I'll make canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, a mixture of tomatoes and mild peppers that I like to have on hand to add to soups, stews, or chili, and I'll make spaghetti & pizza sauce, and a bunch of salsa too (with them, our jalapenos, cayennes, bells and bananas, and garlic).

Before too much longer, the corn will be ready too. We'll put whole ears in the freezer, but I'll be canning up whole kernel corn for the pantry as well.

The onions are out on the drying rack now, but will only be dried for a few days and then kept until salsa making time - then they'll likely be mostly used up. This next weekend, weather permitting, I'll be putting fall potatoes and onions in the ground. Those are the ones I'll store in the cellar.... can you believe it's already time for beginning a fall garden?

Kathy

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1422

dissimulo,
Pickled okra is wonderful (at least I think so Smile

), so I do recommend you making some. The only other way I preserve it is to slice it up and freeze it for using in soups, and for making fried okra later. I've never canned it, but then again, I don't much care for boiled okra. Good luck with yours!
Kathy

Ludi · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:20 pm Post subject:

My husband is going to start building the solar dehydrator any day now, and not a moment too soon, I have many tomatoes I could be drying. I'm freezing some instead. Also have herbs to dry, and soon, chiles.

RonMN · Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:02 pm Post subject:

I'm big on herbs to. Especially thyme, sweet basil, tarragon, orregano, & cilantro. I didn't plant any corriander seed this year so i figured no cilantro...wouldn't ya know it, i let a plant go to seed last year & i have it popping up all over the place (in the corn, tomatoes, and it's even fightning my gooseberry bush) Smile

CarlinsDarlin · Moderator Joined: Jul 02, 2004 Posts: 1422

I_Like_Plants · Posted: Tue Jul 12, 2005 2:23 am Post subject:

Gawd, there are no objects in the wild more unpleasant than a black walnut with the husk on, and I'm including horse apples, dead skunks, and a vulture's dinner (gross, was being eaten by a vulture) I saw.

I'd sure like to learn how to deal with those things, since they grow fairly commonly, even in fairly dry areas, and I don't think most people want to mess with them.