Saturday, September 3, 2011

Mini canning marathon

I love mini canning sessions! I really like when I am only canning one thing. It's not quite as time consuming or messy. But this week I was gifted a large bag of beans and my grapes were ready AND the 1/2 bushel of beets I asked for were delivered. So Yesterday morning I juiced my grapes and put the juice aside while I snipped the beans. I washed all my jars and pressure canned my beans. I got a whole canner load, 7qrts of beans. I was excited because I had used a bunch the night before for dinner.
While the canner was cooling I made my grape jam. Usually I water can it, but my jars were hot and it wasn't a full canner load so I just flipped them upside down and let them seal that way. Jam gets used up quickly here so I'm not too worried it will spoil.
My kitchen was a mess, grape juice staining my counter, and the kids came home STARVING... My beets will get done this morning or this afternoon.
I had tossed back and forth about how I wanted to can the beets. Laziness won out and I'm going to pickle them all. I burnt my arm on the pressure canner yesterday and it takes longer to make them that way too. I have to get this all done because the farmer who runs the feed mill says I can have as many green beans as I want come picking time which is pretty soon! What I'm learning about homesteading is networking. I don't have to grow it all myself. Barter and trade or in some cases taking the left overs. Which reminds me to call the apple orchard. If I go pick up dropped apples I get them for $3 a bushel if I pick from the tree it's $6 a bushel. Either way it's cheap! I LOVE Fall! I smell it in the air, I want to cook and bake and can.... I'm getting Giddy with excitement!
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1 comment:

  1. TulipSeptember 4, 2011 at 5:46 AM

    I'm with you on the simplicity of canning one thing at a time, especially when it doesn't require a whole lot of ingredients.

    Your grape jam looks awesome. I don't think I've ever had any and wonder how it tastes.

    Good job on all your efforts and making lifes road a little smoother :)

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