We're not hard-core preppers by any means, but we do like to educate and learn how to be more self-sufficient and would love to one day be off the grid. Part of that journey this week included canning.
I remember canning as a child with my mom and my aunt who were raised on farms. My aunt had a large garden, we had a small one and it was a summer/fall ritual to "can" (actually mason jars are used) green beans, tomatoes, corn, pickles, etc.
My wife decided we (she) was going to learn to can some items. The prices here for things like commercial jam, tomato paste, etc. are getting outrageous. A small jar of raspberry jam was nearly $10 last week. She's been talking about it for awhile, but that got her motivated.
We do have a lot of Blackberry bushes here at the house, but they are still another month or two from being ripe. She went to one of the local farm store and bought some berries to start with. Even with buying the berries, and using expensive Monkfruit instead of sugar, we figure this will come in at about $3-$4 a jar (and be healthier without the sugar!).
Home canned jam will keep for about 2 years if kept unopened and sealed properly. This batch will easily get us through with plenty to spare and share I imagine.
We actually ended up with even more than pictured here, some raspberry and some raspberry/blueberry combo. About 37 half-pint jars from the berries shown. And that's after we ate at least one of those raspberry flats during the prep process :) yummy!
Now this is the part I'm good at, using the jam:
Blackberries from the field are up next!
Then tomatoes from our garden.
Don't really know what we are going to do with all the squash and pumpkins that came back up on their own.. Maybe Pew targets!
OCD folks look away, we've only weeded it once, and the weeds are winning!
Anyone else do canning/prepping? Post your stories, hints, and ideas!
I just added some lids and jar rings to my grocery list! I won't make a major production of it like I did when I was cooking for a family of 5, but it's a great way to keep excess summertime abundance from going to waste.
Yes, I'm thinking we may stock up on some as well now that this went over so well and get them before the late summer/fall rush hits.
Good job!
Yay! 🤗
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Great to see, and what a large badge you got out of it.
The prices are going crazy, and when you “can” yourself it will be healthier and cheaper for sure.
After our move we will have a garden and we want to start veggies, fruit and herbs again. It’s been awhile since we had a garden.
Off grid is a dream to follow. One day we go that way.
Have a wonderful Monday @ksteem 👋🏻😁☀️
It's very satisfying to pick something out of the earth that we grew and eat it. The radishes did not make it to the kitchen!
Hahaha that’s what I used to do too… right from the earth… eat it. (After a quick rinse)
It is indeed so satisfying. 😁👋🏻
Sounds like a great goal to be able to sustain your own food some day. I hope to reach that too some day(or at least half of it)
You are from the USA right? Are berry's getting that expensive since it is grown indoors with use of gas or does it have an other reason?
Everything here seems to be going up dramatically. I'm guessing a lot of it from increased supply chain and trucking / gas costs being passed on as well as shortages of some things driving the price up. The early berries we got this time I think we're brought over from Canada indoor farms...
I have never made large batches of jam, but I do love to make the jam at home. It is healthier and tastier.
By the way, those toasts with the jam look to die for! 😋
Yes, they were! and thanks. Never know there wasn't sugar in there. Much better than any store bought I've ever had.
I have helped with home canning many a time. It was a seasonal chore growing up. At my library, I am seeing a lot more interest in gardening and food preservation based on what is being checked out, so I think a lot of people have been responding to COVID lockdowns and inflation by returning to those skills.
Seasonal chore here as well, not just the canning, but the corn shucking, bean snapping, strawberry capping, pea splitting, and potato plucking that came before the canning. I suppose what we thought of as "old folks" back then really knew something after all. And the cycle continues.
This is something I've not done much of. I've done some pickling, (pickled blood eggs are awesome), but canning, no. I will though, for the cost saving and enjoyment of it as well.
I know a few who do it here and they get great results so my idea is to do some trade as well as make stuff for myself. I'm planning a big tomato crop currently, (aztec tomatoes), so will do some sauce. Last year I ate them all before I got to sauce them. 😊
Tomato sauce is definitely on our list this year, waiting another month or so for prime tomato season to be in peak. We did get 26 ears of corn today so shucking and canning corn is next up!
I was so pleased with my tomatoes last year and will double up on the plants this year to accommodate for sauce-making.
Also, I love sweet corn!
We were just thinking the same thing on tomatoes. We had so many last year that went to waste, we only planted a few plants this year. Now that we can make our own sauce, we will definitely be doubling up next year.
Tomato sauce means pasta and pizza...I'm all for it! 🙄