Canning 101

 

If you're on top of things, you have your Jebediah Fisher garden seeds planted, and things are starting to happen. Next few weeks, you'll start seeing the fruits of your labors. And more fruits, and more fruits, and still more fruits. You'll wonder why you planted so many freaking squash plants, cucumbers, beans, beets, etc, and you'll start looking for friends and family to take the excess produce off your hands. And they'll start ducking when they see you coming.

 

A lot of you over-planted with the intention of putting up stores for the winter, more than likely freezing the excess. And freezing is easier than canning, it has it's drawbacks. It relies on the availability of electricity and it's freaking bulky as hell. A small freezer fills up quickly. Canning keeps your stores rain or shine, electricity or no, world spinning normally or SHTF. I started canning a few years ago,  basic pressure cooker (get 'em now before the Feds outlaw them), Ball jars and lids, and a handful of recipes from my grandmothers for chow chow, pickles, preserves, and straight produce.

 

Over several seasons, I've gotten better, neater, faster and fancier. It's become a game to see how much and how many different items I can put on my shelves. And during the winter, when the snow is flying and temps hit the skids, it's comforting to go out to the shop, grab some dry beans and rice, smoked ham bone, and a couple of jars of peaches for a cobbler that would make your granny cry. Snowed in? Not a problem. Electricity out? Got it covered. We're going to eat.

 

Knowledge Weighs Nothing has a link to 50+ Canning Recipes to get you started. It's rapidly becoming a lost art, a bit of survival knowledge our grannies cherished. Let's bring it back.