What are you canning now?

[vfem]

Ok, I am exhausted after canning 5 more pints of salsa, 30 jars of blackberry jam (1/2 pints AND pints), and 8 1/2 pints of hot pepper jelly.

BUT... I have over 20lbs of tomatoes I have blanch and peel so I can get a batch of tomato sauce going. I'm so tired with all the extra work I'm doing lately, but I have 2 days and counting until I go pick figs and I have to clear out space. I can pick between 1 and 3, 5 gallon buckets full of figs at a time and that is a lot of work. Not to mention I have clean them all, can some, freeze some and jam some. That will take me 3-4 days before I can go pick another round.

Total fig cost: $0

So I better haul butt to get them done, because when I'm finished picking they allow everyone else to take what I didn't get. I love that policy... Shannon first, and then everyone else! HAHAHAHA

 

[rancher hicks]

Vfem - count your blessings. I'd be glad to have tomatoes. I've got some coming on but none ripe yet. Picked a bunch of beans which of course I don't like.

Lettuce and Swiss chard which of course can't be canned. Herbs too. I do need to dry some.

Who has experience at drying and saving herbs?

 

[clucksbc]

rancher hicks on another sight someone was having problems with there tomatoes big and green and no flowers..people kept saying to much nitrogen..did you fertilize with chicken poop>>...anyways...was advised to lime

 

[Happy Chooks]

No tomatoes here yet. I have picks 2 (yes 2) cherry tomatoes. My full size tomatoes are just starting to turn.

Blackberries have just started here, so there will be lots more. My bees really helped with pollinating them.

If t makes you feel better rancher, my garden is doing crappy. Our summers are usually pretty hot, but other than last week when it was over 100, we have been lucky to get into the 80's. So, needless to say, cukes and melons aren't doing squat.

 

[rancher hicks]

I am getting cukes. The plants are doing well but I wish there were more fruit on them.

One thing I noticed is the Rose of Sharon are not good. Some have buds but no flowers. I think it's because it's so dry. I haven't been watering them but did today. I wish they were full of bees but they are not. Not like you would expect.

Clucks - I thought of the nitrogen factor too, but the tomatoes are doing well so why not the peppers? Plus from reading old chicken poop should have less nitrogen. I googled it and what is said is after aging it should be ok. I also mix it with garden soil. The one bed is aged so it should be ok.

I am concerned about feed prices with this drought.

 

[Carols Clucks]

Branches broke from the weight of the peaches today, guess I will be making some jam this weekend!

I made several jars of spaghetti sauce the other day, after reading all the dire warnings about canning tomatoes I was kind of freaked out. I added the lemon juice (store bought like they said) and processed (water bath) for 50 minutes. Anyone ever have any issues with canning tomatoes?

I have two more trays from yesterday, no idea how many to pick tomorrow.

And I am still waiting on BedBathBeyond to "feel like pulling your item off the shelf to package and send to you" as the wonderful customer service rep said. Beware, 3-8 business days shipping means 3 to 8 business days before we ship your item. Who knows how they ship

 

[Happy Chooks]

I haven't had any issues canning tomatoes.

 

[PuffyChick]

What's the issue with canning tomatos?

I just finished 20 pints of salsa. Is there something I should know befor I kill us all off? :anics::

 

[Indigosands]

What's the issue with canning tomatos?

I just finished 20 pints of salsa. Is there something I should know befor I kill us all off? :anics::

Spoilage. They're low acid. From what I've read, it's best to add lemon juice to raise the acidity if you're using a water bath canner and tomatoes are safest canned in a pressure cooker. Other than that I'm not sure what other issues there could be. Not any others I hope - I have already canned a bunch of sauce!

 

[3goodeggs]

I am getting cukes. The plants are doing well but I wish there were more fruit on them.

One thing I noticed is the Rose of Sharon are not good. Some have buds but no flowers. I think it's because it's so dry. I haven't been watering them but did today. I wish they were full of bees but they are not. Not like you would expect.

Clucks - I thought of the nitrogen factor too, but the tomatoes are doing well so why not the peppers? Plus from reading old chicken poop should have less nitrogen. I googled it and what is said is after aging it should be ok. I also mix it with garden soil. The one bed is aged so it should be ok.

I am concerned about feed prices with this drought.

rancher, You do not have nematodes up that way so your pepper problem isn't that, but when my soil was disturbed a lot by burrowing animals and nematodes, the plants just could not produce. Check to see if the soil is fluffed up, Also if you have cool nights peppers get unhappy.


We have had a nice wet summer, (you all can have some I am getting tired of it,) but we also have not had the pollinators. I do not know where they have all gone.

And with feed prices, I might end up canning chicken stock next. They are getting up there in age anyway. three years is a good time for me to start culling. I think it's time to eat less grain and eat more veggies... this might be good for us in a round about way.