What are you canning now?

[rancher hicks]

Granny Smith is a self pollinating variety. It is also an excellent pollinator of other variety apple trees. How old is the tree? (I'm assuming you got it in a pot?) I planted my apples bare root and it took 5-6 years to bear fruit. But an older tree in a pot, you'll probably get apples in 2-3 years. It needs 600 chilling hours each winter. (45 degrees or lower)

Semi Dwarf trees will still get pretty darn big.


Here's a lot of information on Granny Smith Apples:
http://www.orangepippin.com/apples/granny-smith

The tree I have is at least 5 - 6' tall. I may try to find a Crab Apple tree to plant with it. Do I need to worry about Deer or rabbits? I will surround it with hardware cloth just the same.


I bought a smaller enamel canner at the Farmers market. This way I can make my jelly and jam without having to eat up a big pot of water. Also I usually have an extra jar or two that has to be done by it's self so I'll same that way too.

 

[mamawolf544]

21 jars later of Pumpkin Butter, I'll label them and make them pretty tomorrow.

And here is a pic of the Tote's, Jelly's, Jam's, Vanilla and Salsa's.

 

[3goodeggs]

I canned beans all day yesterday. I did 26 pints and seven quarts. I found it was easier to keep the pressure exact with the quarts, but the pints required constant adjustment to the heat.
I had three pints lose their seal. The last batch i left in the hot canner over night. It was still hot this morning but three of those jars did not seal.
Do you think it was them cooling down slowly that caused the issue? or that it was the last batch after twelve hours of canning and maybe I forgot to wipe some rims?

I still have tomato sauce to go. I buy crushed tomatoes in the gallon cans and then re-can them into a size that we can actually use. It is so much cheaper that way. (It was a bad garden year) I had always water bath canned those, but as long as the pressure canner is out and it is all set up, I may as well do those too.

To those of you who do this every week....

 

[Arielle]

I'm no expert, but I would not keep those jars and not reprocess-- perhaps recheck the lids for the issue. IDK. It might be one of those things where the up-down caused an issue. Hard to know unless someone else can chime in with a similar experience.

I don't think I would leave the cans to cool in the water. All instructions I have read remove jars from water to sit on a counter.

Nice job on the number of jars canned!!!

 

[jomoncon]

Did 15 half-pints of sugar-free strawberry jam for the farmers market. I've got a lot of diabetic customers & strawberry is the favorite sugar-free. The strawberries were frozen ones that I purchased fresh this past summer.

 

[rancher hicks]

I canned beans all day yesterday. I did 26 pints and seven quarts. I found it was easier to keep the pressure exact with the quarts, but the pints required constant adjustment to the heat.
I had three pints lose their seal. The last batch i left in the hot canner over night. It was still hot this morning but three of those jars did not seal.
Do you think it was them cooling down slowly that caused the issue? or that it was the last batch after twelve hours of canning and maybe I forgot to wipe some rims?

I still have tomato sauce to go. I buy crushed tomatoes in the gallon cans and then re-can them into a size that we can actually use. It is so much cheaper that way. (It was a bad garden year) I had always water bath canned those, but as long as the pressure canner is out and it is all set up, I may as well do those too.

To those of you who do this every week....

Seeing that it is beans I would not redo them, but use them up asap. You could add them to lots of other things.

As for leaving them in the canner til it cooled I've read varying advice. Some say leave them others say it's okay to remove them. (this being water bath canning) Pressure canning water doesn't cover the jars does it. So I doubt it would hurt things.

If I were using a pressure canner and the heat and pressure was a little higher I wouldn't be bothered. I would if it were lower. I have done bean and carrots long ago.

I can't say about buying tomatoes and re- canning them. DW and I just bought cans of tomatoes at the store for 69 cents a can and that's less expense and trouble than if I had done them myself. However, canning is preserving foods by removing germs that can make you sick by heating it to the point of killing them. I can't see how re-canning could hurt as long as the seal is good, but I may be wrong.

The thing I learned this year is to remover the rings after stuff has sealed so they don't get rusty. Now I take them off after the jars have sealed and let them dry out, them put them back on.

 

[shannondee12]

I'm canning walnuts. Black walnuts actually. Love them

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote: Yes, deer will be a problem for apple trees - most fruit trees actually. The only trees I know they don't eat are figs, and pomegranate.

My semi dwarf Arkansas Black Spur apple tree is at least 15 feet tall. When I prune it, I get on my orchard ladder and top it to the level I can reach.

 

[JesseK]

Well, I don't see how you can get around the vinegar taste. My solution was 50:50 vinegar to water. That is pretty strong.

Perhaps create a vinegar infusion: add herbs you like into the vinegar and let sit for months.

Or utilize that idea and add far more of the flavoring agents; double or triple the peppercorns, the garlic, the bayleafs, what every you like.

Maybe a different recipe. I picked one that appealed to me from a google search. THe only thing I remember is that the recipe was from a business that was a bar and served picked eggs regularly. Several other recipes didn't appeal to me at all. Perhaps keep trying different ones. BUt they are all vinegar based-- but here are MANY vinegars: white, red wine, apple cider.

I never thought of trying a different kind of vinegar! I will start playing with it a little more.

I have a recipe on my blog: wifemeetslife.com Just do a search for pickled eggs

I am sensitive to vinegar-y tasting pickles, and these are great. hopefully this brine will work for you!

That beet recipe looks fantastic. Thanks akelley!

 

[JesseK]

Wow the recipe is easy!! I was surprized at no herbs-- is there somethng I am missing here? Is the broth better without herbs until opened for use??

I've been doing chicken broth in a similar way to this...and I don't add herbs until I use the broth. That is mainly because I change up the herbs depending on what I'm cooking. Plus, you will be AMAZED at how much flavor this has! I would try it without herbs first and see what you think