What are you canning now?

[KDbeads]

7 more pints of peach butter, bringing current total to 3 quarts, 19 pints, 2 half pints........
I think I still have enough for another 7 pint batch, maybe 2 more....


I'm beginning to HATE peaches and I have 2 more late fruiting trees that will be dropping in September.

 

[Terri O]

That is a BUNCH of peaches! Good for you not letting them go to waste! My parents have a tree up here in WI and it makes the tiniest peaches ever. They are very difficult to work with and you dont get much for all your work either!

I think I will try those onions too! My DH loves themin any form so he will defiantly be pleased! Thanks! Terri O

(PS) gotta try that banana butter too!

 

[KDbeads]

With a pending move looming ahead of us I want to make sure we take as many of our peaches with us as we can, chickens are getting everything I can't stick in a jar. We have 4 types, a midyear white tart that are about fist sized, a midyear white tart that are a bit over golfball sized, (both are freestones), a midyear fist sized clingstone orange flesh, and a very late season fist sized clingstone orange flesh. Too bad the pears didn't take this year....

Today's plan is that half bushel of tomatoes sitting in the kitchen, canned peaches, maybe some pickled peaches, we'll see how many cukes come in today.......

 

[KDbeads]

Testing a pickled peach
http://strayneedle.blogspot.com/2010/07/trying-something-different.html

Tomatoes
http://strayneedle.blogspot.com/2010/07/half-bushel-of-tomatoes.html

 

[vfem]

I am in AWE!!!! Those peaches look amazing!

Here's some I did the other night and forgot to photo... somethings other then JAM! Pickles, salsa with corn and juice concentrate. (And some jam!!! LOL)

Here's some of my jam earlier in the month, it has since done more then doubled!!! (And I've sold 30 jars since then too!)

 

[KDbeads]

This is just 7 pints of the 3 quarts, 19 pints and 2 half pints I've made of peach butter so far. The green beetle have started attacking the fruits so I think I'll only get one more 7 pint batch from the trees this year.

And if you want to see my pantry, not including the tomatoes and peach pickles still cooling on the counter...
Top of the bottom:

Bottom of the bottom, before I added everything else back, the boxes are FULL, most from this year, these are just our longer storage jars.

 

[HenThymes]

Today I put up 5lbs of yellow squash, 4 bags of green beans, 2 quarts and 2 pints of spag. sauce, sealed the sauerkraut that has been fermenting and made a loaf of honey wheat bread. All this and tended to a sixth month olds needs, a seven year old and midday horse chores.

Tomorrow is gump bread and more grape jelly before taking the evening off to have a nice dinner down the street with friends.

 

[marymac]

Quote:
Your foods look amazing and I want to try the banana jam recipe. Sounds easy.

 

[Kismet]

This is a story about a work in progress - it only came to three half pints - no glorious pictures, but I learned a lot.

I have mint run wild, so yesterday I decided to make some mint jelly. The recipe (from Ball's Blue Book) called for a cup of pac ked mint leaves steeped in boiling water. (Next time, I will cut it up and boil in water - called for in a different recipe, and I think will produce more mint flavor.) I was supposed to mix it with apple juice, which of course I didn't have. But I did have raspberries galore - Raspberry Mint Jelly, sounded wonderful. So, I made some raspberry juice as directed by Ball's Book. There wasn't enough for four cups, so I supplemented with two cups of organic kiwi-pomegranate juice. Raspberry Mint Kiwi Pomegranate Jelly - it was sounding better and better. I stood by that stove stirring and stirring and the juice was boiling and boiling. No jellying stage. The recipe did not call for added pectin and only used three cups of sugar. In desperation (mostly time, I was supposed to be somewhere), I added the less sugar pectin. It was in the wrong order, after the sugar instead of before, but the sugar was already in there, so no choice. It thickened fast. I ended up with three half pint jars. It tastes good, but the mint flavor is very subtle. I would definitely not win a ribbon at the county fair, though. It is so dark you can hardly see through it.

I envy the jars of jelly that when held up to the light are transparently clear with sparkle. I an wondering if I had added water to my raspberry juice (which was quite dark and concentrated) and made the mint extract by boiling and added the pectin properly, whether next time would be more successful. I will try again.

I am so impressed by the output of many of you, and the variety of products is inspiring. In New Hampshire, one has to have a separate kitchen to make items for sale - you cannot use the same kitchen that you use for your family. This makes it hard for small producers, although there are some extension services/communities that have begun to offer a kitchen for rent for commercial purposes. Is this true in your states - those of you who are selling jars and jars?

I am really enjoying this thread. Thank you for the inspiration, the recipes, and encouragement to experiment.

 

[KDbeads]

Does anyone else have to water bath with hard water? Been doing it for 4 years now and SICK of the residue on the outside of the jars. A local told me how to get it off easier a few years ago but I'm wondering if it can be prevented to begin with without having to install a water softener or filter.

Ideas?