What are you canning now?

[KDbeads]

Yeah, I'm probably going to make some today or tomorrow, have almost 4 more dozen eggs

It's winter right? The girls don't seem to care.


Anyway.... I made another batch of these:
http://strayneedle.blogspot.com/2010/08/pickles-old-way.html
I went into town a week or so ago and found pickling cucumbers at the store for a steal, not bruised, the right size, etc, I jumped on them. Bought enough to fill my 'crock' and set up the batch in the pantry. With it being so cool here and me not keeping the heat on, it took almost 2 weeks to fully ferment and taste right. I had to clean off the moldy stuff everyday from the top of the crock but..... I have 4 quarts of sandwich slices in the fridge now! I sliced them up after they were fermented, makes it easier. I'm debating on making another batch if I can find the pickling cucumbers again, I eat these pretty fast.

 

[Terri O]

If I can find some perhaps I will try brining again. I just LOVE them but always try in summer and they go bad on me! It oughta be chilly enough here now! Terri O

 

[KDbeads]

Make absolute sure everything is really clean and use filtered water if you are on well water. If there is a crack in your crock it will hide bacteria. Scrub the cuckes good with a veggie scrubber or something close especially if they come from the store, never know what's touched them and make sure they aren't waxed before you buy them. And, the whitish scum that forms on the top after three days is normal, as long as it smells fermented or yeasty, just skim it off EVERYDAY after the first 3 or else it eats up the lactic acid that is formed in the brine, you need that acid to do your pickling. I keep my crock/glass cookie jar in a seldom used pantry so there is less disturbance. And I don't close the lid tight, I invert mine to help hold down the cukes and leave it slightly ajar so that air does circulate.

Watch the vids for help:

Oh and trim off both ends, makes the fermentation go faster.

 

[chicken stalker]

So today was the last day of the year of for our farmer's market, though not the end of the market. We have since moved indoors and will continue to serve the community 2 Saturdays a month. So this is my total in sales for 2010 season. This was for 1 farmers market, 2 craft fairs and special orders. Not bad for a hobby!!!

2010 jars sold (though I do have a few more requests to fill before the end of the year, so it will be closer to 2015 jars), not to mention the countless jars given away and bartered.

Definitely looking into expanding to other canned goods for the new year, but jams and jellies will still be my primary focus. NYS requires a license for veggies, which is $$ but this year proved there is a demand out there.

Our market was interviewed today by the news so I'll put up a link as soon as it's available online. Our market is pretty small (about 35 vendors in the summer, and about 15 for the winter market). For those who are considering farmers markets...please do. I have found it very rewarding both socially and economically. It gives me great pride to serve the community with wholesome food, even if it is just jam and jellies.

 

[bockbock2008]

Quote:

Great job!!

I would like to this this on a smaller scale next year. I don't think I have time to make THAT much jelly !

 

[Terri O]

Thanks for the vids...they were amusing! I think my problem was probably the heat in the kitchen or maybe something in the well water. I will definitely try again. Terri O

 

[chicken stalker]

Quote:

Great job!!

I would like to this this on a smaller scale next year. I don't think I have time to make THAT much jelly !

I do it all at night after my kids are sleeping and during the summer. I have a full time job and 4 kids. Never thought I could do that much either

 

[chicken stalker]

My jams' 2 seconds of fame

YNN News: Broome Counties Winter Farmers Market

 

[theOEGBman]

Just had to jump in here.

Last year for Christmas, I received a Pressure Canner. I was terrified of it!

I would work up the courage to use it, pull it out of the box, then chicken out.

Its been sitting in my room ever since then, until yesterday. A few days ago I was talking about canning with my grandma. Canning takes up 50% of our convos, the other 50% being taken up by gardening. I was discussing my fear and she told me, "Jordan, let me tell you what. We would leave for an entire weekend and fish. My momma would can salmon on the camp fire! Do not be afraid of a canner."

I figured if my great-grandma could can salmon on an open flame and not kill anyone, I could use my canner. So yesterday I did it. All we had was potatoes, but I figured why not! At least it will give me a taste of using a pressure canner. So I canned 5 quarts of potatoes!

Today I pulled out my trusty water bath canner and I made 1 and 1/2 pints of cranberry sauce, 3 pints of candy apple jelly and I am currently cooking down plums for plum butter. I canned a bunch of plum halves in syrup earlier this year and didnt like the texture, so Im trying this out.

So I did it, I used my pressure canner! Now I feel like I can accomplish anything.

 

[breezy]

Just got done with 15 pints of pineapple preserves. I found a heck of a bargain on pineapples.... bought 20 dehydrated half ,canned half.