What are you canning now?

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
Shannon,

Enjoyed reading your etsy listing. Who goes with you to teach the classes? And do you like doing them? Fun?

 

[Olive Hill]

Interesting. Thanks for all the answers. No, I do not just use beans for soups. We use them in soups, chili, hummus, falafels, mexican dishes -- tacos, dips, burritos, etc. -- salads, and so on and so forth. But I guess I just don't find soaking/cooking to be too cumbersome. I plan our meals ahead though, so that's probably why. We're about an hour out of the city, can't just grab ingredients for dinner on the way here or there. I have our meal plan done through the end of February. I look ahead for the week and cook up all the beans I'm going to need at once. I can see the value in having canned garbanzos on hand for spur of the moment hummus, but then, I would just eat a lot more hummus so... maybe that's not such a bad thing.

 

[vfem]

Quote:
Shannon,

Enjoyed reading your etsy listing. Who goes with you to teach the classes? And do you like doing them? Fun?

Nope, do them by myself. I started by just showing a few friends having a good time doing pickles & they loved it. Said I should offer it as a class... and I need the money... so I am!

 

[KDbeads]

Landed myself another deal today, 10 pounds key limes and 5 pounds of cranberries...... $8. Now I'm scouring the thread and the books for a recipe that may use both

 

[vfem]

I would do a lime jelly... I really like it to cook with seafood!

 

[KDbeads]

Yep, I LOVE my key lime jelly, I think I'll have more than enough for a big batch this time!

 

[vfem]

Quote:
I don't know if I listed it here... but I did have left over limes, and added mint & rum for a mojito jelly too? Just an idea!

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
Shannon,

Enjoyed reading your etsy listing. Who goes with you to teach the classes? And do you like doing them? Fun?

Nope, do them by myself. I started by just showing a few friends having a good time doing pickles & they loved it. Said I should offer it as a class... and I need the money... so I am!

I've been asked many times if I teach classes. I've wanted to for a couple years, but since we just got the farm in 2007, I really couldn't fit it in. Besides working on fencing, improving market garden soils, work on our buildings; we also did a lot of work on the farmhouse itself. But now that we've had 3 1/2 years to get things rolling, I think *maybe* this season I can offer lessons and classes. I want to do some here at the farm - and have an inspected kitchen that would fit nicely. Over Thanksgiving, we rearranged two rooms in the farmhouse to make much better use of the spaces.

Anyway, classes onsite at other locations could be a workable idea for me as well.

 

[Kim_NC]

Quote:
Wow....an hour from the city! And no grocery stops on the way?

We're 20 minutes from town, and really 30 mintues from "better' shopping. We don't just "run to the store" either. I can't imagine an hour.....I would go like once/month or something. LOL

We keep a running list on the refrigerator and keep shopping trips to a minimum. We travel 45 mintues one-way to a city farmers market to sell on Saturday mornings. And we make drops to another buyers co-op on Thursday mornings. We try to do any supply shopping on those days while already out, and never make special trips to town.

Since it's only DH & I, I don't plan ahead in quite the same way you're talking. Really, I'm the organized, planning type person too. But we raise and sell our own meats - grass fedbeef, pastured pork and chicken, quail - and have freezers full of meats all the time. We also grow produce and sell it at farmers markets and through our CSA program. So, we can or freeze anything and everything. LOL....we have a root cellar that looks like a small grocery store.

Anyway, I really find home canned beans on the shelf helpful. It's just so easy to open a can when you need them.

Hmmm....hummus more often....that does sound like a good idea.

 

[3goodeggs]

So, I am thinking of canning tangerine juice before I lose all of them to more freezing...problem is I am running out of jars.
Have any of you used those gasket-ed beer bottles? I know they can withstand pressure, but I do not know about heat. If I blow the bottoms out of the hubby's bottles, he won't be over joyed.
I figure the juice should be acidic enough for just a water bath canning.
Do any of you California ladies do this?.
Freezer is full to capacity. (I froze the lime and lemon juice for jellies)

If I have to wait on quart jars I will; there is always next year. I'd hate to waste the time AND the fruit.