The aspect of self-sufficency is wonderful, too. And now you know what to do with that free basket of zucchini or apples or grapes, etc. left on your doorstep!
(Never refuse free food!!)
I’ve heard that lids are not to be trusted to maintain a seal
if they are over two years old, is there any truth to this?
Mmmmmm — zuchinni-apple bread. Freeze what you cannot eat within a week.
Foodie Ping!
I find it highly doubtful that in World War I, individual victory gardens in the US could have done much at all to feed Europe. Just common sense.
To start with, there is no uniformity in victory gardens, so there is no substantial amount of a given crop at a particular time that is ripe. Then that crop would have to be harvested and put on board a non-refrigerated ship for a nine day voyage across the Atlantic. Then once it arrived in a major European port, it would have to be shipped again to its final destination.
And for every “What if they did it this way?” alternative, there are still huge roadblocks to success.
Even making a successful victory garden at home takes a lot of prior planning and a lot of work. Most people grow easier crops like zucchini, tomatoes and herbs, that while enjoyable do not provide substantial nutrition. Instead, growing crops like potatoes and squash gives much more food value for the same area. They are also less prone to insect attack.
Pressure canning is not always faster.
The processing time itself will be shorter than the processing time for hot water bath canning, but the heat up and cool down time for the pressure canner are a must and add to the time.
My rule of thumb is to hot water bath can what is possible and only pressure can food that absolutely CANNOT be safely water bath canned.
We reused the Mason jars and rings but always bought new lids.
Every surface in the big kitchen would be full of hot jars and the lids popping as the contents cooled. If rain was coming and we did not close the windows fast enough some jars would crack when they felt the cool breeze.
In the wintertime she made the best tomato soup by heating a quart of tomatoes in one pan and milk in another pan. Then gradually add a few tomatoes to the milk and then mix it all together. Serve with a pat of butter on top. She always cautioned me that if I added the milk to the tomatoes it would curdle. I don't know why but I sort of remember a little baking soda in the mix, too. It's one of those things I took for granted but should have written down.
Thanks for posting this! We just got back from a road trip, and one of our stops was in Albuquerque where some elderly friend showed us around their garden. They showed us their canning equipment and everything they’ve, “put up”. I’m excited about canning things like marinara sauce, chili and salsa, since we don’t have much of a garden right now.
Thanks for posting this!
Just added the link to my “favorites”. Thanks!
Caring? The government forced people to do with less so we could export it... caring?
BTTT
thank you for posting this!
The Steamboat Arabia sank in the Missouri River on September 5, 1856. Included in the cargo was canned food. When the steamboat was recovered (they began work in 1988) the people who made the recovery tasted some of the canned food and found it to be edible.
I can't find that particular bit of information right now to link to. But I have visited the museum a few times and heard this from the people who did the recovery and tasted the food.
http://www.visitkc.com/mediaroom/fact_sheet_detail.aspx?factSheetID=17
Thanks Diana, (dad will enjoy reading it too)
Did my first batch of tomatoes (sauce for chili) yesterdsy. Have a BIG batch of vegetable soup that we will freeze. Great to be able to pull and put in the microwave on a cold day.
Later in the week will do more tomatoes.(water bath)
Don’t have a canner. We decided we like the taste of frozen better, so I didn’t replace the old one mother had used and gave to me...
Also have been drying a few products this year for the first time. Onions turned out great. Will plant lots more next year or in my fall garden.
Than you thank you, thank you ... this comes at a great time. Almost 10 bushel of tomatoes either ripe or will be there in the next 5 days. Why I planted 36 pepper plants for 3 .... other than its a guy thing ....
Last week we inherited my late mothers canning supplies. 500 jars, a pressure cooker that holds 10, 1 quart jars, and a hot bath pot. (terminology??)
We have a large standup freezer but it is full of ... gonna get some people PO’d here (put out) Bambi, (why do extioc dancers use a GUY’S name) Bambi’s Grand Daddy, some Elk and Canada’s best Walleye. Yeah .. I am the great white hunter on the side.
So thanks .. we appreciate any instruction we can get.
The only instruction I remember from my mother .. Get the HECK out of my kitchen when this cooker is on the flame. I think she was scared to death of that pressure cooker even though she put up enough garden goods to feed a family of 8 all winter and did it for over 65 years.
Thanks for the post. It took me back to my childhood when great grandma and grandma did tons of canning. I hated all the hard work to help them but as an adult appreciate their labors all the more.
Great article, thank you. We bought a house last year and when we ventured into the basement (ewwww) we found a wall of shelves floor to ceiling full of jarred food. I need to venture down there and haul it all up and dispose of it. I would like to keep the jars if possible though, anyone have any ideas?
Yesterday I cubed and froze 18 pounds of zucchini in 20 oz. foodsaver bags. Cyborg and I will enjoy some fabulous vegetable minestrone this winter.
As for canning, well let me just say, [cue ominous music] my tomatoes are coming, ready or not.