Just received my Water-Bath Canner!!

[Augustmomx2]

I ended up ordering a 21-qt water bath canner from Amazon about a week ago. I wanted to buy one last year, but after looking on craigslist & ebay & still not finding a good deal, I decided to buy a brand-new one. I got it for about $18 and free shipping since I also bought a new book (about gardening of course).

I'm so excited to use it! Last year I had to freeze all my canned goodies & it took up a lot of space in my freezer. Plus, I'm always afraid my deep-freeze is suddenly going to die & I'm going to lose all my goodies. Now though, I don't have to worry about it

I'm sure I'll be bugging you guys with lots of questions come canning season

 

[lesa]

Oh, good for you! I am really looking forward to canning this season, too. As soon as the blackberries and raspberries are ready, I am going to try my hand at jelly. Then, on to the tomatoes! I took a little class on canning at our Boces, last fall. Actually, learning by doing, got me over my fear of canning! Have fun!

 

[momofdrew]

My plan this year is to preserve as much as possible bought a new rack for my water bath as the old one rusted out on me...I also want to get a pressure canner this year...found one for about $100 at Kitchens and More at the Mall when I was out pricing with DH

 

[Ridgerunner]

We bought a pressure canner good for 18 pints or 9 quarts but you have to get the second rack for the pints. It also works as a hot water bath, but that rack only holds 6 cans, quarts or pints, due to height limitations. We wound up mostly pressure canning vegetables as it was our first year with a garden, but with strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, I hope to do some jelly this year.

To make your freezer last longer in a power outage you can fill plastic milk jugs with water and freeze those if you have room. I did that for two reasons, to have big chunks of ice for my cooler when I went after redfish or specs and a freezer is supposed to be more efficient if it is full. Not as much cold air can escape when you open it to get something out. I found after Katrina that my freezer was still partially frozen three weeks without power. I still lost everything but if it had been two weeks, I don't think I'd have lost anything. I had a lot of ice in that freezer.

 

[Augustmomx2]

Oh, good for you! I am really looking forward to canning this season, too. As soon as the blackberries and raspberries are ready, I am going to try my hand at jelly. Then, on to the tomatoes! I took a little class on canning at our Boces, last fall. Actually, learning by doing, got me over my fear of canning! Have fun!

My mom makes the best strawberry jelly, I'm going to have to can hers this year I'm jealous about your class! I have been looking around here for a canning class I know I can't wait for tomatoes either.

 

[Augustmomx2]

My plan this year is to preserve as much as possible bought a new rack for my water bath as the old one rusted out on me...I also want to get a pressure canner this year...found one for about $100 at Kitchens and More at the Mall when I was out pricing with DH

$100 is a good price for a pressure canner

 

[Augustmomx2]

We bought a pressure canner good for 18 pints or 9 quarts but you have to get the second rack for the pints. It also works as a hot water bath, but that rack only holds 6 cans, quarts or pints, due to height limitations. We wound up mostly pressure canning vegetables as it was our first year with a garden, but with strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, I hope to do some jelly this year.

To make your freezer last longer in a power outage you can fill plastic milk jugs with water and freeze those if you have room. I did that for two reasons, to have big chunks of ice for my cooler when I went after redfish or specs and a freezer is supposed to be more efficient if it is full. Not as much cold air can escape when you open it to get something out. I found after Katrina that my freezer was still partially frozen three weeks without power. I still lost everything but if it had been two weeks, I don't think I'd have lost anything. I had a lot of ice in that freezer.

Wow...3 weeks?!?! What an efficient freezer Thanks for the tips, I'll have to do that soon, maybe it will help me sleep a little better at night

 

[Ridgerunner]

Wow...3 weeks?!?! What an efficient freezer Thanks for the tips, I'll have to do that soon, maybe it will help me sleep a little better at night

Notice I said I still lost everything. There was only a little ice floating on the water but it had not begun to smell. I can't say the same for the refrigerator after 3 weeks.