What are you canning now?

[thistlebloom]

I got some 'pears' from a guy at work. He said that they were falling off of his tree and that he was raking them up and throwing them in the woods. I told him that if he would bring me some, I would return a jar of pear jam. The next day I found a little shopping bag of what looked like walnuts. They were round, hard as rocks, small enough to hide in a closed fist, and not a single one without rotting spots.
I did the best I could to get anything usable off of them but only ended up with three 1/2pints of so-so jam.
I sure hope he doesn't 'gift' anymore to me....

Oh man! You have my sympathy Cane! But I admit that made me laugh...
After peeling 50ish pounds of pears I thought my hand would be locked in a permanent claw position. Happily it recovered, but I would rather chop and dice peppers, tomatoes and onions endlessly for salsa than peel pears.

 

[thistlebloom]

@journey11 , I just bought an All American. I haven't used it yet, but it has been praised so highly I figured I'd get one I can leave to my grandkids (of which I have not one).
They make a huge one that will do 19 quarts. Mine is just the little guy that does 7 quarts, but it fit my splurge budget.

 

[Lavender2]

Went after another load of apples the other day, after advertising in the locals for any free apples folks didn't want.

Congrats on the great find! I can't even imagine processing a truck load of apples.

We found a nice man on craigslist selling apples from his small hobby orchard for 90 cents per pound. Huge Honeycrisp and Haralson, with minimal spraying. He kindly invited us to his hard apple cider making day last weekend, really bummed we had other obligations.

I hope to get some canned this week, the kids just want more pans of apple crisp. I gave them all their own big bags of apples.

 

[thistlebloom]

At this moment I'm waiting to take another batch of salsa out of the canner.
I have enough ripe tomatoes left for about 12 more pints or so....

 

[ninnymary]

At this moment I'm waiting to take another batch of salsa out of the canner.
I have enough ripe tomatoes left for about 12 more pints or so....

So says the girl who never had ripening tomatoes due to her short growing season.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

I know! They can stop now! Haha.

Actually they are all done in by the frost so I pulled them Sunday.
I have a 2 gallon bucket of ripe ones sitting here in the kitchen, and a table of semi ripe ones in the garage.

 

[Lavender2]

Salsa is my favorite, of all the things we can. Good for you @thistlebloom ! Glad your tomatoes came through for you!

I had a great crop of onions, garlic and peppers so of course my tomatoes flopped. It's rare that I don't have enough for at least a batch. We may try the farmers market, or just take a break.

I think I was so flabbergasted about the truck of apples I forgot we actually got something canned last weekend.

Beets! My monster beets! One batch for us and a batch for little Cam.

 

[journey11]

Salsa is my favorite, of all the things we can. Good for you @thistlebloom ! Glad your tomatoes came through for you!

I had a great crop of onions, garlic and peppers so of course my tomatoes flopped. It's rare that I don't have enough for at least a batch. We may try the farmers market, or just take a break.

I think I was so flabbergasted about the truck of apples I forgot we actually got something canned last weekend.

Beets! My monster beets! One batch for us and a batch for little Cam.

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Wow, they're huge! You'd think they'd get tough at that size, but it has been my experience that they are still sweet and tender. Nothing prettier than canned beets.

 

[Beekissed]

Those beets sure are beautiful in the jar!!! Wish they tasted as good as they look, though.

Will be canning deer meat all day tomorrow...lots of it to can. Will also be making bread and banana nut bread tomorrow while I'm confined to the kitchen. The house will smell really good...

 

[Beekissed]

Congrats on the great find! I can't even imagine processing a truck load of apples.

We found a nice man on craigslist selling apples from his small hobby orchard for 90 cents per pound. Huge Honeycrisp and Haralson, with minimal spraying. He kindly invited us to his hard apple cider making day last weekend, really bummed we had other obligations.

I hope to get some canned this week, the kids just want more pans of apple crisp. I gave them all their own big bags of apples.

Is that a good price? I haven't bought apples for a long time, so not sure if that's a great price or just the going rate. They sound delicious, though!!!

That truckload went to eating and for deer food that translates into meat to can later on. I've had deer standing next to the apple pile by the chicken coop for nigh on a month now. Need to put more up there.

I placed my ad in the locals again for any apples no one wants...I see trees full of apples out there everywhere I go and they will just go to waste. Most folks don't can up their apples any longer, which is a crying shame.

Didn't get to the bread making yesterday but did can up all the deer meat, except one lonely jar that didn't fit into the canner. That will go in this morning. Hope the boys harvest even more meat this year...after the first feeding frenzy there isn't much left to put into a jar!

Today I'll get the bread made...rainy, cool, grey day. Perfect for warming up the house! Got a fire in the wood stove, pantry is full, wood shed and porch full of dry wood, animals have warm and dry places to be....life is good and autumn is here!