So this year, since I planted a nice garden, I decided I would finally learn how to can. I’ve had the Ball Blue Book on my shelf for years, and had never cracked it. I also ordered a nice set of canning tools and another recipe/preserving book from Ball: The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (which has lots of nice recipes, whereas the Blue Book is just quick instructions on canning, freezing, dehydrating, etc.). Of course, you also need to stock up on many jars too (I would recommend getting some quart size, some pint size, and if you are planning on making jelly, then some half-pint size too. And I have a few half gallon sized jars for soaking nuts and storage…but that’s another post entirely. I love jars! You can never have too many, and I would suggest asking around and looking at garage sales for some inexpensive ones, too!).
When I looked at what I had in the garden: beets, carrots, lettuce, onions, garlic, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, and green beans (and the sweet corn I buy from the farmer down the road), I realized that most of these foods require pressure canning (unless you want to pickle it, which I didn’t), so I went out and purchased a nice pressure canner as well (love it, by the way…very easy to use!). Also, since the pressure canner pot is big, it’s big enough to boil water can any pints or smaller as well.
Armed with my equipment, I quickly read through my guide, and the user manual for the pressure canner, and went to the garden. In one lovely sunny afternoon, I picked beets, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic and green beans.
Then I spent the next several hours in the kitchen. First, went the beets. Ahhh…so pretty!
Next were the cucumbers, which I did pickle, even though they were not “pickling” cucumbers. I just took out most of the seeds, said a prayer and hoped for the best. I made a few quarts of refrigerator pickles (requires no boiling) – both bread and butter pickles and dill pickles. Then, I made a few pints of canned pickles (requires a boiling water processing) – again, both bread and butter and dill.
Then came green beans.
And, then I chopped and froze the onions (no picture here!).
I didn’t do anything with the garlic – I still need to read what I was supposed to do 
But, as it approached midnight that evening, I finally diced and canned the carrots.
The potatoes I saved for another day.
Whew! I can see now why the Amish have canning frolicks. It would have been really nice to have help. Much of the time spent canning is waiting for one item to process before you can do the next, since nearly everything has different canning times or processing methods.
I’ll update you on the potatoes later. Homemade french fries are on the menu!
To your success,
Dr. Laura
This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday at GNOWFGLINS and from garden plOTT to kitchen pOTT at a Latte’ with Ott, A
A canning frolick would be fun! And save the backache
I took potatoes from our local farmer’s market and baked them,
then shredded them and froze in seal a meal bags.
I tried one and they are so quick to make in a skillet.
Another thought for ‘what to do’ with your potatoes.
Jennifer,
The skillet potatoes sound great!
Ahhh… the seal a meal! Wondering when I can get my hands on one of those too
To your success,
Dr. Laura
This is so great! I bought a pressure canner last summer too but have come around to using it mainly as a very large water bath canner. I know the longer you process food the more you destroy the nutrients so this summer I am fermenting more and doing some pickling but trying to focus on eating seasonally rather than putting up.
You can dry your garlic and just store it for about 6-8 months depending. When it starts looking old I roast it and freeze it so I can just pull some out. you can also ferment it but then it loses it’s bite and I miss that!
There is something so satisfying about all those jars of beautiful food put away, eh?
Thanks for linking up to Simple Lives Thursday!
Sustainable Eats recently posted..Simple Lives Thursday
Annette,
I’m rather new to whole foods and the like, so I’m still on the basics, like soaking grains and nuts, and trying to find recipes that my “processed food children” will eat 
Fermenting is on my “to be tried” list
Thanks for the tips on the garlic – that’s what I thought and they have been just sitting out since I picked and washed them. Roasted garlic sounds yummy too!
And yes, putting away all that wonderful food is very satisfying.
To your success,
Dr. Laura
Thanks so much for linking up to our “Canning Week Blog Party”. I must say I am a little jealous of your pressure canner as it has a gauge on it while mine doesn’t. I canned my extra potatoes and hope to use them in soup recipes this winter. I’ll be blogging about that on Friday. Make sure you stop by Jen’s blog and sign up for all our give-a-ways as well.
Thank you for hosting!
To your success,
Dr. Laura
GREAT tips! Thank you for linking up to our Canning Week! Have you joined our Facebook page? We have a couple of canners with some questions, specifically relating to the pressure method. We’d love to get your feedback on them!
Jen recently posted..Applesauce-Apple Butter
Thanks Jen, I’ll check out the FB page. I am a newbie to canning too, so not sure how much I would be able to help, but I will try!
To your success,
Dr. Laura
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