Learning to Can Foods

I've been learning a new skill this past summer.  I've been learning how to can our own foods.  I've always wanted to learn, but was very nervous.  I guess I anticipated it being complicated and difficult.  To my surprise, it's really not.

 For the lady couple of summers I have been freezing my vegetables.  My tomatoes have been roasted in the oven.  I'll still do this,but adding canning gives me so much more variety.  I can't freeze cucumbers, but I can make pickles.

I stated with applesauce.  The apple tree on out church lot had a huge amount of apples.  We loaded up a five gallon tub.  Peeling and coring the apples isn't my favorite thing, but I had lots of help from the girls and my husband. 

I found applesauce to be quite easy.  I even canned the first jars with my large stock pot because I hadn't purchased the water bath canner yet.  

I have since made a batch of pickles and canned blueberry jam.  Right now my house smells wonderful as the smell of apple butter permeates the air from the crock pot!  I hope to can some of that in the next day or so.

I have a pressure canner for vegetables that I haven't used yet.  It was given to me a couple years ago when I first grew curious about canning, but never delved into.

The expense is a bit much at first, buying equipment and jars.  I had a few sets of jars from yard sales, etc.  However, I have nowhere near enough to can foods seriously for my family.  I've been picking up sets of jars s-l-o-w-l-y.  After I get the jars, the can be safely used over and over.

I an so grateful to all the wonderful bloggers and fellow canners that have written articles and posted pictures and videos to help me learn this new skill.  Between health reasons and the economy, I feel this is one of the best moves we can take as a family.  Having a pantry stocked full of organically grown fruits and vegetables ensures we will have food to eat that isn't full of additives and preservatives, and is ready during the times when finances may be a struggle.

Best of all, it tastes amazing.  My girls are learning important life skills that will last them a lifetime.