Off The Grid Living: Essential Steps For A Better Fall Canning Season

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Essential Steps For A Better Fall Canning Season

 

Written by: Tricia Drevets Off-Grid Foods

Essential Steps For A Better Fall Canning Season

Image source: Washington.uwex.edu
A great way to preserve the bounty of your summer and fall gardens is by canning your produce. A successful canning season takes some preparation, though, and now is the time to get ready.
If you make the time now to follow a few simple steps, it will pay off with more good food stored on your shelves for your family’s winter meals.
First, decide what you want to preserve. If you have canned before, take a look at your pantry. What is left from last year and what is long gone? Make a list of your family’s favorites and consider canning more of them this year. By the same token, if something was not a hit – that is, there is still plenty of it left on the shelf — you may want to cross it off this year’s list.
What you preserve will also be determined by the quantity of certain plants in your garden and/or the availability of certain fruits and vegetables in your area. If your family loves your homemade applesauce and you ran out too soon, it might be time to investigate some u-pick orchards for more apples, for instance. Try PickYourOwn.org for new locations in your area. Call the farms or orchards for peak harvest times and make plans to be there early so as not to miss the best selection. Some growing seasons are short.
Next, get your supplies in order. Many new canners get overwhelmed by the amount of supplies you need, but the good news is that you can use many of them over and over again. Garage sales, estate sales and thrift stores can be good sources for canning supplies at rock bottom prices.
Depending on your recipe, here is a basic list to get you started:
Canning jars
Canner or stock pot
Pressure canner
Canning funnel
Rack to hold jars up in canner
Jar lifter
Lid magnet
Spatula
Tongs
Apple peeler/corer
Measuring cups, spoons and knives
Pot holders
Strainer
Jar labels
Cheesecloth
Jelly bag
Thermometer (for no-pectin jams and marmalades)
Examine your equipment, looking for any scratches, cracks in the jars or chips in the rims. Dispose of any damaged jars because they can be a safety hazard. Also, make sure you have enough lids to fit your jars. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that home canners use self-sealing two-piece metal lids. Do not reuse your lids. You may reuse the screw bands as long as they are not damaged….MORE HERE

Source: www.offthegridnews.com

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