What to Do Now that Canning Is Through

I’ve had two; count them, two full week days that I haven’t had to help can ANYTHING. My weekend was still busy, but Monday and Tuesday there were no errands, no chauffeuring, and no appointments to deal with. I did catch up on laundry and did two loads.

The grand total of canned items that a friend, her sister, and I did was staggering. The produce from two large gardens was washed, peeled, cut sliced, processed, then either cold packed or pressure canned. We did the canning at the friend’s house. She bore the brunt of the overtime seeing that the food was canned for the proper time after we left. Once the jars were in the hot water baths, there was nothing left for me to do. My friend also simmer the tomatoes and soups overnight until they thickened, then we filled the canning jars and set them into canners to seal. I’m feeling tired just looking through the list of canned goods.

Although all the canning was done at her house, the food was divided among families and into their larders. There were 76 quarts and 2 pints of green beans, 27 pints of Dilly green beans. Fifteen canned pints and 56 pints of frozen corn, 32 pints of carrots, and 30 pints of strawberry jam were tucked away. The tomato products were plentiful with104 quarts and 6 pints of sauce, 113 quarts and 2 pints of salsa, whole tomatoes 16 quarts, stewed tomatoes, 23 quarts, 13 quarts of tomato soup, and 8 quarts of tomato juice. Peppers were abundant this year as well, a mixture of hot and mild. They ended up in 12 quarts and 40 pints of Marie’s ketchup pepper mix and 19 pints and 8 ½ pints of hot pepper mustard. Canned were 21 quarts and 2 pints of pickled beets and 27 pints, 2 half pints, and 4 4ounce jars of pumpkin butter. Sauerkraut filled 14 quarts and 1 pint and we made 23 quart of beef vegetable soup. Rounding out the garden repertoire were 30 quarts and 12 pints of applesauce and 34 quarts and 4 pints of the sweetest pears I’ve ever eaten.

It was great to know that several families will have quality food in their larders this winter. Homegrown products always taste better than food in cans from grocery store. What’s even better, no more long days helping to can. It’s that time of the year when grocery stores sell tomatoes taste like cardboard.