My Plans for Stocking Up

[grungy]

The cheapest places to find these, believe it or not, are second hand stores or thrift shops. Many pressure canners are placed in these two locations from estate distributions. The last two I picked up were at the thrift shop. (Yes, I said 2, as I can around 1200-1400 jars a year and all 4 pressure canners are working in rotation on canning days. My water canner is kept a simmering boil to sterilize the jars, while I am canning) Both " new ones work well. You might want to send your gauge out to be tested to make sure it is reading correctly.
Cheers,
Val / Val

[robin282]

Thank you!

[houseodessey]

I would like to hear more about dry storage techniques mentioned in the original post. I put carrots in the basement this summer and pulled out a clump of mold 3 weeks later. I later learned that I should have had them in sand. Do you buy play sand? If anyone has experience, please share.

[robin282]

I leave my carrots right in the ground for the winter. I mulch them well, and go dig some when I need them. If you et tons of snow this may be too much work.
Robin

[grungy]

Summer storage of root vegetables- have you an ability to locate an old fridge? Remove shelfing and set fridge temperature between 34-38 degrees F. . Find a container that will fit inside, preferably a wooden slatted apple type box, line it with corrigated cardboard (so roots can breath a little bit) put a layer of damp sand (playground sand is fine) or sawdust about an inch deep, a layer of vegetables, a layer of sand (from here on up a half inch will do, a layer of vegetables, a layer of sand, ect, ending with damp sand. Note: do not wash or clean vegetables other than a hand brushing before storing. You can keep vegetables like this for most of the summer this way. (Don't know for how long because we use them up before they go moldy or rotten and try and time it so that the previous years vegetables are used up within a week of this year's vegetable are due to come on. Works for carrots, potatoes and beets. If there is room you can store more than one box in the fridge. Each time you remove vegetables, check moisture of top layer of sand. Spray if it is starting to feel dry. Note. Sand should be moist, not soggy.
Cheers,
Val

[robin282]

I am amazed buy folks who can grow nearly all their own produce and have something the year-'round. I aspire to that, but I am nowhere near it. I hope to do much better this year.
Robin

[houseodessey]

Thanks for the tips, Val. I just gave away an old fridge that was on its last leg. I'll find another, though.

Robin, I'm in your same boat. I am also still an aspiring year round gardener. Last year was my first to grow veggies so you are not alone. The people on this and forumsare pricesless when it comes to advice, though, so the garden was a great success.

[robin282]

Guess what I am getting for my birthday? It is a few months off, but in plenty of time to store things!
Robin

[robin282]

I'd like to step into freezing for a bit here. We have a chest freezer. Initially, I got it in hopes of freezing out garden produce, but we eat most of it as we pick it this year we are expanding). Anyway, since I hate to shop (yep, I'm a girl), it comes in handy to buy things in bulk and for the month so that I don't have to shop each week.

NOW, on to my questions.

Can someone tell me if they have found any tips/tricks that preserve the most flavor while keeping the food safe? I know scalding is done, but on some of the minutes I have read, the veggie is nearly to the point I would eat it. I cannot imagine freezing it and heating it again. I do the bare minimum of cooking of veggies. They are not snappy, but firm. In my grandparents day, the stuff was practically mush the way they were cooked at that time.

OK, so how short on time can I go and still be safe? Would it be better to leave things (such as broccoli crowns) larger? If we are just scalding the outside to kill the baddies, then leaving it larger will maintain more of the crispness while still taking care of the safety.

I am reading books, but the times do seem a little long. Can folk chime in here and tell me what you have done?

I prefer to do my homework before the quiz, so I am learning before I attempt!
Thanks!
Robin

[grungy]

Robin,
With the scalding water, (called blanching) is to stop enzyme activity. Wash your vegetables well, and prepare however you would normally serve them. Have a large pot of boiling water going on the stove (leave enough space so that you can add your colander or strainer and vegetables to it. If your water is boiling 3-4 minutes are more than enough to stop enzyme activity. Some vegetable such as corn, just remove the silk, bring the husks back around the cob, secure with a rubber band and freeze. (Don't quite taste as good as fresh corn when cooked, but still better than store bought. The only vegetable I cook to almost serving time is beans (snap or string), because the seeds inside have al;so enzyme activity and that has to be stopped to or the beans lose alot of flavor. But then I also thaw them completely out and put them back into boiling water just heat them when I serve them. By the way if you are doing a lot of vegetables at a time, and provided you don't have a lot of water left at the end of the day, use it to make a soup base. That way you don't lose any of the vitamins and minerals from the blanching water.
cheers,
Val
PS Congratulations and Happy Birthday (what ever day it is.)

[robin282]

Thanks!

[hoosierheightsfarm]

How long do you have to keep a qt of meat in a pressure cooker to preserve it?

patrick

[grungy]

Meat in the pressure cooker - 15 PSI - Pints 50 minutes, Quarts - 1 1/2 hours. Make sure that your jars are clean, sterilized and there are NO CHIPS.
Cheers,
Val

[kimikat]

We freeze corn cut off the cob every year. And when theres time we can green beans. (My Mother's absolute LEAST favorite chore...) We've done salsa's in the past, and jellies. I'm going to try to do a lot more this year. If for no other reason than to save some money. My family spends a LOT of money on canned vegitables every week. It seems silly to considering the amount of produce that Alan and I grow every year and the amount extra that we have after Market and order's and such. My goal is to take one weekend a month of during the growing season and can like crazy. There's no reason for us to NOT be able to produce enough canned product to feed both of our families during the winter. I'll just have to get some good recipe's from my great Aunt for pickles and such...

[bunkie]

kimi, you could also dehydrate some veggies and fruits. i do that as well as can. the dried veggies are great in stews, stoups, and soups! one can hang rings of squash and pumpkins on string to dry and them rehydrate them for pies, dinner, etc... cabbage and broccoli are super dried. when put in a soup they taste like fresh picked!

i keep all my jars in boxes with dividers...this is till hubby puts some shelves in our pantry...however, i figured it's a good way to keep them out of the light, and also, if there's ever any shaking and rumbling like an earthquake, they should make it through!!! ;D