advice?

[frugalmel]

My garden is ultra small this year since I was preggy and then had a bitty baby during planting time here. My goal is to grow food to can for the winter next year. So my question is mostly for next year I suppose....

I have never canned anything. I saw a pressure canner at wal-mart the other day. Is it hard to learn to can? I know Ball makes a book on it that is supposed to be like the "Bible" of canning. Are there certain brands of supplies to aviod? Things a beginner should know?

[Karen]

Canning is a snap! It sounds much more intense than it really is. I'm sure you'll find plenty of help here. Keep your eyes peeled for a great deal on a pressure canner, canning jars and lids. We call the flat parts "lids" and the ***** on thingies that hold the lids down "rings". You'll also want a jar lifter. They can be hard to find new, but you may come across a lot of these supplies at the Thrift Store.

Here's a jar lifter: www.polsteins.com/mircommfrcan.html

I can't find a pic of the older style that you'd be more likely to find at a yard sale or thrift store, but if you played with one, you'd know what it was for.

As far as all the other accessories go, you can use your pressure canner with the lid off for hot water bathing. You'll need a sieve if you want to do tomato juice, etc.

I used canned veggies from the store, pureed them and re-canned them in 1/2 pint jars to use for baby food when Grace was little. TONS cheaper than the Gerber!

[Deed]

All is not lost for this year either Melody. This is the first year I have had a garden in 17 yrs. now. I go to a local farm market or a pick your own type place and you still save tons doing the work yourself rather than buying it. Also while some things need salt and sugar for canning, you can control it some.

Canning is not hard, just time consuming because you have to pick, wash, prep, can. You will have to do the canning portion while the kiddos are napping. That way you won't be interrupted or have them getting too close to some really hot liquids.

You can get a Ball Book now in Wally's, I saw them out the other day. Good investment for a new canner. I haven't seen pressure canners anywhere yet. But jars and lids are out in abundance already here and our growing season is about a month behind yours.

Depending on what you want to make you can start picking up supplies now with your groceries. You need quite a bit of sugar to make jams and jellies and you must have canning salt (you cannot use iodized table salt) for pickles, tomatoes etc.... It comes in different ways, I bought Morton's last year in a green box. Those kind of things you can get now so the cost isn't huge when you start.

Maybe a friend would like to do it with you? 4 hands are definitely better and faster than 2. And because it is so time consuming, it's nice to have another person to talk to. LOL

Hope you decide to do it, everything is so much better tasting. We are here with any questions you have.

[braided-rug]

When my cousins were little my Nana always came to help my aunty out with preserving.

In Australia we tend to have jars with rubbers and lids that sit over the rubbers and add clips. When they are cold we take the clips off. I do have some jars with the ring that *****s on the outside of the flat part. I saw some jars at the op-shop the other day, ie goodwill. I have so many jars already though. My preserving outfit is a water bath thing. When I read about American canning it does seem hard, so I am trying to make sense of it.

[Deed]

BR, fire away with anything you don't understand. One of us can help you.

The jars with rubbers are the way my grandma canned. I prefer the lids that we now have as you hear each lid 'pop' as it cools and seals so you know you did you work right.

[braided-rug]

Thanks Deed.