Canning, canning and more canning

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I have no idea how many hours I have spent canning my veggies and fruit so far.  I have made 20 litres of pickles, 9.5 litres of chow and several litres of jam.

I just used the strawberry jam recipes from the pectin boxes.  When I made strawberry rhubarb and I ran out of rhubarb I just added pineapple to make up the difference (that is my favourite one).  I used the pickle recipes from the pickling spice jars and the chow recipe I got off the internet from a Cape Breton article.  The ingredients didn’t mention red peppers but the picture shows a jar with red bits, so I added some anyway.

Here is the recipe…

7 pounds green tomatoes
5 pounds onions
¼ cup pickling salt
3 cups cider vinegar
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
¼ cup pickling spice
Wash tomatoes and chop finely. Peel onions and chop finely.
In a large bowl or crock, combine tomatoes, onions and pickling salt. Place a plate on top of vegetables and weigh it for pressure. Let stand overnight.
Next day, drain vegetables well and place in a large kettle. Add vinegar and sugar. Place pickling spice in a spice bag and add to kettle. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook slowly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour until tomatoes are cooked to desired consistency. Ladle into hot sterilized jars and seal immediately. Makes about 6 pints.
(from http://caperfrasers.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/green-tomato-chow-chow-chow-2/)

Green tomatoes from my garden and pickling spice in cheese cloth after I used it.


My tools and empty pot, I made 5 litres this time.








My canner just before the 10 minute boil.





It is such a good feeling to be able to prepare and preserve food for your family, especially when you get the ingredients from your own home grown vegetables and fruit.  
I am already planning next years garden and what I want to grow.  I realize now that I wish I had planted cantaloupe and honeydew melons as well as the watermelons.  Also I wished I had planted my onions earlier so I would have some ready now.  And I need to get some berries going as well.  I will also add garlic and potatoes to the garden next year.  And next year I don’t think I’ll grow any cabbage.  I am not a huge fan of it and I had so many issues with bugs eating the leaves.

Ahhh… I just heard a couple of jar lids pop, time to go to bed.