Canning and Home preserving

[Pensmaster]

Been canning for 20'ish years, but mainly water-bath stuff -- jams, tomato-based stuff. Finally used my pressure cooker for fresh corn a few years back, and it's still delicious. Made rosemary jelly this year. My 1st jelly. My favorite recipe is tomato jam, and my fig free is finally producing enough figs for jam.

We have figs galore here. I usually give them to a friend. If the squirrel doesn’t get them first.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

We have figs galore here. I usually give them to a friend. If the squirrel doesn’t get them first.

I canned 2 batches of fig jam this past year. Sold a lot by the roadside (4 oz. jars), and then someone came by last month and bought up 10 jars. I should have done 3 batches.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Strawberry rhubarb preserves......

I cannot do sweets these days but man oh man that was yummy stuff. Sweet and sour in just the right ways.

I used to pick rhubarb at a friend's farm and then make rhubarb jam for him. Tried to grow it here, but it never took.

 

[Pensmaster]

I used to pick rhubarb at a friend's farm and then make rhubarb jam for him. Tried to grow it here, but it never took.

Same here. It made it maybe 2 seasons then gone. Tried twice.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I used to pick rhubarb at a friend's farm and then make rhubarb jam for him. Tried to grow it here, but it never took.

Same here. It made it maybe 2 seasons then gone. Tried twice.

It can be a pain to get growing. I got a HUGE root from an old friend in order to get it growing here. My hubby HATES it so set out to murder my plants......He succeeded.
Some greenhouses sell actual growing plants. I would talk to them to learn what soil and moisture it needs.

It is so underappreciated.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Same here. It made it maybe 2 seasons then gone. Tried twice.

I always had the impression that it was rather hardy. I bet it I let it take up space in one of my raised beds, it would thrive. LOL!

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

It can be a pain to get growing. I got a HUGE root from an old friend in order to get it growing here. My hubby HATES it so set out to murder my plants......He succeeded.
Some greenhouses sell actual growing plants. I would talk to them to learn what soil and moisture it needs.

It is so underappreciated.

Great suggestion! I tried with 2 growing plants (potted that I bought at roadside stands). Maybe I'll try again this year.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Great suggestion! I tried with 2 growing plants (potted that I bought at roadside stands). Maybe I'll try again this year.

We have hard clay here. I mean like digging in concrete hard. I amend everything every spring with every leaf, composted chicken bedding and poo as well as bringing in more organics. It is still a struggle after 20 years.
Maybe a raised box is the way to go.

 

[tripletfeb]

I have been canning for years. Beans, carrots, jams, jellies, tomatoes, lots of stuff. I used to do everything water bath method, even the veggies(I know, gasp!) because thats the way my mom and grandma taught me. But I do own a pressure canner now, and its much easier to do the veggies the right way. I have a decent sized garden and can most everything I grow. I love love love my strawberry rhubarb jam, delish! My mom grows the rhubarb, I grow the strawberries and we share. And for canning tomatoes, you have to add lemon juice to the jar before you water bath them. But I love going to my basement and grabbing my canned food off the shelf to feed my family. Havent tried canning meat yet, it kinda scares me!

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

We have hard clay here. I mean like digging in concrete hard. I amend everything every spring with every leaf, composted chicken bedding and poo as well as bringing in more organics. It is still a struggle after 20 years.
Maybe a raised box is the way to go.

We're heavy with clay too. Yup, looks like I have a new springtime goal. Get my hands on another rhubarb.