Every Thursday we like to post a picture of something we've found online that inspires us to do something similar at the farm. Sort of our own blog bulletin board so that we can eventually look back and someday, hopefully anyway, recreate it...enjoy!
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| Canning pantry - pinterest.com |
I was looking at an old flash drive and found these two photos. These are the photos that originally got me interesting canning. Well, let me rephrase that, my Grandmother got my interested in it, as their cellar looked much like this most of the time.
These images I saved online years ago because they made me realize what someone could do with some hard work. Of course, we don't think the two of us would need this much, ha.
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| Canning pantry - pinterest.com |
It was only after we bought the property and planted our garden that I started thinking of canning and actually started doing it. We have been kept in jams and jellies for the last couple of years now by what I've done. Pickles didn't last long (i.e. we ate them all) but that's about the most I've done so far.
I had hoped to do more as the garden produced more but since we're keeping things small, we eat it all as fast as we harvest it. So lately we've been thinking of doing more canning by using veggies from the farmer's markets around the area. Let someone else do all the growing work and we'll do the canning work!
Anyway, these photos have always really inspired me to want to have something like this and that in turn pushed our hunt for property and that pushed me to garden and well, so on and so on. Inspiration can take many forms.
Be inspired!
Looks pretty much like our basement looked when I was a young'n growing up on the farm; canning what grew in the garden, meat from the livestock we raised (beef, pork, chicken, ducks, rabbits, etc.) also had sheep but never had any of them butchered. They where raised and sold.
ReplyDeleteWe basically ate what we grew / raised. Mom would always make bread once a week and sometimes twice. Very seldom did we go into town to buy groceries.
Had our milking cows so had our own milk.
One thing that my mom canned was meat. Canned meat I just could not eat; absolutely yuck.
Growing potatoes and sweet corn ; always had a pumper crop. Remember my dad Always planted the potatoes on Good Friday.
Your photos sure did bring back some memories from years back.
Aww, thanks for that. You have some shared some great memories. My grandparents had a cellar (it was Oklahoma after all, ha) and while not quite this much, it was enough that it made an impression.
DeleteCan't say I've ever had canned meat. I think I'd be ok with sticking with vegetables and fruits only ha.
Funny you posted this...I just bought a water bath canner Tuesday, my freezer can only hold so many tomatoes and peppers. It's been over 20 years since I last tried canning. I got rid of the equipment at the end of that summer. Here's hoping I enjoy it more this time.
ReplyDeleteAwesome!! I've decided to give it a bigger try this Summer. Even if it's not our own veggies I figure I need the practice and "learning" so when we DO have a bumper crop, I will know what I'm doing, ha. Keep us posted on your progress.
DeleteI bought a double jar pressure canner years ago and never used it. I could not see the pressure gauge so I gave it to a friend with an outdoor kitchen who has a lower cooktop. I need to get a smaller one and support our local growers by canning their produce.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of what you said, support the local farmers by canning their produce. Great philosophy.
DeleteOne thing--keep the pantry very dark, no light whatsoever. Light, heat, and time are enemies of canned food, destroying vitamins. Think about this--if you use at least a quart of tomatoes each week, you will need 50 quarts of tomatoes, possible more since two quarts a week is not out of the realm of possible use. If you can a dozen other items, you will need a larger pantry than you think. Can enough pickles to last a year.
ReplyDeleteYou will soon develop a schedule for canning, maybe a marathon one day a week, a marathon over several days or daybreak to after dark. At this stage and doing it alone, I just do small batch canning, maybe a dozen pints in a day. No stress! No one has to do the marathon canning my mother did.
Some couple put up hundreds of jars on a Saturday.
Buying jars can be done a dozen at a time. Just stack them in the barn.
Wow, thank you for this reminder. We could use a quart of tomatoes a week, certainly even if we were conservative and said every other week, wed' still need a couple dozen. Thank you!!!!
DeleteBuying from farmers' market sounds like a good plan since you have a smaller weekend garden at this time. All those jewel-toned jars are so pretty.
ReplyDeleteI store my canned jams and pickles in a hutch that I inherited from my mom.
BTW, the second picture has jars stacked on top of each other - I was always taught to not do that because it could damage the seals. The first picture with the shorter shelves is better storage.
Great suggestion thank you. ARen't they pretty too? I bet yours look great.
DeleteI love all the colors in those canned goods and that feeling of security when you look at them. I got beets canned last week and will do beans tomorrow. We plan to can about 200 jars full of food for this winter. Hope my stove holds out!
ReplyDeleteWow, what an interesting way to think about that. Security. Well put! Or is that well "put up"? Ha.
DeleteI saw your incredible garden post. Wow, so jealous, of course if we were there full time, I could probably get a lot more. But at this point it's all about learning while we save. I will visit your blog for some good canning ideas!!
And, remember to take off the rings. If you canned five different foods you wanted to eat each week, that would be 5x50, 250 jars. I figure 50 can of fruit, several kinds in the mix. The reason I figure 50 instead of 52 is that for several weeks, I will have fresh to eat of anything I can. Plus, it is much simpler to multiply by 50...lol.
ReplyDeleteI know there is a recent uptick in canning ... but having been there and then gone to freezing, I'd never go to all the work to can again ... just sayin ... Freezing is so much easier and often the finished product is much better in my opinion ... Good luck ... it's hot and hard work ...
ReplyDeleteHi there enjoyed the photos brought back memories of my grandmas I don't much do that kind of canning but I grow mostly cucumbers and spices such as dill I make a wonderful refrigerator polish style dill pickle that is to die for They take about 2 days in the fridge before they are ready to pair up with a sandwich the pickles are making their way around my town cant make them fast enough . No canning jars needed just big clean gallon jars if you have ample cucumbers, onions & dill and would like the recipe just let me know. Happy Canning to what ever you try! Lisa @ Sweet Tea N' Salty Air
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pantry❤️I just started canning this year. Recently brought a Pressure Canner to can meats, Chili, chicken, stew etc… it comes out wonderful.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are canning, we've been slow in doing it and certainly haven't moved to pressure canning but looking forward to it. Thanks for reminder to keep it up.
DeleteHi, These are pictures of my pantry, 7thswan. The one with the onions was just after we moved to our new place. I have canned my whole life as my mother and hers did. There are more images on Flickr. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! Thank you so much for staying hello and letting us know. We'd gladly take them down if you wanted but definitely want to give you credit. Do you have a website or place you want us to link to? Thank you for being an inspiration. These photos reminded me so much of what my Grandmother used to do (theirs were kept in a cellar underground, this was Oklahoma, ha). We're about to have a house built out there (or a remodel) and I have shown these pictures to builders to give an idea of what kind of pantry we want. :-)
DeleteMy late Dad always did a lot of canning, everything from tomatoes to salmon and herring
ReplyDeleteI'll be starting canning during next garden season. I only have a water bath canner at this point so I'll be looking for a pressure canner soon
Both of my maternal grandparents canned and dried their fruits and veggies. Grandma had a room grandpa set up just for her. Shelves EVERYWHERE (lol), and they were all full. Very fond memories of my short time with them.
ReplyDeleteNow my spouse and I own the home. We've remodeled the upstairs but haven't been able to get to the basement yet. But soon I will have my pantry and garden, so I can begin my journey on learning to can and enjoying the fruits and veggies over the winter.
Thank you for the wonderful pictures and article. It brought back such good memories for me!!
Thank you so much for sharing. I have high hopes for the upcoming season. My parents never gardened or canned….maybe they would have been happier people if they had :)
ReplyDeleteI learned to can from my mother-in-law. I was motivated to overcome my fear of canning by my husband who said he could remember laying in bed as a child on hot summer nights listening to the sounds of the lids ‘pop’ as his mother and grandmother canned tomatoes. I thought was a lovely memory. I think of his mama, Kathryn Dunn every time I hear that sound. I miss her very much.
Hi, it's Lois again. I'm eagerly awaiting canning season armed to the teeth with new recipes and fresh supplies. Still haven't located a pressure caning but I will. Pickles are high on my list of stuff to can with plenty of tomatoes right behind them
ReplyDeleteI love canning meat and chicken with the pressure canner. It always comes out so tender. It’s so versatile and convenient. I make so many meals and soups from precooked meat.
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