Canning. It is what makes us giddy upon finding a hoard of jars in a thrift shop and has us blissfully sweating in our kitchens on hot summer days, standing over steaming pots and dreaming of the winter to come when our goods will be most appreciated. It is what has us in tears over […]
It’s one of the last crops that we pull in for the year: potatoes. They can stay in the ground long after the cold winds blow, and the overlooked ones have been known to emerge like forgotten dinosaur fossils the following spring. The great thing about them is they’re easy to grow and produce a […]
A very generous friend of mine and her prolific plum tree finds me with the delightful task of seeking out new and interesting ways to use up this delicious fall fruit. And in both my search of a new recipe and my constant desire to reconnect with the ways of the past, I came upon […]
It’s hunting season once again, which means a fresh supply of wild game for us. We truly depend on this generous time of year to sustain our family’s meat supply, and when it comes time to preserving and putting away meat, we use everything. And canning meat has become my most favorite way to accomplish […]
Last year, I wrote a how-to post on using a weighted gauge pressure canner. Today I’d like to share with you how to use a dial gauge pressure canner. The main difference between a weighted gauge and a dial gauge is that the weighted gauge canner has a weight on top that will jiggle or […]
Every year, it’s interesting to see what will come first: the blueberries or the raspberries- of if they will come at the same time! This year, blueberries were ready first. With all of the early summer rain and then the nice heat that we got, we had to scramble to get them picked before they […]
Blueberry season is winding down, and even if you aren’t blessed to live in an area full of wild blueberries as we are here, chances are you can find them at a relatively decent cost at your local farmer’s market or grocery store as they are in season. There are so many fun things that […]
Today I would like to share with you one very easy and efficient way to replace a common staple in your cupboard, and that is canned beans. With the fear of BPA in our canned goods and the expense of organic canned beans, taking dried beans and canning your own allows you to process a […]
Canning season is my most favorite season- and one of the longest ones for me, second only to winter ;). I typically start in June and don’t stop until after deer season closes in November, loving it all the while. And it always begins with strawberry-rhubarb jam when the strawberries are ripe and the rhubarb […]
I’m growing celery in the garden this year for the first time, primarily for use in my homemade stock and soups. After canning some stock the other day, I found myself with a bit of leftover celery and didn’t want to simply stick it in the freezer for the next batch since I will likely […]
