Preserving the Harvest - Page 5

[boobybunny]

http://postnewsclassifieds.kaango.co...ategoryID/1051

I would try here first.

[boobybunny]

16 lbs of Raspberries.................$22.40
Pectin ..................................$10.00
Sugar (25 lbs..pantry restock)....$11.99 (have not and will not include in other jam estimates)
Jars.......................................$ 6.99

Total spent on jam today............$56.40


26 pints of raspberry jam....... $ 2.17 a pint of home made jam. :

10lbs frozen Raspberries 1.40 lb. 14.00*

bonus I had five mangos that were about to be way too ripe to eat. I peeled, seeded, crushed and added one cup of OJ, on cup of sugar and one box the ball low sugar pectin. So I also have 3 pints of mango jam. It is really good, with a peach jam consistancy, and a beautiful yellow color. I will have to remember this one for when the over ripe mangos go on sale for 10 for a $ 1.00 at the grocery.



*estimated

[rosie29]

captivatedlife, try this:

http://www.pickyourown.org/CO.htm

[Tcarwyn]

Hey, I am in denver too (for another 5 days, then its the NC mountains for us ) and Berry patch farms a is a great little pick your own farm in Brighton...BUT...its not cheap! Prices are about the same as supermarket prices (but its organic) and they have great heirloom varieties of things. Also great veggies, and fresh roasted green chilis in the fall!

www.berrypatchfarms.com

Tanya

[lmonter]

Wow, those are pretty steep prices. Guess I've gotten spoiled here.

Hey, anybody know if Ball makes little plastic freezer jars that are only 4 ounces?
I've got a nice little amount of the 8oz ones, but would really love to find some 4oz ones. (I don't dare put glass in the freezer, not with my boys and husband.)



ETA: I re-read the directions for the "no-sugar" jam on the pink Sure-Jell box the other day - it's only no-sugar *if* you use Splenda. Splenda scares me, so that's a bit of a no-go for me.

[geogal17]

I haven't seen any from ball, but avent sells these little plastic containers with a screw on plastic lid thats for freezing breastmilk that are 6oz. I was tempted to try those for freezer jam since I have a bunch of them taking space in my cabinet.

[Blooming]

Originally Posted by lmonter

Wow, those are pretty steep prices. Guess I've gotten spoiled here.

Hey, anybody know if Ball makes little plastic freezer jars that are only 4 ounces?
I've got a nice little amount of the 8oz ones, but would really love to find some 4oz ones. (I don't dare put glass in the freezer, not with my boys and husband.)



ETA: I re-read the directions for the "no-sugar" jam on the pink Sure-Jell box the other day - it's only no-sugar *if* you use Splenda. Splenda scares me, so that's a bit of a no-go for me.

Yup they do! I bought some and froze strawberry Jam in them, funny they did make me think of the Advent bottles but I think they are a litte sturdier.

Bell also makes it's own frozen pectin mixture. It calls for much less sugar and there was no cooking involved, I'm loving it. Of course this is my first year jamming so I have nothing to compare with but we are happy.


I'm reading the Little house cook book and I find it very interesting that ma's receipe calls for no pectin just strawberries and sugar.

It was also interesting to learn that they would make crab apple jam.

[Blooming]

The freezer jars I used were these:

http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(jh...rce=GoogleBase

I also got some bigger ones with the hope that I would have enough tomatoes to make sauce! :

The pectin mix I used was this:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/31...zer_Jam_Pectin

Hope that helps!

[jessemoon]

Originally Posted by Massagemamma

Tell me more about rose petal jam????? How do you do that?

What do you use the vinegars for? That is new and exciting!

We have a big 1/4 acre garden that yeilds as much as I can from it. Every year, we fill up the freezers and the canning cupboard with everything from ketchup to pie filling. This is the season to run around like crazy, but come december oh is it worth it!!:

Vinegars are great for salad dressings and marinades.

Rose petal jam was insanely easy! Rose petals, sugar and lemon juice. No pectin. Chop, stir, cook and can.

Here's the link to the recipe.

http://www.superluminal.com/cookbook...petal_jam.html

It tastes a little like honey and a little like roses. It's Turkish, I think.

[FarmerCathy]

Canning Plums

Do I have to peel them? I got a couple bags from my parents. They are yummy.

[lmonter]

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy

Do I have to peel them? I got a couple bags from my parents. They are yummy.

Nope. You can can then skin-on, just like apricots. Unless you feel like blanching them and skinning them, but I'm a fan of less work with that kind of thing. I'd do a raw pack with light syrup, just halving and pitting them.

[Mama Poot]

wild black raspberry time!!!!

dh and I just finished our first batch of black raspberry jam and it is wooooonnnderful! we picked the berries at my parents' place. I have to say this is an unusually good year for berries. The actual blackberries are also plentiful and should be ready in a month. its just the beginning of black raspberry season here, so we'll go picking again in about a week. The boys absolutely loved picking with us. My dad gave Henri his own bowl to collect the berries, but he ate them all instead! : Paddy was a perfect berry picker, though. Both of them had purple hands and faces when we came out of the woods. I dont know whats more fun, berry hunting or makking fabulous jam with what we find!

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by lmonter

Nope. You can can then skin-on, just like apricots. Unless you feel like blanching them and skinning them, but I'm a fan of less work with that kind of thing. I'd do a raw pack with light syrup, just halving and pitting them.

What's a raw pack?

[FarmerCathy]

I read about the raw pack and still don't understand it. But my dad wanted jam. All of a sudden it seems I'm doing this for him rather than me. Go figure. It wouldn't be happening if I wasn't doing it. Oh, and it has to have sugar not honey in it. I'm making it my goodness, I can have honey in it if I want. He really needs to get used to other sweetners anyway with his borderline diabetes and foot problems. Sheesh!

[bunnybartlett]

I love canning

so far this year we have done strawberry and strawberry-rhubarb jam, mulberry jam and syrup, apple butter and I have sour cherries waiting in the fridge.


the neighbors tree is still dropping mulberries so I am far from done.

blueberries and peaches are to come and in the fall my husband does apple jelly!!!

[rosie29]

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy

I read about the raw pack and still don't understand it.

Raw pack is when you put the fruit in the jar, uncooked. It gets cooked through the canning process. According to the Ball Blue Book, this is usually done with delicate produce that would break down and lose its shape if cooked before placing in the jar. :

[jessemoon]

O.K. add to the list

1. Pickled watermelon rind....super labor intensive...not worth the trouble. I don't think I will do that again

2. Lemon/Lime Marmalade

3. Pickled carrots

4. Pickled garlic

5. Pickled onions

[holidaymama]

I just wanted to let you all know I have been lurking around and am so excited for next year when I am back home in MN and hopefully will be living on an acreage with a big cellar to store all of my canned goods!!!

My hubby and 2 boys are in TX right now, but only plan on living here one more year...I didn't even try to grow anything down here...I could have done tomatoes, but my aunt and uncle do and they can never eat all of them so we get our fill! I was a little worried about how many chemicals have been put into our ground so I didn't want to bother for one year!

We are going to MN in a couple of weeks so I may have to see if there is anything in season! I am very excited to go down in my grandfathers basement because my grandmother's old canning supplies are all down there! She had her own little cellar room specifically for canning!

Keep sharing the pics, it is so fun to see!

[lmonter]

Raw pack is just when you put your washed/cut fruit in the jar and pour the syrup over it. Hot pack is when you slightly pre-cook the fruit before putting it in the jar with the syrup. Raw pack tends to take less time, but you may need to use a little more liquid than you think as the food may suck up some of the liquid during canning.


As for me... 21 pounds of strawberries. That's right, I'm insane. Photos later as I finally finish stuff up. Strawberry lemonade concentrate (canned), more freezer jam, IQF sliced strawberries so far. Will be going back again this week once my thighs/butt aren't so sore from squatting for so many hours yesterday.

[Carlyn]

recipe please!

Originally Posted by lmonter

Strawberry lemonade concentrate (canned)

lmonter, I'd love your recipe for strawberry lemonade concentrate. Sounds so tasty and refreshing! I'm hoping to do more strawberries this week. Trying to figure out childcare for my 17 month old!

Thanks.