Any "home-canners" Out There?

[chrissy]

i've been missing out on this thread! we have a dog this year---a golden----and i don't dare plant my garden until the dog run is ready for him----big puppies dig big holes!

i hate guns---but my husband is a gun nut. on one of our dates he really wanted me to shoot his handgun. he set up two cans for me. i couldn't hold the guns real steady, and my hands were kind of shaky----but i shot twice and hit both cans!!

lollie---do you do your apple butter in a slow cooker? it makes it pretty easy to do.

christine

[jenvan]

Christine-- Both cans--that's great! Hope he was impressed!

Kate-

My dh wants to take an RV trip with another couple or two--I think it could be an awesome trip, but let me tell ya--I get a little fearful thinking about it!! We did a house-boat trip with 7 other friends a few summers ago...one bathroom...and the house rule was you weren't supposed to go #2 in it--they plug VERY easily. Well, a few of the guys did, and it had to be unplugged several times with a coat hanger. Bleh!

I have been an embroidering a bookmark for my mom for m-day...and it makes my wrist really sore...interesting...

[Lollie]

Jen- I would love to pick strawberries! I don't have anything like that around here. We do go in the early summer and pick blueberries and blackberries! I did try making jam out of them, but I didn't care for it much! DH did!!!!!! He'll eat just about anything I make!

Chrissy- No I haven't ever made it in a slow cooker! That does sound easy....I always make mine on the stove! How do you do it? It problably wouldn't heat up the house either...hmmmmm

Lollie

[kabowman]

Jen, I have had 3 surgeries on my left wrist (carpal tunnel and two for tendon problems), one on my right wrist for carpal tunnel, and one on my left elbow for ulnar nerve. I am waiting until my right elbow gets really bad before I go back for that and the doc said I don't need surgery yet for my left shoulder. My family usually has arm and back problems - the back has skipped me so far--my sister and I split them and I think I got the better end of the deal. I haven't talked to the doc about my fingers other than to get a shot in the finger as needed. My husband is and has been a big help.

We were supposed to do a houseboat thing last summer but we couldn't get the whole group together. Didn't think about the potty with that one!

Can you make other things for canning in the slow cooker like jams/jellies instead of the stovetop? That would really help.

We will be canning stews and soups as soon as I get the rest of my canning stuff that did not come with the pressure canner - go figure. Either way, I can always order it.

Chrissy - my big dog used to try to dig up trees and he used to play with rocks. And we aren't talking little rocks, but big ones weighing several pounds. He would bark at them for about 5-10 minutes (the neighbors used to LOVE us), scratch the ground in front of it, while barking, then pick it up and carry it around. He is part mastiff so his head is huge. He is now calm enough for gardens as long as he ins't around them full time.

[covsooze]

Jen - the wrist thing is one of the reasons why I hadn't done craft in a long time. Since going gluten-free though, I don't seem to have had any problems with my wrists. When they were hurting in the past, acupuncture helped.

well, me and DS have planted the lettuce, carrots and tomatoes today; also some petunias in our pot out front and we've repotted a couple of house plants. Not sure if the veggies will grow, as DS has already tried digging them up to see how they're doing... And i cut DS and DH's hair this afternoon, so it's been a productive afternoon for me I might even get round to some more cross stitch this evening

[kabowman]

Save the hair and put it around your garden - it is supposed to help keep deer away, if you have that problem.

My lettuce and peas are up and looking well - my carrots are just now sprouting. We are planing on planting my pots for flowers on the deck next weekend, if it isn't too cold. We also need to find a sunny spot for our grasses...they didn't do very well last year and they need a new home.

[covsooze]

Save the hair and put it around your garden - it is supposed to help keep deer away, if you have that problem.

We live in a city, so very few deer here

Sorry this is completely off topic, but I notice Kate that you're intolerant to nitrates. How did you figure that one? Me and DH both think they give us headaches. What symptoms do you get?

[Guest Viola]

Save the hair and put it around your garden - it is supposed to help keep deer away, if you have that problem.

My lettuce and peas are up and looking well - my carrots are just now sprouting. We are planing on planting my pots for flowers on the deck next weekend, if it isn't too cold. We also need to find a sunny spot for our grasses...they didn't do very well last year and they need a new home.

You are right about the deer not eating with the dog hair, however, they just won't eat on that particular branch. Not because they are afraid of the dog, but because they don't like hair in their mouth They'll eat all the other branches.

About the only hair that actually would scare them would be cougar hair, and I don't know about you...but I'm not into grooming cougars

[tiredofdoctors]

First, ok -- where do I start???

Jen -- you said something hysterically funny, and now I've already forgotten it -- and I can't scroll down far enough to find it!!!!! Oh yeah -- THE BAG!!!!! I'll bet that plumber was freaked out! That was so funny!

Christine -- Welcome -- you hit both cans -- first time out? I DO hope he was impressed

Lollie -- can you teach me how to can?

Shirley -- can you teach me how to can in a pressure cooker?

covsooze -- glad you got your garden going! --- Also, Nitrates were the cause of my son's migraines -- he started at 16 months (just at the time I was giving him "finger food" -- cut up bologna, hot dogs -- he threw up 4-5 days per week. Went from 22 pounds to 18 pounds in 2 months -- ended up it was migraines. We didn't find out until he was about 2 1/2, maybe 3 when he said, "I have a tummy ache in my head." They can wreak havoc on the blood vessels, causing them to dilate -- and there you have your headache)

kabowman -- does the hair thing work for squirrels and chipmunks? This year I had to use cayenne pepper, because all other measures (and I tried quite a few) didn't work. If the hair works, I'll got up to Supercuts! They'd be GLAD to give it to me! People around here eat squirrel, too. My ex-inlaws used to eat squirrel and rabbit. I hated it. Not only because it was theoretically grose, but the meat was disgusting, and inevitably you got buckshot. Ugh.

Shirley -- can you tell me more about your dog-judgding experiences? you hinted about it once, saying that you were goint to judge, but then we got onto another subject. I am so in awe of that -- what do you look for, what is bad, etc. (My DH and I watch the dog shows religiously. We have MUTTS and we watch these pure-bred dogs and judge them ourselves. Ironic, huh??? )

[Lollie]

Lynne- I'll be happy to share what ever I can with you! I use my antique Better Homes and Gardens, red check, cook book. I also have a small collection of antique cookbooks that date back to the World Wars. Man they are really cool!!! They all these tips for things you would never think of now!

I haven't said anything about my garden! We expanded this year and now one third of the yard is vegies! We have tomatoes, eggplant, zuchini squash, the little white squash (we call them flying saucer squash!!!), pumpkins, okra, corn, water melon, onions, peppers of several varieties, pole beans, sweet peas, and an array of herbs. Everything is up and doing really good! I can't wait until they are all produceing! That's the best time of the year!

Lollie

[tiredofdoctors]

Lollie -- I have that Red Checkered cookbook, too!!!! Have several cookbooks from different 'local' areas in different states -- I like to pick up cookbooks from the smaller area gift shops when we are travelling (the kind that are off the road and very quaint -- not the big-time, sell you anything, gift shops!) I'll bet the older cookbooks are GREAT! My best recipe I ever got was in the original "Fannie Farmer's Junior Cookbook" that they had in my gradeschool library when I was in the 3rd grade!

Your garden sounds GREAT!!!!! Since I've been the Bulb Princess this year, including planting them this spring, we've decided to cut back on the veggies. I still have my herbs, and I did get raspberries, strawberries & blackberries, and tomatoes, but not going to do the things that I did last year.

I would really like to see a picture of the white squash when it comes in. It sounds really cool. Does it have the same flavor as most squashes, or do you know yet? My kids love squash and eggplant -- actually, the reason they love eggplant is because of that Checkered cookbook! They have a recipe for stuffed eggplant, and my kids thought it was dressing (stuffing) -- they ate it and ate it -- then asked how I made it. When I told them, they said, I didn't even know I LIKED eggplant! This is good. Worked for me! . . .

I can't wait to see your garden in full bloom -- please take pictures -- I'll bet it's going to be great! ((((hugs)))) to you, Lynne

[kabowman]

OK - I figured out the nitrates because it would make me have to potty more than 3 times in less than 90 minutes. My oldest son had problems with nitrates while I was breast feeding (he is now 15) and still cannot tolerate them (or cinnamon) so that was a clue. He would cry horribly every time I ate anything with nitrates. He tried for a while to eat stuff but nobody could be near him if he did and his cramping got worse.

I don't know if the hair works with squirrels but they can be killed with BBs. I have some friends in THE upscale neighborhood in Bloomington (town of about 50-75,000) and they kill them and grill them. Needless to say, they are not truely appreciated where they live. Her husband is a green man - Dept. of Natural Resources guy too.

I haven't heard about cougar hair - don't plan to try it myself!

I have tried cayenne pepper with a dog before (he kept eating his colar) but it turned out he LOVED it so I never tried it again. Do you sprinkle it around stuff they will go after? Does it work?

[Guest Viola]

Gotta get busy and make supper, and here I am checking out what you guys are up to

Lynne, pressure canning is fairly easy. You really should have a book that comes with your pressure canner to give you accurate times. Most things are canned at 10 pounds of pressure. And never get in a hurry and try and cool your pressure canner down too quickly! By that I mean, if you are canning pints of green beans... put about 1 inch of water in the bottom of the pressure canner, put your pints of beans in, then turn the stove on. You don't start timing the (say) 30 minutes until the canner has reached 10 pounds of pressure. You would know this by certain ways, depending on the pressure canner. Mine has a "rocker" and it starts to rock, and a metal pin raises on the lid when it gets up the pressure. Then you time the 30 minutes, you'll need to turn the heat down only enough to keep the rocker going. After the time has gone, then you turn it off. BUT DON'T OPEN THE LID. You have to wait until all the pressure is out. With mine the little pin drops again. Only then do you open the lid. And don't get tempted to lift the rocker and let the steam out. You can not only scald yourself that way, but will frequently break the jars. Some pressure canners have gages, so you will have to learn yours. It's really important that you check the instructions as this is one thing that can be dangerous if you are too careless.

I'm really not a dog judge, however I do play at it when the Kennel Club is practicing as we have to have someone who checks the teeth, eyes, ears, and all over the dogs to get them used to having a judge check them over and not having the dogs fussing around. Each breed is different, and you have to know that particular breed. Such as, you need to know that the Dreve's front legs are straight without an elbow like the dachshund. The Pembroke Corgi doesn't have a tail, has sharper ears and is a slightly smaller dog than the Cardigan Corgi. You need to know which breed is allowed to have an over bite, or an under bite. It's really very involved. Hard to pick off of the TV I do mostly obedience, and quite often run them through their paces, but I am inerested in the conformation dogs. Mostly by the time the dogs get to the "big" shows, the winner is just what the judge is fond of, as all of those dogs have already made it through all the other shows with their own breeds and they are all super fit, well bred dogs.

Hmm, hear hubby moving around in his study, I'd better get my butt over to the stove. Will come on again later

[Lollie]

Lynn- The white squash has the same flowers as the others. My kids love squash, eggplant, really any vegie!!!! But, I never acted like there was anything else! Plus, going and picking it, makes a difference! They love to help in the kitchen, I think kids really get into being able to make their own food. Then they eat better too!!!

I will post pics, when every thing starts coming in good. Of course, since I'm in Texas, we already have blooms on all the vegies!!!! So not too long and we'll have vegies!

Lollie

[tiredofdoctors]

Okay -- 3 replies:

1) Kabowman -- those nitrates are bad babies. I'm telling you what -- we avoid them at all costs. with regard to the squirrels, believe it or not, we can't even hit the stupid things with pellet guns -- not even PAINTBALLS! I asked my son if I could borrow his pellet gun or paintball gun, and he said that if I hit one and killed it, I could get arrested! Is that a crock, or what?????

2) Lollie -- same with my kids -- they grew up eating anything and everything. My daughter had to have her tonsils out at age 2 (she had strep throat every three weeks for 16 months). It was at Derby time, and my parents always had a party with their friends, where they boiled lobsters. Ashley was discharged from the hospital on Derby Day, and my dad asked his "sweetie pie" if she needed anything special. She shook her head "yes", and he said, "What do you need?" She said "Yobster and bascaragus." My dad howled! Of course, she got her own ENTIRE lobster and a full plate of asparagus!

3) Shirley -- thanks for the canning info -- I'm going to do it this year -- It's going to be a leap, but I'm going to do it! Hope I don't blow up the house! Thanks for the info about the dog judging. I was wondering about that whole thing. Ron Reagan always says, "Well, as you know, "such and such" is the judge's favorite breed . . . . " -- then lo and behold, that breed wins best of show. What a coincidence!

[chrissy]

lynne---your local county extension agent should have books available with updated canning info---it seems to change every so often. in our area, they run a pressure guage check every year to let you know if your guage needs to be adjusted or if you need a new one.

have any of you ever put your canned produce into the county fair? i did years and years ago----i worked on the "perfect" bottle of whole, long green beans in a large mouth pint jar. i won a blue ribbon and didn't want to use the jar, so i left it sitting out in my kitchen until my daughter broke it. i don't try to cann them whole and pretty anymore----takes too much time.

christine

[jenvan]

Lynne- I'll be happy to share what ever I can with you! I use my antique Better Homes and Gardens, red check, cook book. I also have a small collection of antique cookbooks that date back to the World Wars. Man they are really cool!!! They all these tips for things you would never think of now!

I haven't said anything about my garden! We expanded this year and now one third of the yard is vegies! We have tomatoes, eggplant, zuchini squash, the little white squash (we call them flying saucer squash!!!), pumpkins, okra, corn, water melon, onions, peppers of several varieties, pole beans, sweet peas, and an array of herbs. Everything is up and doing really good! I can't wait until they are all produceing! That's the best time of the year!

Lollie

Lollie-- How has your squash done in the past? I had that, cucumber and zuchnni last year and ugh--they all got some kind of downy mildew I think. It was bad...tried different things, but nothing worked.

Christine--Congrats on the blue ribbon!! I should totally try and do that sometime. I was in 4-H fair growing up. My husband was a FFH and judged cattle. We laugh about that--what a dork he was !! Sorry your dd broke the jar!

Lynne-- You are going to love canning. Nothing like seeing all those jars of beautiful food you put up--no preservatives and only has what you want in it. In fact--I'm going to eat some of my applesauce

[covsooze]

Being a newbie to the whole gardening thing, I've got a very ignorant question How long does it take for seeds to germinate? I planted my carrot, lettuce and tomato seeds 4 days ago and not a peep from them yet. Am I just a bit too impatient?!

[kabowman]

Carrots can take a week to 10 days to germinate. My lettuce seemed to sprout in about a week. I only buy tomato plants now because I don't want to start them indoors any more since I live in the northern half of the country, in zone 5.

If you live in a colder climate (aren't you in the UK?), you may want to go buy some tomato plants (same goes for bell peppers) and I think eggplant is in that category too - they have a longer growing season.

When I was growing up in Miami, Florida, we planted them in the ground just fine. Also, we had a dog that loved to play with the cherry tomatoes and he would bite one off, throw it up in the air, then go get another one and start all over. The next year, we had tomatoes ALL over the back yard.

[covsooze]

Thanks for that Kate I have started the tomato plants off indoors, so hopefully they'll be OK to plant out in June. I like the story about your dog and the cherry toms - the ones I've planted are cherries, so I hope our cat doesn't do the same thing. She likes playing with Christmas Tree decorations, and tomatoes aren't that dissimilar!

[kabowman]

I used to do the whole, starting all the seeds inside but after kids and pets, I gave up - kudos to you!!! I just didn't keep up enough. My dad, who didn't garden any more but loved gardening and seed buying, would go through all the catalogs and buy seeds and have them mailed to me every year. It was always a surprise what I would get.

Now, he takes my sister shopping in the spring for annuals for her 4 kids since she lives close. Before she had her own house, he used to fly out to visit me every spring and take me shopping and buy everything he liked and some stuff that I liked too (now I just get what I like and a few things for my hubby to keep him happy and interested).

[jenvan]

Aren't there some seeds that have to be sown indoors than planted outside? Or is that just flowers? I haven't done many seeds yet...just plants.

[nikki-uk]

It's a bit too chilly yet here in the UK to plant bedding plants out yet (we are still getting occasional frosts at night)-so I recently planted some seeds in my mini greenhouse (tomatoes and flower seeds)

It works out cheaper I think to use seeds and somehow more satisfying when you can plant them out !

[covsooze]

It's a bit too chilly yet here in the UK to plant bedding plants out yet (we are still getting occasional frosts at night)-so I recently planted some seeds in my mini greenhouse (tomatoes and flower seeds)

It's been loads warmer in the last few days, hasn't it nikki?

My seeds are sprouting DS is a bit concerned that there are no tomatoes yet though...

[nikki-uk]

It's been loads warmer in the last few days, hasn't it nikki?

My seeds are sprouting DS is a bit concerned that there are no tomatoes yet though...

Alas,back to grey skies and chilly weather today

Pack those shorts away for now!!

No sign of life from my seeds yet!