Cinder Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Where is the best place to get the canning jars? . . . I think I saw canning jars at Hobby Lobby the last time I was in there and they have 40% off coupons every week. Hmm... Do not buy your jars from HL. They sell them individually for crafts/gifts and price them accordingly. IOW it will cost much more per jar--even with coupons--than if you just buy a case of jars from stuffmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 i agree wit these recommendations for sure. i have the presto 23 quart, but that's just so i can stack the jars and can more. :) That's what I use my AA for! But I need the Presto for things like the 7 quarts of chicken stock from this week. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 That's what I use my AA for! But I need the Presto for things like the 7 quarts of chicken stock from this week. :) oh, i'm jealous. i couldn't afford the all american canner. that was my first choice, but my wallet said, "no", lol. i found the presto through amazon for $75 with free shipping, so i went with that. i do love it, but i have nothing to compare it too. i've read the all american is best because it doesn't have the rubber seal. eventually, my seal will need to be replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Pressure canners: All American 930 and the Presto 16 quart. Water bath canners: Ball Elite stainless canner (with the glass lid I love) and a 20 year old stainless steel canner with no name. I had an enamel one when I started but I hated it because it chipped easily. I was thinking tonight KK, since your kids are happy little vegetable easter, how are there on beans?? You will not believe how easy it is to can beans once a month or so and how CHEAP it is. I just throw a can of beans into something almost every day now. Mkay. I hope you realize that I will be PM'ing you like crazy once I start making decisions on jars and pressure canner... and I LOVE the idea of that extra burner because the stove/oven here is awful. I might get that anyway! They LOVE beans! We use some type of bean in almost every meal we eat around here. Huh. I wasn't going to attempt to grow beans this year, but I think I'll try my hand at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 i still can't find my stupid remote, so we are watching netflix through the wii until it turns up. go to your roku though & download the BYU TV channel. there are several sections dividing the shows available (varying from religious to more entertainment). i *think* the show i'm thinking of is in the same section with the food nanny (also a fun show!). i can't think of the name of the show, but if you scroll through, the host is a brunette female. it sort of looks like a talk show setting. she covers a variety of topics, but they have specifc shows on canning (usually a blonde guest is there). there is another show that is all about gardening that is very good too! i'm sure there are other good shows as well. many have to do with self sustaining since that is important to the LDS church & i am trying to learn about homesteading, so i find the shows really informative. I'm going to find it tonight. I can't wait to see what the show is like. All of this is a little overwhelming and intimidating - but I see the possibilities and value in this. i actually did know that. :) do you know if it's possible to use the roku without the remote? is that possible? i tried but can't figure it out, so we just reverted to our pre-roku days and are watching amazon and netflix through the wii. i'm so frustrated. we lose that remote so much -- even though the rule is to keep it in the basket on the coffee table! I don't think there is. :( We ended up ordering a second remote months ago. The remotes aren't incredibly expensive through their website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 KK, I will be with you every step of the way. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandaceC Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 The presto seems so much more affordable for me right now - is there much of a difference between that and the all American? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 KK, I will be with you every step of the way. :) Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandaceC Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 We can control our roku on our phones and iPad! You have to get the roku app. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandaceC Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Or iPod touch.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 We can control our roku on our phones and iPad! You have to get the roku app. say WHAT? you made my night! off to check it out!!!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandaceC Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Just asked my hubby, the technological One, and he confirmed. He said after you download the Roku app it shows up like a remote on your phone and you just press the buttons as usual. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Just asked my hubby, the technological One, and he confirmed. He said after you download the Roku app it shows up like a remote on your phone and you just press the buttons as usual. :) oh my goodness!! it works, lol! you are AWESOME! "homegrown" & "living essentials" are two of the shows i mentioned. it looks like the episodes have changed some, but there are 2 on canning that i see for sure on living essentials. oh, they are under lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Thanks!! That should shave HOURS off of my search time tonight. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CandaceC Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Glad you got it to work!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkd Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Beans are very easy to grow. The only issue we have is getting to pick them before the birds, rabbits, rodents, deer, etc. We plant about 3x what we want so that when everything else has eaten them we have enough left. We grow green beans, edamame, and some to dry. Our favorite thing to grow is garlic. Almost no work. Tomatoes were already discussed but have you tried ground cherries? We love them! Our favorite seed catalogs are Seeds of Change and Seed Savers Exchange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 We're going to be doing container gardening this year. We're in a rental and we have issues with squirrels and we want to make sure we can take our "crops" with us if/when we move, so I'm bogged down with trying to figure out how to make this work. Garlic is DEFINITELY on the list. Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, any bean I can get to grow, squash, carrots, peppers. I was drooling over my Baker Creek catalog last night. I cannot wait to place an order. I've never even heard of ground cherries! (Off to google!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cin Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 I have a question now! This has been a great thread, btw! Tons of great information!! The 23 qt Presto cooker, the quart jars are the bigger ones, right? how do you fit 23 of those into that cooker? or into the 30 qt other brand one? You stack them? how many layers tall? My goodness, I could can SO MUCH with those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevergiveup Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Lots of really good advice in the above posts, but a couple of things I want to add (I am a long time canner): Some things are better (and easier) preserved by freezing if you have the freezer space. Sweet corn comes to mind as do whole tomatoes if you are using them for cooking. Some things are not worth my time to grow/harvest/preserve. Dried beans and potatoes come to mind. So cheap in the grocery or at a farmer's market where you know how they were grown. If you buy a used pressure canner, the local extension office will check out the seal and guages, which you most certainly should do before you use it. Not a bad idea for everyone to do each year with one they currently own. Canning/freezing gets easier and faster the more you do it, so it is a tricky question as to how hard it is. After all these years, I still get a bit nervous using my pressure canner... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 I have a question now! This has been a great thread, btw! Tons of great information!! The 23 qt Presto cooker, the quart jars are the bigger ones, right? how do you fit 23 of those into that cooker? or into the 30 qt other brand one? You stack them? how many layers tall? My goodness, I could can SO MUCH with those! Those numbers represent total volume. A 23 quart canner will hold 7-10 quart jars (7 on the bottom, and possibly 3 on their sides on top of those) or 20 pint jars double stacked. For those of you planning to try this out for the first time, unless you have an abundance of time and money, you might want to consider going into this in stages...ie getting assistance/borrow supplies from a reliable person the first time through. I've seen many enthusiastic people invest a ton of money into canning supplies only to find out that the garden didn't produce or that they'd used unsafe methods and wound up pouring spoiled contents down the drain. Our garden was one of those that didn't pay off--we have clay soil and the space began to get shady a few years down the road. Add in the high cost of water in my town and running the AC extra when I was canning on hot days meant in the long run it probably wound up costing me instead of saving me. We still do a limited amount of canning, but more along the lines of for 4-H projects and a few things we just like home canned and are willing to pay the extra for. Rarely in my situation does it save money when compared to shopping on sale and stocking up. I don't mean to discourage anyone and I do indeed know people that do indeed save money by home canning. But that's not true for every situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twinmom Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 I am following this thread with interest...thanks so much for starting it! I can't grow much here due to heavy shade and even heavier squirrel carnage, but we have a wonderful, robust farmer's market and I have a share in a great organic CSA. Planning to start canning small scale this year and see if it works out for me. I already have a Fagor pressure cooker, so I ordered the add on kit to make it a canner and I've ordered some of the items you all suggested here. I'm sure if I get into it, in the next year or two I will have to order larger equipment, but for now, I should be good. Thank you, thank you for getting me started!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redheadmom Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Just wanted to second the advice to not buy the jars at Hobby Lobby. Walmart and most grocery stores sell them by the case for much cheaper. If you are buying a new canner you are fine. But if you buy used, make sure it is compatible with your stove e.g. the old canners shouldn't be used on glass cook tops. The same goes for the large canning pots. Tomatoes and applesauce are some of the easiest to get started with. You will probably need a food mill. I grew up with one like this. http://www.amazon.co...ngstrainers.htm They also make electric food sieves. A really great website dedicated to preserving is Punk Domestics. http://www.punkdomestics.com/category/tags/canning Have fun. ETA links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 We're going to be doing container gardening this year. We're in a rental and we have issues with squirrels and we want to make sure we can take our "crops" with us if/when we move, so I'm bogged down with trying to figure out how to make this work. Garlic is DEFINITELY on the list. Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli, any bean I can get to grow, squash, carrots, peppers. I was drooling over my Baker Creek catalog last night. I cannot wait to place an order. I've never even heard of ground cherries! (Off to google!!) Up here, you plant garlic in the fall and harvest in the spring. So you may not have to worry about that one until next fall. KK, you've got to grow at least one pumpkin for your kids. You'll have to wind the vine all over your deck or what not but come on!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarkd Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Yes we plant garlic in oct/nov and harvest in July. Some do plant it in spring here. We are zone 5 (used to be zone 4 but climate change has really changed our growing season!). I agree about starting small with canning and seeing if it works out. We can each year but do freeze much more than can. You might want to search the web to see if there is a community kitchen available in your area. Our county building has one. They have many materials there. We also have classes from our county extension agent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I can more than I freeze because my freezer is for meat. I have a local organic farmer who raises 40 chickens for me every spring and fall and between that and the buffalo and a shelf or two of frozen edamame, I run a full freezer all the time. :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 If you have a grill you can use the canner on it. That is great for when it is just nasty hot. I have used it both on the side burner and main part. One day I dream of an outdoor canning kitchen. Watch Target around the beginning of fall as they mark down the lids and stuff really cheap. I got lids and rings at 67 cents a box last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I have a question now! This has been a great thread, btw! Tons of great information!! The 23 qt Presto cooker, the quart jars are the bigger ones, right? how do you fit 23 of those into that cooker? or into the 30 qt other brand one? You stack them? how many layers tall? My goodness, I could can SO MUCH with those! it can double stack pints or double stack quart jars with pints on top, but it can't double quart jars. it is a really BIG pot, so that is something to consider. i love it though!! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Okay. I need jars, a pressure canning thingy, a few books, the portable burner thingy. Um, tools to get hot jars/lids? I'm trying to make a terribly worded and vague shopping list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 KK, my advice is to get a little canning starter set and pick one thing in the spring and see if you like canning. Start with something like strawberry jam and try a flat of it. You should have a hot water bath canner but you don't need it to start - you could can in a big stock pot. As long as you have something on the bottom of the pot and a couple of inches of water above the jars, you're good. I don't want to see you dump $500 into this and come back here and tell us you hate it!!! Or you could spend a week up here in the spring. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 KK, my advice is to get a little canning starter set and pick one thing in the spring and see if you like canning. Start with something like strawberry jam and try a flat of it. You should have a hot water bath canner but you don't need it to start - you could can in a big stock pot. As long as you have something on the bottom of the pot and a couple of inches of water above the jars, you're good. I don't want to see you dump $500 into this and come back here and tell us you hate it!!! Or you could spend a week up here in the spring. :D Sounds good. I'll start looking for a set and *try* to keep it simple this year. (Even though I'm really drooling over those fancy jars!) Tempting! LOL. I wish I knew someone local who does canning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 KK, my advice is to get a little canning starter set and pick one thing in the spring and see if you like canning. Start with something like strawberry jam and try a flat of it. You should have a hot water bath canner but you don't need it to start - you could can in a big stock pot. As long as you have something on the bottom of the pot and a couple of inches of water above the jars, you're good. I don't want to see you dump $500 into this and come back here and tell us you hate it!!! Or you could spend a week up here in the spring. :D I have a water bath canner but often do my jam in an 8 quart soup pot with a wire trivet on the bottom. It's just easier than hauling out the big one. Speaking of $500, I remembered this and tracked it down. I felt so bad as I know how much work went into this. http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/436979-big-summer-canning-disappointment/page__hl__canning?do=findComment&comment=4449976 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inoubliable Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Oh no! :( Oh, I feel so bad for that member! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 I have a water bath canner but often do my jam in an 8 quart soup pot with a wire trivet on the bottom. It's just easier than hauling out the big one. Speaking of $500, I remembered this and tracked it down. I felt so bad as I know how much work went into this. http://forums.welltr...ng#entry4449976 That is EXACTLY why you have to follow proven and tested recipes. What a waste!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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