- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,961
Sweet corn day. First variety is ready, about 12 dozen ears picked. Most will be cut off cob and in the freezer in a few hours.
What's Growing in the Garden
- Thread starter trc65
- Start date
I bought a few pounds of sweet Cherries and I was going to try to make jam. I read the pertinent sections in the Canning Book. I was going to cut in half, after washing/draining/de-stemming, to pit them. Cook them down and BWB can them without pectin (I don't care if it's a little runny) for 5 minutes (Alt <1000ft) in presterilized jars/lids. I'll use half the sugar, if it's safe to do, because I don't eat a lot of sweets nowadays.
The question is, is it the sugar that preserves the Cherries from spoiling or the lemon juice? I wasn't going to add any because the book says it can alter the taste and is only used for reducing the foam.
The question is, is it the sugar that preserves the Cherries from spoiling or the lemon juice? I wasn't going to add any because the book says it can alter the taste and is only used for reducing the foam.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,963
It's the pH that makes any jam safe to can. For a BWB, the pH needs to be below 4.6.
Sweet cherries can range in pH from 3.7-4.54. sugar has no effect on pH.
Lemon juice is to lower the pH, don't know it would have any effect on foaming. Generally to reduce foaming you use a 1/4 tsp of butter.
Not knowing the pH of the cherries, I would add the lemon juice to be safe. If water is used in the recipe, you definitely need the lemon juice as water will increase the pH of the mix.
BTW, pectin isn't needed, just cook a little longer to thicken the jam.
Sweet cherries can range in pH from 3.7-4.54. sugar has no effect on pH.
Lemon juice is to lower the pH, don't know it would have any effect on foaming. Generally to reduce foaming you use a 1/4 tsp of butter.
Not knowing the pH of the cherries, I would add the lemon juice to be safe. If water is used in the recipe, you definitely need the lemon juice as water will increase the pH of the mix.
BTW, pectin isn't needed, just cook a little longer to thicken the jam.
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- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,964
My bean arch sure makes for easy picking!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,965
Never slows down with the heat and moisture (6+ inches for July). About 4 gallons of beans to snip and can tonight.
Got mine in LAAATE, 3rd planting. Not blooming yet. If I get one good strong picking, I'll be happy.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,967
You have plenty of time. Generally about 3 weeks from first bloom to harvest. Heck, at approx 60 days from planting to harvest (depending on variety) you could plant now and still get a decent crop.
I'm on third planting of red beets. The first never emerged, the second got eaten by rabbits that I didn't know were around (they aren't anymore)
and the last was planted over the weekend and are now emerging. Have netting over them just in case there are any rabbits left I haven't seen.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,968
Got smart this year and cooked all the corn outside. Much quicker when freezing batches. Done with freezing corn for the year.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,969
Nephew and family were in town for a wedding vow renewal ceremony and they are big fans of dilly beans. Told him if he bought jars I'd make him a dozen to take back with him.
This is the only way to do this. He, his wife, 5 kids, me and mom. Sent most out to pick and then snip while I prepped jars and used one kid as a gopher to help gather other ingredients. In less than an hour had the first batch in the canner - a job that would have taken me half a day to get done.
Made 2/3 with standard red pepper flakes and the other 1/3 with my atomic chipotle powder which they love. He uses the powder mostly for pickles. Get a jar of your favorite spears, open it and add a scoop of atomic chipotle, put in the fridge for a couple weeks and enjoy.
This is the only way to do this. He, his wife, 5 kids, me and mom. Sent most out to pick and then snip while I prepped jars and used one kid as a gopher to help gather other ingredients. In less than an hour had the first batch in the canner - a job that would have taken me half a day to get done.
Made 2/3 with standard red pepper flakes and the other 1/3 with my atomic chipotle powder which they love. He uses the powder mostly for pickles. Get a jar of your favorite spears, open it and add a scoop of atomic chipotle, put in the fridge for a couple weeks and enjoy.
Making memories…
To be honest, this is the year that the garden has gotten away from us...
We've had some extra things on our plate this year, so I did not get to seed start this year. Bought starts of those things we couldn't direct sow. We did plant the garden, but did not plant our raised beds as intensively as we usually do. And while we usually like to try some new varieties of things and some new to us things, this year we stuck with things we've grown before and knew we would definitely eat and would be easy to preserve for eating over the winter.
Well, last year I brought in some new dirt - found a really good deal on some bagged garden soil, which made transporting it and getting it into the raised beds really easy. Well, what a "deal" that turned out to be, because that bagged soil was fuuuuuull of weed seeds, including a couple varieties of weeds we've never had in our garden beds before... We just can't keep up with the weeding this year, as much as we've tried. It's just awful. We're doing the best we can and at this point will be content to get whatever we get from the garden this year. Some of what we've planted has been, or is getting, choked out.
So, at some point soon, once we've gotten to the point where we feel like we've gotten what we're going to get from the garden, we're going to cut everything down and I'll put black plastic over all the beds for several weeks and let it bake in the sun to try and kill off any weeds and weed seeds in there. And we'll try again next year, with hopefully better results.
That said, we have gotten a good harvest of green beans so far and a couple handfuls of peas. Have gotten some tomatoes starting. Picked one summer squash. Gave up on the greens and lettuces, as they were too intermingled with the weeds. Might get a few peppers, but probably not too many. Don't think the onions or carrots are going to make it. Garlic got harvested previously, and will be planting it again in the fall.
We've had some extra things on our plate this year, so I did not get to seed start this year. Bought starts of those things we couldn't direct sow. We did plant the garden, but did not plant our raised beds as intensively as we usually do. And while we usually like to try some new varieties of things and some new to us things, this year we stuck with things we've grown before and knew we would definitely eat and would be easy to preserve for eating over the winter.
Well, last year I brought in some new dirt - found a really good deal on some bagged garden soil, which made transporting it and getting it into the raised beds really easy. Well, what a "deal" that turned out to be, because that bagged soil was fuuuuuull of weed seeds, including a couple varieties of weeds we've never had in our garden beds before... We just can't keep up with the weeding this year, as much as we've tried. It's just awful. We're doing the best we can and at this point will be content to get whatever we get from the garden this year. Some of what we've planted has been, or is getting, choked out.
So, at some point soon, once we've gotten to the point where we feel like we've gotten what we're going to get from the garden, we're going to cut everything down and I'll put black plastic over all the beds for several weeks and let it bake in the sun to try and kill off any weeds and weed seeds in there. And we'll try again next year, with hopefully better results.
That said, we have gotten a good harvest of green beans so far and a couple handfuls of peas. Have gotten some tomatoes starting. Picked one summer squash. Gave up on the greens and lettuces, as they were too intermingled with the weeds. Might get a few peppers, but probably not too many. Don't think the onions or carrots are going to make it. Garlic got harvested previously, and will be planting it again in the fall.
We often get frost end of August, so happy to get anything. Post pictures of some of the new weeds. Always neat to see what others deal with.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,973
Storms last night knocked of two of the three Bartlett pears off so brought them in to see if they will ripen. Also the Starking Delicious pears are ripe, so picked a handful. Summer storms reduced the crop quite a bit, but hope there are enough to can some. The Delicious are supposed to be same quality and taste as the Bartlett's, but have never sized decently.
Also, HoneyCrisp apples are just about ready to pick.
Also, HoneyCrisp apples are just about ready to pick.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,974
Picked a few HoneyCrisp apples tonight. Eating one makes a meal. These are averaging 13 oz each!
Finally! First picking of the year. Got them in late (3rd planting) A little over 2 gallons
My trellis is 7' tall and these vines are about 2' longer. And thick! Next year I'll plant 6" apart.
The crouder peas are doing great this year. I'll have to trellis them next year. They're spilling over into the beans and climbing that trellis. Rest of the garden is in sad shape. Okra only 1-2' high.
My trellis is 7' tall and these vines are about 2' longer. And thick! Next year I'll plant 6" apart.
The crouder peas are doing great this year. I'll have to trellis them next year. They're spilling over into the beans and climbing that trellis. Rest of the garden is in sad shape. Okra only 1-2' high.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,976
Hot hot hot. Last few cabbage heads in the garden have started to split, so cut them this morning and started a small batch of sauerkraut. Somewhere around six pounds worth. Have some late cabbage in the garden to make a bigger batch in October.
I'm confused (again). I'm starting to get tomatoes and will be canning what I call 'Tomato Base'. Just blanched, peeled, blended, strained and then cooked for 1-3 hr. Trying to do things right so I looked up tomato products in the USDA Home Canning book.
Page 3-5 talks about acidification, which I've never done. OK simple enough to do, so I'll pick up some lemon juice. I usually cook the tomato puree down about 3 hours to reduce volume. This year, I'll strain to remove the water and back add a little before cooking for an hour (to kill bacteria) to get the consistency I want. I've tried straining and then cooking down the water to a third it's volume thinking some flavor would still be there. I don't think so; just water. Not worth the time.
Anyway, the question is, for BWB the book calls for 45 minute processing time. Do I need to still do the 45 minutes if I've already cooked for an hour? I usually just process, BWB, for 10 minutes.
And if I must still process 35 minutes, do I need to sterilize the jars? Somewhere I read in the book, you don't need to on long processing times. Maybe that was with pressure canning?
The way I'm doing it now is the way my Mom used to do it. Not that she was right. Food didn't set long on the shelf with a large family.
Page 3-5 talks about acidification, which I've never done. OK simple enough to do, so I'll pick up some lemon juice. I usually cook the tomato puree down about 3 hours to reduce volume. This year, I'll strain to remove the water and back add a little before cooking for an hour (to kill bacteria) to get the consistency I want. I've tried straining and then cooking down the water to a third it's volume thinking some flavor would still be there. I don't think so; just water. Not worth the time.
Anyway, the question is, for BWB the book calls for 45 minute processing time. Do I need to still do the 45 minutes if I've already cooked for an hour? I usually just process, BWB, for 10 minutes.
And if I must still process 35 minutes, do I need to sterilize the jars? Somewhere I read in the book, you don't need to on long processing times. Maybe that was with pressure canning?
The way I'm doing it now is the way my Mom used to do it. Not that she was right. Food didn't set long on the shelf with a large family.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #1,978
Canning tomatoes always generates lots of questions and the USDA has not been much help. They have been saying since the 80's that more research is needed to give answers, but no research has been done. The issue is acidity. Some tomato varieties have much less acid than others and USDA has just said that adding acid is the solution rather than giving a little more guidance.
We don't add acid to any tomatoes. Tried it many years ago and did not like the flavor at all. I'd recommend trying a sample with added acid before doing so to everything.
For jars, I usually wash them in the dishwasher for convenience, but they aren't sterilized. Same for lids.
The amount of time cooking doesn't reduce processing time. There is always potential for introducing pathogens during the filling of jars, so the processing time ensures that what you've put into the jar is sterilized.
With tomatoes, there are always more questions than answers. There is also a lot of bad info on websites FB pages etc. I hesitate to tell anyone exactly how to do tomatoes as there are too many variables.
What I do is process all tomato products (juice, quartered and sauce) in a pressure canner @6psi for 20 minutes. 1 tsp salt added per quart. No added acid.
We did have a discussion on this thread back in 2022 on canning tomato products, might go back and see if that discussion helps clarify things.
BTW, must be tomato day, I've got 5 gallons of sauce tomatoes stewing right now.
We don't add acid to any tomatoes. Tried it many years ago and did not like the flavor at all. I'd recommend trying a sample with added acid before doing so to everything.
For jars, I usually wash them in the dishwasher for convenience, but they aren't sterilized. Same for lids.
The amount of time cooking doesn't reduce processing time. There is always potential for introducing pathogens during the filling of jars, so the processing time ensures that what you've put into the jar is sterilized.
With tomatoes, there are always more questions than answers. There is also a lot of bad info on websites FB pages etc. I hesitate to tell anyone exactly how to do tomatoes as there are too many variables.
What I do is process all tomato products (juice, quartered and sauce) in a pressure canner @6psi for 20 minutes. 1 tsp salt added per quart. No added acid.
We did have a discussion on this thread back in 2022 on canning tomato products, might go back and see if that discussion helps clarify things.
BTW, must be tomato day, I've got 5 gallons of sauce tomatoes stewing right now.
