Home Canning (How To Get Started)

Home canning is making a strong come back from what was once thought of as a dying art!

People, like you and me, are wanting to know where our food comes from.  

Many are gathering produce from their own garden, a family or friend's garden, a farmer's market, or a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).

We want to know what goes into our food.

We don't want harmful additives and preservatives in our food.

For this weeks blog posts, I am going to be talking about home canning.

Let me make it known that I do not consider myself a canning expert by any means.

When I was a little girl, my Mom had a summer kitchen just steps away from the farm house that we lived in.

I watched her spend countless hours working in there, preserving food for her family.

Her mother, grandmother, and generations before her canned as a life necessity.

I did not have a passion for that way of life...until I got older and had a family of my own.

I ask my Mom questions, I search the Internet, and I read books pertaining to home canning.

It is something that I now have a strong passion for.

So if you are thinking of canning or are new to canning, I hope you find this post helpful.
If you are a seasoned canner, perhaps we can learn from each other.

Let's start with the basic equipment that you will need for home canning.

I will provide links for you to purchase the products so you can get started right away.

Throughout this week I will share some of my favorite things to can and how I do it.

At the end of the week, I have an awesome giveaway from Ball, a leader in home preservation.

Let's get started...

The first thing I recommend getting is a canning book.

Ball's Blue Book Guide to Preserving is one that I have and I reference it a lot!

 

A boiling water canner is used for high acid foods, such as fruits, pickles and tomatoes.

A pressure canner is used for low acid foods, such as vegetables and meats.

                     
Jars, Lids, and Bands

Jars come in different sizes - half pint, pint, and quart.  You can get regular or wide mouth sizes.

You can re-use jars and bands.  Making sure they are crack free, you can store them to use year after year.

Do not re-use lids.  They are designed for a single use.  Re-using them may mean a jar does not seal properly, thus making the contents worthless.

Home Canning Utensils

Specialized utensils help make each step of the process a little easier.

Bubble Remover - helps remove trapped air from inside filled jars.

Jar Funnel - makes filling jars easier.

Jar Lifter - safely removes hot jars from the canner.

Lid Wand - has a magnetic tip for removing lids from hot water.
(This is a favorite in my house - with me and my daughters.)

Come back tomorrow!  I will share something that I can every year...salsa.

If you are a home canner I would love to hear from you!

Leave a comment or send me an e-mail.

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This post contains affiliate links.  I provided them to help you get started (or continue) in canning.  By clicking on them and purchasing the products, you can be on your way to home canning some delicious foods.  Clicking and buying the items from this post does not affect the price at all, but does help support this blog.
Thank you!