The Introduce Yourself Forum

[doccat5]

Ok guys, you can water bath tomatoes, BUT you need to add either lemon juice or some other type of acid to the jar. Most of the newer hybrids are more low acid and don't can well in a water bath. I just add a teaspoon of lemon juice to each jar and then fill with my tomato mixture.

Using a pressure cooker is not hard, it's just a tool. You need to pay attention to what your doing, but most of the newer ones have all sort of additional safety features to help. It's actually faster and safer for many veggies.
My pressure cookers are both older ones, but I buy a new gasket every year, just to be on the safe side. I have one big one that will do multiple quarts and then a smaller one that I use to do pints, it was my mothers so it's well over 40 year old and is still like brand new.

You can not can beans without using a pressure cooker. There are pathogens on the beans in nature and you need the extra heat from the cooker to kill them off.

You can also freeze your tomatoes and make sauces with them later when you're not so busy. Trust me you will get sick of looking at tomatoes after awhile.

I'll dig around and see if I can come up with some recipes for pickalily and relishes. Good way to use the "tail end" of some of your veggies.

[TheLorax]

Hmmm... pickled peaches? Interesting ;) They don't sound nearly as bad as pickled pigs feet to me and I've definitely seen jars of pickled pigs feet for sale at some farmers markets before. Eeeeeeeeewwwwwww, gross!

doccat, you don't by any chance have a recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie do you?

[JennyC]

DocCat,

You're absolutely right about the acid level in tomatoes. I make it a point to buy heirlooms when I get determinates, but I meant to mention it and I forgot. Thanks.

[eshenry]

. Up north, everyone had large vegetable gardens. We had no lawn and the few ornamental plants we had were by the front door, the back door, and the outhouse. We had a peony bush my mother divided and made into two then four then eight peony bushes, one lilac bush, some hens and chicks she received from her sister who had moved to the city, and one pussy willow tossed in for good measure. You hit it on the head, gardening certainly wasn't a hobby for northerners in rural areas either- there was no money for hobbies.

Sounds wonderful! (lilacs and peonies)

I stand corrected in my observation.

When you do get to come to TN, look me up and we will have a canning day!

[TheLorax]

I just add a teaspoon of lemon juice to each jar and then fill with my tomato mixture.

Will do! Would have never known to do this if you hadn't commented.

Using a pressure cooker is not hard, it's just a tool. You need to pay attention to what your doing...

I plan on clearing out the house the day I start otherwise the activity level is way too high around here and it's nothing but one distraction after the next.

eshenry! Ugh, if only I had gotten your offer just a few months ago when we were down in TN. I would have pawned my kids off on somebody to be able to get a chance to can uninterrupted for a whole day.

Yes, rural America always defined a garden very differently than those who lived in or near big cities. Another thing that I bet is specific to rural America would be root cellars. We had one and bet you did too. We kept potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, turnips, onions, and apples down in ours. I know we stored other produce down there but that's what I can remember off hand. In the winter, nothing froze in the root cellar. In the summer, nothing overheated in the root cellar. It was also a great place for older mean-spirited siblings to lock-in younger siblings. Scream as loud as you could and pound on the door for as long as you could in one of those and unless your mother was outside walking by it, you wouldn't be heard. I'm sure anyone who grew up with a root cellar has been locked in one before.

[TheLorax]

Pretty funny, I just realized I am the one who started this thread about the Introduce Yourself Forum.

I don't want to derail a really good thread that is twisting and turning but does anyone have any experience with bonsai who could pop in and welcome this person-
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7832
or this person-
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7628

These are the only two people left who have 0 replies to their threads in the Introduce Yourself Forum.

I'd feel sort of silly welcoming them based on my experience with bonsai which is nothing more than viewing plants at exhibits or looking at other people's photos.

[JennyC]

Can't help with the bonsai, so I'll continue with the distractions

I've been wondering if it's too hot/humid for root cellars here? Year round underground here is 58 degrees; where I grew up it's 61 (I know this because of cave temperatures). Humidity is high, though I don't know how high. I can't think of anyone I knew with a root cellar (we'd cool watermelons in the spring, but didn't keep any veggies down there longer term, even though there's a nice cave at the spring. Is it too hot here for root cellars?

Oh, and I don't have my grandmother's pickled peach recipe (a problem I intend to fix; family reunion tomorrow), but in the meantime, here's one I found online that looks similar (I'd go heavy on the cloves, but I'm a clove junky). This (and all pickles) can be hot water bath canned because of the acid in the vinegar.

PICKLED PEACHES

INGREDIENTS
4 cups sugar
1 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons whole cloves
4 pounds fresh clingstone peaches, blanched and peeled
5 (3 inch) cinnamon sticks

DIRECTIONS
Combine the sugar, vinegar and water in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Press one or two cloves into each peach, and place into the boiling syrup. Boil for 20 minutes, or until peaches are tender.
Spoon peaches into sterile jars and top with liquid to 1/2 inch from the rim. Put one cinnamon stick into each jar. Wipe the rims with a clean dry cloth, and seal with lids and rings. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes to seal, or consult times recommended by your local extension.

[TheLorax]

Yaa, I can't help with bonsai either... maybe if I could eat it I'd have more interest. Don't quite know what to think about pickled peaches in your mailbox. This might be a southern acquired taste deal. Looks as if they don't need to be pressure canned though so I might need to try it and that cinnamon stick in the recipe sounds interesting. Net pickled peaches look pretty in a glass jar. They will have to taste good though or you would end up with unused pickled peaches in your mailbox. We have a lot of Mikeys here who are picky eaters and I don't quite know if anyone has developed a taste for anything pickled other than sweet relish for hotdogs. I think that's also called pickalily? Fortunately, everyone around here will try new foods and they even swallow. They may not eat any more of something they don't care for but at least they try foods prepared differently than what they're used to which is a good thing.

[Toms92gp]

I've always thought of gardening as growing Fruits and veggies. To me Flowers, non fruiting shrubs and trees are landscaping. I got to redo my veggie garden, its going to have to be rasied beds. The bermuda grass runs in over if I do it any other way. So for right now I don't have a "garden" The only food producing plants I got is 3 small fig bushes that have 1 or 2 figs each on them and a grape vine. I'm going to start working on it this fall again.

[TheLorax]

I've always thought of gardening as making one's yard look appealing and inviting. Something I suppose I should be doing more of around here. Too busy playing with tomatoes to be worrying about curb appeal though.

[JennyC]

See, the curb appeal thing just doesn't apply to me; you can't even see the house from any road because of a pasture out front. Maybe I have curb appeal when the horses are out in that pasture. All of which serves to reinforce my prejudice about gardening being a means of food production, I guess.

[TheLorax]

The curb appeal thing doesn't do much for me either but my husband knows I'd go wild to the front door and I don't think he has acquired a taste for that style of gardening but there's always hope. It's because of him that I suppose I should do more around here but I'd much prefer to be playing with my tomatoes and other vegetables. Gardening to create curb appeal will always take a back seat with me. Not a priority.

[Linda_E.]

Hello everyone. I've been reading your post and is very interesting..I canned for years when the boys were young, And always had potatoes,squash,green beans,blackeyed peas, cream peas,corn,In other words,,If it grew in the garden, And had to be canned, I did it. And the tomatoes,pecante sause, pickles,chow-chow,peachs,pears,dew-berries,or black berries,all were canned..I froze corn, strawberries, and peas and beans to when I ran out of room in the pantry. We lived way out in the country, I didn't work and my mom and I would spend weeks doing this. I am so glad we did ,,I learned alot from her..And come spring. The chickens we raised for eating..The kids hated it, But we would have a chicken plucking weekend and they sure didn't like it. But they didn't mind after they realize it was for them to eat..Oh the joy of the farm life..

The Lorax,,canning and water baths aren't bad..And like the others said,,The new preasure cookers are nice and have safety blow valves now..I have one my grandmother had,,And she passed back in 1979. And I have my moms 2 and sisters MNL's and my 2. But I only use the new ones..The old ones are 40 to 50 years old..But once you start using a pressure cooker..you will get more brave..lol But water bath way is good for the tomatoes, sauses,pickles,and berries.

Hello to all you other good people..I really enjoyed reading your post. Will have to keep up with all of you. I am in Ky. Moved from Tx. about 6 months ago and just love it here..Can you believe,,it's 58 this morning and it's june.

Have a great day and hope to chat with all of you. Linda

[wighter]

Hi you good people. I am a newbie from the Isle of Wight. If you don't know where that is we are the pendulum blob that hangs just south of Portsmouth in Great Britain. Joining in these sites is so entertaining. I need copious imagination to understand some of your expressions. Did I read 'hot bath water canning. Japanese beetles. Desert Eagles. they conjure up all sorts of responses that probably have nothing to do with what you are describing. for the first time in seventy years I fancy visiting your area to discover how you do your gardening and your preserving. I only do frezzing and that mainly for soups. It's a personal thing but I would like you good people to realise that we in England love to join in this site and could be helped with an enlightenment for some of the things you describe...but then..perhaps it's more fun for us to use our imaginations.

[TheLorax]

Lemme try here to help you out.

hot bath water canning-
It's a way we can preserve our fruits and vegetables in glass jars that we tie ribbons around and share with friends and family. Up till now, I have always been the recipient of these wonderful gifts. After I learn a little bit more, I will hopefully be able to share myself.
This site gives you a visual of the process-
https://canningusa.com/IfICanYouCan/TechniqueWaterBathMethod.htm

Japanese beetles-
A species of insect introduced to the continent of North America accidentally. Gardeners hate them. They chomp leaves on our plants and leave them looking swiss cheesy.
This website gives you a look at them and gives you additional information-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_beetle

Desert Eagles-
Two choices here. One is a type of a gun (and I know you can't legally have any over on your side of the pond)-
https://www.speedshooter.de/assets/images/desert_eagle_pic.jpeg
And the other is actually an eagle that would have a natural range of the deserts such as our Golden Eagle-
https://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Golden_Eagle.html
It's natural range also includes other regions though as well but it is referred to as a desert eagle.

Please do come and visit us in the US! We'd love to have you!

[wingdesigner]

Welcome, wighter! As in Isle of Wight? Did you introduce yourself inthe Introduction section of this forum? (Did I already welcome you and have just forgotten ?)

[wighter]

Thanks for the welcome. yes...I have introduced myself. I jest kind of get envious of all the excess produce that you guys over there grow. I have a large garden by modern standards over here but finding room for everything is kind of challenging which means that I end up growing just enough of everything that I need. I guess making jam from our wild fruit is as near as I get to your canning process. and thanks for the explanations. I am eternally nosy and want to know how it is..how it is done and the people who do it. Can't get along side those who only see gardening as vegetable and fruit growing. I love my garden flower borders and pots. there is nothing more that gladdens my heart than to see a flower bud unfold its beauty...and vegetables don't smell quite like flowers do..but of couse..it's a personal thing. I guess I remember my parents attempts at flower growing. I love your thinking and your humour Thanks again.

[wingdesigner]

Found you! Also found your Intro post but then Intros are the last place I visit before signing off for the night, so sometimes I get in "trouble" that way. Oh well. Welcome to you and all your flora.

[dinker]

Sorry don't mean to just jump in but I just have to ask pickled peaches?
are they sweet and sour?
opps sorry I didnt see the next page

[Linda_E.]

Hi , TheLaorax.. Hope you well and good,, Got to get cought up.. Computer been down,, New part time job,, And had trouble getting in, But got that fixed.. lol. Fall is here,And will be in doors more when winter sets in. Will check back tomorrow,, or tonight,,lol Linda

[wingdesigner]

Wighter, I can relate to childhood memories of gardens and such. Well, sort of. My grandparents grew much of their own food and I guess I inherited their garden/farming genes. When I got old enough I was able to restore some of their plantings: a climbing rose, peonies, Concord grape vine (until the lawn service mowed it down...), MacIntosh apple tree, larkspur, white lilac, mock orange; and some heirloom tulips, and some sort of squill, both of which I've never seen since.

[Snippy]

It's nice to know that there are still folks out there who like to can. Ever taste store bought applesauce? It tastes rotten!
I just finished canning applesauce; it tastes a whole lot better when there is love in it! Apple picking is done in our area as the weather cools down.
I borrow a strainer where the apples need to be quartered and the stems get taken off. I cook the apples till they are somewhat soft. Peels come out one side and applesauce out the other. I grind the peels again to get all of the sauce and reheat the appleasauce and bottle it. It tastes lovely in the winter! It's worth all of the work!

[webmaster]

>>>It's worth all of the work!

Yes! The other day I was up until 2 am slow cooking a special meal. We had some of it tonight and my family couldn't get enough. My four year old daughter actually mixed the yummy sauce in with the rice, LOL. Tomorrow we're going to have leftovers for lunch and dinner, probably make sandwiches with it.

[wingdesigner]

Tomorrow we're going to have leftovers for lunch and dinner, probably make sandwiches with it.

OK, I'll be right over... (vrooom!)

[Kenshin14435]

HEY ALL!!!!!!!
I'm BACK!!!!!!!!(AKA-HONEY, I'm HOME!!!)
Am I allowed to REintroduce myself.........havnt been around in quite awhile.
LOL
Take Care

[wingdesigner]

"Oh, Ricky where were you, we missed you"...oops, I mean "Kenshin, we missed you... ".

[Kenshin14435]

LOL
You know how to make someone feel special don't you??

I can only pray for whoever receives holiday cards.........LOL

Take Care

[wingdesigner]

Heh, heh, heh...