One of the my absolute favorite parts about the town we’re living in, is that there is a daily farmer’s market in the center of town! It will run through October! On Saturdays the farmers market is the biggest, with a ton of venders selling their farm fresh goods. Since I’m currently not gardening, I figured that with the availability of beautiful farm fresh produce, I should learn the valuable process of canning. I feel like it’s a sort of next step to gardening.
After researching, and being a little freaked out about ph levels, and botulism, Jon and I decided to just start with pickled cucumbers. We haven’t gotten to eat any yet because they’re not ready, but I really enjoy the process, and the fact that in the middle of a Wisconsin winter, I’ll be able to eat fresh local veggies. I’m hoping to maybe try canning some cauliflower this weekend. (I LOVE, Love, love, pickled cauliflower.)
I also quickly learned, that Wisconsin tomatoes give Jersey tomatoes a run for their money. The local heirloom tomatoes are so good, I had to make some sauce. I ended up deciding not to can my sauce, because I was unsure of the ph level of my recipe. But I just froze it in Ziploc bags instead. Since doing that, I spoke to my nonna, who cans tomatoes (not sauce), and then uses them for sauce in the winter. She told me her process, and I might give that a try sometime soon as well. I’ve been assured that the tomatoes will still be at the farmers market for a few weeks.
Jon and I have also discussed going raspberry picking in order to attain raspberries for canning some jam. We’ve been informed that you can go raspberry picking right up until the last frost around these parts. Raspberries are our favorite fruit, so we’d really like to give that a try. It’s really just a matter of finding the time to do it; he’s so busy, busier than I expected.
I really enjoy this process of preparing for the winter that I am already dreading. I really like that with this new skill I’m learning, I’ll be able to eat a more local diet year-round, an aspiration of mine since I read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, last summer.
Have you ever done the canning thing? What’s your favorite type of pickle?
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
The rate I’m going, I’ll live my whole life without ever learning to can things myself, in spite of my European predecessors doing it in front of me my whole childhood, and also in spite of all my gardening! It is so fantastic that you are learning how already. It must be a vast change for you being in a small rural community–I grew up in one.
I probably wouldn’t have taken the plunge to learn to can if I hadn’t moved here. It is definitely a big change for me- the nearest mall is forty five minutes away, past several hundred barns and silos. I will say that although canning is a very time consuming process, it’s super easy! I’m definitely happy I learned.
Way back before I was in PR and happily living on a ranch, we used to can black eyed peas and make wild plum jelly. Delish! I am eating a total low sodium diet now and enjoy your blog. Going for much less animal products, but I do like a smidge of butter. However being married to a meat and potatoes man has it challenges. I eat grain fed beef and natural chicken occasionally, plus fish.
It sounds like you have a fabulous diet. Jon is definitely a meat and potatoes man as well, and living with him has been interesting for me in my pescatarian state. He definitely cooks a lot as well though so we’re making it work- last night he made me potato soup! Wild plum jelly sounds incredible! I wish I’d had a taste of that!