It's Time to Preserve Your Hard Work

marc_groleau · August 19, 2012

It's that time of year. We've picked, washed, cut, cleaned, milled, cooked & canned for the past two weekends. We've made finished sauce. Just heat and serve We boiled it down to about half of the original content which makes a nice thick sauce without the need for paste. We'll probably get about 18 quarts of finished sauce. Ain't it grand!

kath · August 19, 2012

Nice job! It's a lot of hot, hard work but well worth the effort when you can just open up those jars in the winter.

marc_groleau · August 19, 2012

Well it's gonna be 20 quarts plus. We'd easilly do another 8 or more quarts next week if we choose to. Maybe we'll just put them at the road and welcome passer-bys to take some nice fresh tomatoes home for free (donations welcome).

Tonio · August 22, 2012

Yikes 20+ qts??? Bet the Victorio mill helped alot !! Looks good Marc !

You're set for winter

Nice stainless steel pots too. I just washed boiled, cooled then put it through the mill, and reduced, canned. But not 20 qts

marc_groleau · August 22, 2012

Oh man I love that mill. It works really well. I used to boil and peel but still ended up with all the seeds. Now it's just pure juice and pulp.
I've decided to make one more batch this weekend. Should get 8-10 more quarts. Going to have to give some to family.

barkeater · August 22, 2012

marc,

It doesn't go bad! One year I did 42 quarts and finished the last one 2 years later and it was fine. Last year I only got 15 before late blight took out everything so it was great to have some leftover from the previous year. Good thing too as I'm down to 2 quarts in the pantry and won't be putting up sauce until next week.

marc_groleau · August 22, 2012

Well your right. I was thinking that I'd have more next year but I guess you can never be sure of that hey.

TomNJ · August 22, 2012

I always keep at least a year ahead in case I have a really bad year. In fact I am still eating salsa from 2008! Got another batch I'll be canning as soon as I log off here.

TomNJ

Ken4230 · August 22, 2012

When our girls were home and our parents still alive, in some years, we would can 300+ qts. of tomatoes, 200 qts. of green beans, and 100 or so qts. of potatoes, cabbage, etc.
My mom did most of the canning, I just kept her supplied. We wound up canning about every fourth year.

My wife and I froze the sweet corn that I didn't sell, sometimes as much as 1000 ears, both cut and on the cob.
The corn was shared with the extended family, but they did their own canning.

I'm kind of glad we don't do that anymore, although I do miss walking in the house to the smell of meatloaf and potatoes and green beans seasoned with a ham hock.

50 qts. a year is max for us now. If I ever get my new garden going,I may change my mind.

Ken

August 19, 2012	#1
marc_groleau Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 444	It's Time to Preserve Your Hard Work It's that time of year. We've picked, washed, cut, cleaned, milled, cooked & canned for the past two weekends. We've made finished sauce. Just heat and serve We boiled it down to about half of the original content which makes a nice thick sauce without the need for paste. We'll probably get about 18 quarts of finished sauce. Ain't it grand!

August 22, 2012	#6
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	marc, It doesn't go bad! One year I did 42 quarts and finished the last one 2 years later and it was fine. Last year I only got 15 before late blight took out everything so it was great to have some leftover from the previous year. Good thing too as I'm down to 2 quarts in the pantry and won't be putting up sauce until next week. __________________ barkeater

August 19, 2012	#2
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	Nice job! It's a lot of hot, hard work but well worth the effort when you can just open up those jars in the winter.

August 22, 2012	#4
Tonio Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 148	Yikes 20+ qts??? Bet the Victorio mill helped alot !! Looks good Marc ! You're set for winter Nice stainless steel pots too. I just washed boiled, cooled then put it through the mill, and reduced, canned. But not 20 qts

August 22, 2012	#8
TomNJ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Floyd VA Posts: 771	I always keep at least a year ahead in case I have a really bad year. In fact I am still eating salsa from 2008! Got another batch I'll be canning as soon as I log off here. TomNJ

August 22, 2012	#9
Ken4230 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Western Ky Posts: 282	When our girls were home and our parents still alive, in some years, we would can 300+ qts. of tomatoes, 200 qts. of green beans, and 100 or so qts. of potatoes, cabbage, etc. My mom did most of the canning, I just kept her supplied. We wound up canning about every fourth year. My wife and I froze the sweet corn that I didn't sell, sometimes as much as 1000 ears, both cut and on the cob. The corn was shared with the extended family, but they did their own canning. I'm kind of glad we don't do that anymore, although I do miss walking in the house to the smell of meatloaf and potatoes and green beans seasoned with a ham hock. 50 qts. a year is max for us now. If I ever get my new garden going,I may change my mind. Ken