Canning Season.

[coronabarb]

Yes to using a thermometer if you are not using pectin, either jelly or jam.

[clkeiper]

I think I am done with Jams and Jellies. 20dzn jars. I think that is enough.

[guruofgardens]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I think I am done with Jams and Jellies. 20dzn jars. I think that is enough.

phew! That is one full set of shelves! Do you sell any or give some as gifts?

[clkeiper]

I do but most of it is for my farmers markets. I rarely eat it myself and dh eats strawberry freezer jam. Just another item on my tables.

[guruofgardens]

I only made 13 dozen this year, planning on selling it at a fair where my hubby works. They cancelled today, so I'll have a lot for gifts!! Hopefully I can find a few that love my jams. I do have one guy that likes peach jams only. He bought all of last year's peach jams. -smile-

[clkeiper]

ewww. ouch. I don't know what kind of area you live in but we have a few small shops that carry locally made "stuff" and are willing to make a spot for a few each week. look around for a few shops in your area now..... people will be looking for gifts for the holidays. look around and see if there are any craft shows or farmers markets you can sign up for. try to recoup at least your cost for the products. nor do you have to sell all of them this Fall/Winter. I primarily made mine for next year, sometimes it takes 2 years to get rid of some of them. good luck.(But don't sell yourself short. your time and the ingredients have value.)

[guruofgardens]

Colorado Cottage Laws (food prepared in your own kitchen) has strict rules on what can be sold and only the 'maker' can sell their product, just not to commercial stores or restaurants. They just allowed pickled products this year, but my pickled beets and/or pickles need to be tested for pH before they can be sold. Hmph.

If I made everything in a commercial kitchen, the rules would be a bit different. I don't want to spend the $$ to rent a commercial kitchen when the jams I sell are not that expensive, IMHO. I'll just have hubby bring some to work, etc. and see how much he can sell. We can't sell any jams/jellies with jalapeno peppers. So I guess I'll gift most of what I made this year, though I love jalapeno jam!

[Zana]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

I hate waste so today I also canned 10 quarts of beets. I pulled them and they have been setting in the shed for about a week. I guess there aren't too many people who want 1/2 bushel to eat. and I still have 4 rows in the garden. sigh. not a great seller this year. If nothing else we will have beets and jam and hot tomato veg. juice to eat.

Carolyn, if you have a dehydrator, you can dry the beets and store them in air tight jars or grind them into powder for smoothies, soups, baking, sauces, etc. And btw...the powder can sell for a lot more than the actual beets!

[Zana]

Originally Posted by Zana

Been busy with canning season this year. So far I've done the following:
Apple Butter with Cinnamon
Apple Butter with Pumpkin Spices
Apple Pear Butter with Cinnamon
Blueberry Lavender Jam
Blueberry & Pinot Grigio Wine Jam
Blueberry Vanilla Jam
Concord Grape Jelly
Concord Grape & Crabapple Jelly
Concord Grape & Sage Jelly
Crabapple Jelly
Crabapple & Basil Jelly
Cranberry Jalapeno Jelly
Cranberry Inferno Jelly (includes some habs, scorpions and a limited amount of ghosts)
Ginger Marmalade - Chunky
Ginger Marmalade - Fine
Ginger Marmalade - with Scotch
Mango Banana Jam
Mango Low Sugar Jam
Mango Peach Jam
Mango Vanilla Jam
Maple Wine & Concord Grape Jelly
Mint Jelly
Peach Ginger Jam
Peach Cinnamon Jam
Peach Jalapeno Jelly
Peach & Rum Jam
Peach & Port Jam
Pear Butter
Pear & Cabernet Wine Jam
Raspberry & Cointreau Jam
Raspberry & Peach Jam
Rhubarb Jam
Rhubarb & Ginger
Strawberry jam
Strawberry Basil Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Strawberry Vanilla Jam

and there are all the pickles, relishes and salsas. I'm ready for a break. Running out of room in the fruit cellar. LOL And running out of steam. I'm bushed.

Ok...I've added a few more varieties since...lol

Blackberry
Blackberry & Ginger
Blackberry & Pineapple Mint
Blackberry & Sage
Pear & Apricot
Pear & Brandy
Pear & Plum
Black Plum
Black Plum & Dark Rum
Black Plum & Pinot Grigio
Raspberry
Raspberry & Thai Basil
Raspberry & Champagne
Raspberry & Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
Raspberry & Peach
Raspberry & Pinot Noir

I've still got some fruit frozen in the freezer to do at a later date.

And scored some FREE jars from someone on Fullcircles.com. Thought she only had a "few" jars, but I came home to 8 large boxes on my front porch, with jars from 125ml up to gallon size! There must be 6 gallon jars, a dozen 1.9L jars, 2 dozen wide mouth Litre jars, 2 dozen regular Litre jars, 2-3 dozen wide mouth 500ml jars. Amazingly, no 250ml jars or 500ml regular jars - which I'm most desperate for and will have to go get more. No lids or rings...but I'm not going to kvetch about that.

This bodes well for next year's pickling...since I rarely get those jars back except from family members who know the rules. LOL "No refills without returned jars."

At the rate I'm going, I may have to rent a storage locker for my inventory for sales.

[imp]

Partly posted in Cheap Eating, too.

Found a heck of a deal at Aldi's today, a manager's special for 1 day promotion on 80/20 ground beef. There was one 2 dollar discount per package, then an added 2 dollar discount. So, a pack that would have cost me $6.09, cost me $2.09, which worked out roughly to $1.40 a pound.

Not bad, browning a bunch now, in the slow cooker, to mix with tomato sauce and put up tomorrow. Got 7.5 to 8 pounds beef in there now, will drain fats tomorrow and go on from there.

I'll keep it simple, so it may be used as spaghetti sauce or used to make a chili, or ???, but will be on hand. That is my plan right now, but may change, LOL, to include seasonings/changes for specific things.

May also make up some meatballs and can them for swedish meatballs later if not too tired out. Maybe even can some plain for tacos or casseroles.

Aldi's also has pork butt boneless on sale at $1.49, pretty lean, too, that I'd like to pick up to can up pork green chili mix. Good in tacos, enchiladas and stews.

[AlittleSalt]

Zana, one word ... WOW!

[imp]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Zana, one word ... WOW!

She does put up a huge amount and it sounds good, too! Both she and Carolyn really work it.

[Worth1]

Work what?
Worth

[clkeiper]

good for you Zana. I never turn down jars from anyone.
What a deal Imp, I was at Aldi last night but there was nothing like that there.

[Zana]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Zana, one word ... WOW!

Thanks Robert!