It's also very overgrown with grass right now, and I will be the first to admit that an Amish garden would NOT look like mine in this regard. In my defense, the 10" + of rain that we had in the past month did nothing to help with weed control!
Regardless...I'm happy with the results of my canning efforts this summer!
First came the pickles...
I only got two batches of banana pickles processed before my cucumber plants wilted, but these will hold us over for a while! The pear butter on the top shelf is from last fall...
Next came jellies...
Raspberry jelly, blackberry jelly and white grape jelly. I like to give these as gifts, and we'll still have plenty leftover for ourselves...
Then came tomatoes...
I have four tomato plants this year, and they were doing great until the monsoon season hit. Now they're suffering from blight, although there are still enough tomatoes out there for a small batch of sauce now and then.
I made two batches of salsa so far this year...eleven jars each, and I still hae several jars left from last year. I'd like to do another batch if I get enough tomatoes at once, because I like to gift these jars as well. We eat a lot of salsa ourselves, so I want to have plenty!
This year's salsa is on the top shelf, the second shelf is several batches each of pasta and pizza sauce. I use Mrs. Wage's mix for those sauces. It's quick, easy, and we like the flavor! My go to Sunday lunch lately has been french bread pizza. Just slice a loaf of french bread horizontally, spread some sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice, bake it in the oven for about 15 minutes at 400*, and you have a quick lunch! Bake it on a stone, and the bottom even gets a little crispy. Mmmm...
Our white grape vine overachieved this year, and I got what I feel like is a huge amount of grape juice on top of the jelly that I made! I have sixteen quarts of juice on the bottom shelf that I made "the old way", and twelve quarts of juice concentrate on the middle shelf that I made using my friend's steamer. THAT, friends, is a nifty way to make grape juice!
The other things on the shelves are things from last year that I need to use up! I don't have any canned beans, and that disappoints me, but it's my own fault! We won't be starving anyway this winter, that's for sure!
What kind of canning/preserving do you do?
Your pantry looks amazing. That is all going to be so nice this winter. I just finished putting up 21 pints of salsa and made a big pot of vegetable soup from the garden. Now it's time to take a little break and visit some of my lovely blogging friends :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a good looking shelf! We had such a good crop last year that we are still eating frozen beans, carrots and beats. After putting 7 Apple pies an seven apple crumbles in the freezer, I maybe done for the year, although, who knows, I hate waste.
ReplyDeleteOoohh, doesn’t it feel good to add those jewel toned jars to your store? Nice!
ReplyDeletemy garden is 2 tomatoes ... my canning is from the local farm stand. i already did one box of pickles but ordered 2 more for this coming saturday. They will all be perfect pickle size and i can do them all at once! why garden when you can buy boxes all ready to go at the same time! i also canned pickled red beets and peaches. applesauce will happen the end of september. i love living where the local high school is named Garden Spot!!!!
ReplyDeleteI would love your banana pickel recipe! It is great hearing what you have been producing. I'm so bummed about my tomatoes. They are volunteers, because the ones I planted didn't germinate. Now it has been too cold and they won't turn red. Oh well, thus is gardening.
ReplyDeleteWell done! Canning is such a satisfying home craft, and nothing tastes better in the middle of winter than a jar of home canned goodness :)
ReplyDeleteI remember the year we grew 40 plus tomato plants and had a "large" garden, we canned over 500 jars that summer of garden goodness.
Last year, I made tons of salsa, jam, etc.
So far this year, I've done plum jam, and have done some dehydrating.
Being empty nesters, we still have to get through last years jars.
Have a lovely week.
~K.
Wow! Great job on getting the fruits and veggies stashed in glass. Wish I were close enough to try some samples. They all look gorgeous. Smart to downsize though. We did when the hungry boys left home. Now our gardener neighbors share their bounty. Goes around comes around.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed! One of my grandmas canned food, and seeing your pear butter made my mouth water for her pear honey. However, the canning gene skipped this generation(and my mom's generation, too. I think she got enough growing up). Anyway, compared to your garden, ours would not get a "tour" mention. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI did not make a single jar of anything. My tomatoes just died.
ReplyDeleteThat has never happened, so did my zucchini. I think we have had so much smoke this year, that things just suffocated. We had trees do the same thing. I think this is the worst year for me in the canning department. Your shelves are wonderful. You made me laugh about the Amish garden. I am glad no one can see my garden. :)
Wow, great job for a "small" garden. I'm sure mine wouldn't even register as a garden on the tour. Love your pantry.
ReplyDeleteMy shelves are fairly empty, but yours look great!!
ReplyDeleteMy garden is also tiny this year. Being elderly we just don't eat like we used too. I'm putting up candied peppers and dilly beans today.
ReplyDelete