Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Can you?...

I've been "Fallifying" my sunporch and that means tweaking the vintage "Seed" box that I keep on my bakers rack. I love old promotional recipe pamphlets and cookbooks and wanted to share this great little canning book from Atlas Jars dated 1952.



So, have you ever "canned"?




(google images)

My mother-in-law (not her picture, above) had a big garden each year and did lots of canning. We always looked forward to her yummy green beans, relishes, refrigerator pickles, jams and jellies. But somehow I just never got in on the hard work fun.



Recently we've had to go to a low salt diet due to some inner ear problems and vertigo my hubby has had. So many health issues are brought on by a high salt diet. I'm not just talking about taking the salt shaker off the table, but actually drastically cutting out salt by researching food nutrition labels. You just will not believe all the salt that's in our foods. Boxed and canned foods are just crazy. So I've had to rethink all our food choices. It's not been fun, but when you think that the average American eats 4500-5000mg of salt a day, when we should only be having 1000-1500mg a day, you can see why we have some tricky health problems brought on by high blood pressure. Anyway, don't want to get "preachy" here, just a "Public Service Announcement" with a happy face. All this has made me realize the importance of natural and organic foods and preparation for staying healthy. I don't know about you, but I need all the help I can get!




So am I canning?


well....


no, not this year, but seeing all your gardens out there has made me realize a raised bed of green beans and tomatoes might be a good idea for next year. At least that way I could control the amount of salt in our tomato and spaghetti sauces, and then hubby's nightly green beans.


How many of you can on a regular basis, and what are your favorites?


And don't forget to enter the Tattered Goods
Give Away going on here
ends Sat. September 1.

I'll be joining in on these parties this week:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Hope you're having a great week,
and saying prayers for all you in Issac's path

38 comments:

  1. I've canned in the past and it's a long slow process, so I am always in admiration of those that do it every year. It's a great way to cut down on salt and preservatives. We use Mrs. Dash as much as possible for seasoning. No salt necessary!

    I love your seed box...very creative!

    XO,
    Jane

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  2. We've been on the edge for canning and have all the equipment, but never took the plunge. We HAVE been freezing like crazy, though. Spaghetti sauce up the wahzoo. No preservatives! We freeze fruits and veggies, too, in bags and tupperwares. It's amzing, salt used to be a staple in the Bible because people needed it to survive and be healthy, and now we are plagued by too much salt in processed foods. It does take longer to prepare everything by hand at home, but it honestly is worth it once you taste it...you can literally taste the freshness. Good luck in planning out next year's garden! WInter is the time to do it... that's when we always plan out if we're expanding and adding another bed, or if we're moving something around, or trying something new, and ordering from catalogues. Go for the grapes!

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  3. I canned 30 years ago then working in the hospital stopped it. We may plant a veggie garden next year as I manage a fairly large flower garden despite frequent visits by the dear deer. I am currently growing mini white pumpkins in my compost pile!

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  4. Debra - Interesting post - sad, but true!! I love salt.

    Judy

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  5. Lots of "hidden" salt lurking out there in your food. I can't wait to make apple butter this year!!! It's a family favorite and everyone starts asking about it this time of year.

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  6. Love that great canning booklet from Atlas. I've only canned once and it was hard work! I do know about all the salt in our food and it's chore to cut down for sure. Hugs, Linda

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  7. I love to can...I know it's crazy but true. I watched my grandmother and my mother can all of the bounty from our gardens (and the neighbors). As I got older I thought it was just for old ladies and just plain old fashioned. But then one year my girlfriends and I got together to can peaches and apple pie filling...I was hooked. It really is worth the time and effort Good Luck!

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  8. The only thing we've canned is salsa using the tomatoes from our garden. Canning tomatoes is super easy and you don't need a pressure cooker. Regarding salt...there is too much sodium in processed foods for sure, but salt(unrefined salt like himalayan and celtic sea salt) doesn't cause high blood pressure. A previous doc of mine had me on a meds and a low salt diet to lower blood pressure. Now I'm off meds and eat salt and my blood pressure is lower because another doc knew what he was doing.

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  9. I don't can anymore. I used to when our kids were little- applesauce, beans and such. My mother canned a whole gardens worth every year. I am not that ambitious- xo Diana

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  10. I canned peaches and tomatoes one year. I must have done something wrong because the lids popped on the tomatoes :) We ate the peaches before winter :)

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  11. Well... we had a garden but just enough to eat and we enjoyed it all Summer! I did make pear relish and we will be eating it for a year or two! I think it is a good thing to learn how to can and do it:) Enjoy your evening dear Debra, HUGS!

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  12. I love to can. It is a lot of work... but so very rewarding. I always feel like I am doing something so good for my family.
    The old fashioned picture of the woman showing of her canning goodies is priceless. When you can wear comfortable shoes!
    Love your vignettes!

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  13. It is healthy to can and I like the "romantic" sound of it, but I have not done any serious canning, yet...but I hope to.
    Lezlee

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  14. I really love to can but am now down to just doing maybe pickled beets, chili sauce, dill pickles and apple butter. There is something so beautiful about those jars lined up on the counter, I always leave them out as long as I can, just to look at them. Such a wonderful connection to our mothers and grandmothers.

    Blessings from Canada ( we also are praying for those in the path of Issac).
    Bernice

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  15. Oh I love canning, but for us its only homemade jams and jellies. :) Hope you have some fun with that! Meanwhile, might I suggest checking yourself and hubs for vitamin B12 deficiency? It might sound far fetched, but alot of ear problems happen because of it and if you do a little research, you'll find it really pays off to take 1000 mg supplements! :) And you can get tests done specifically for that too, hope this helps!

    Hugs,

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  16. My childhood summers were spent in the garden picking veggies so our mom could can them. I was always a bit scared of the pressure cooker. But man, I sure loved eating it all in the winter time!!!
    And, thanks for the salt reminder - I have high blood pressure and I'm diabetic so I need to lay off salt and sugar!!!
    Rhonda

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  17. I haven't canned anything since my high school cooking class, but with the high cost of fresh produce, I'm thinking of planting myself a vegetable garden next year, too. Let's check back next year, shall we?

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  18. Hi Debra, I have always canned alot and still do... I post often about things I can, freeze or put up... I use organic whenever I can find it, and we eat really healthy... I read ALL food labels and have for years... luckily I got an early start on good nutrition from my family... my favorite thing to put up is salsa, also my bread~and~butter pickles... and when you do it yourself, you KNOW only good things are in it... hurray for you eating healthier!... love your old canning books and pamphlets... and your seedbox... I hope you can some things next year... there is a sense of satisfaction in doing so... I am constantly asked why I put up homemade pickles or such when I could just buy it at a store... my answer is always the same... if someone even has to ask that question they would never understand... it really does give me alot of pleasure, and keeps me connected to my roots... okay, I have written a book here... much love, xoxo Julie Marie

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  19. I've always wanted to can, but it just seemed to daunting to start, maybe some day!

    Jan @ door251

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  20. Love your seed box! And yes, that was a diversion to your question because I don't can - would love to be able to say I do...maybe someday!

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  21. Hi Sweet Debra! I love all of your fallifying!! Can't wait to see more in the coming days!! And I haven't ever canned, but, like you,really want to! Next year for me, too!

    Hope you are having a fabulous week!
    Big hugs,
    Becky

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  22. I've canned a few things, but not in great quantity. But canning reminds me of my Daddy. Every summer he would make and can watermelon rind preserves! Have you ever had them?

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  23. I love canning and still do!!! Just don't do as much as before with the family gone now. Anything green has to be done in a pressure canner and that always scared me....that's why a freezer is worth every penny!! I freeze everything I can, beans, tomatoes, herbs, broccoli, etc....no longer have a veg garden, and that's okay because I am surrounded by farm markets with very cheap prices and I can sometimes pick my own for even cheaper. Still can pickles and lotsa jam, its so rewarding!!!

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  24. I've never canned, but when we had gardens I did a lot of freezing! Love your seed box!

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  25. Debra,
    NO..I don't can! But...YES...we're putting in a raised bed for gardening next Spring!!! Cooking from scratch is the BEST way I have found to lower sodium in our diet! Also, more "frozen" vegetable choices over"canned" vegetables!!! Also, the switch from table salt to "sea salt"! Good luck with your endeavors!
    Fondly,
    Pat

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  26. Debra i love your vintage seed box!! I love all the goodies you have in it. I have never tried canning.I always thought it would be hard to do. I should give it a try.

    Kathy

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  27. Great book Debra, and yes I have done some canning, if you count, helping my mom when I was a kid. Thanks for the prayers:)

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  28. What a cute book, Debra. I remember my grandmother canning a lot; and my mother canned a little. But, that is soooo not on my radar! I love the look of canned mason jars in the pantry; but, I won't be doing it myself.

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  29. Hi Debra - I love canning! So far this year, I have made raspberry and bumbleberry jam. I will do strawberry and plum jams - grape jelly. Red pepper jelly. I have my tomatoes for chili sauce so that will start tomorrow. I'm going to can tomatoes - maybe pears. Freeze peaches and corn. Make corn relish and maybe mustard beans. I'm doing refrigerator pickles and at least one chutney. There's going to be a lot done this year for health and financial and taste reasons. Such a feeling of accomplishment to see all the jewel-coloured jars lined up. J

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  30. I would love to try canning. My son bought me some very pretty jars. I just have to do it. Maybe you'll motivate me. Love your canning book.

    Hugs, Jody

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  31. Hey Deb!
    Canning huh? I used to can a lot when the kids were all home and we lived on the farm. I had a huge garden and this time of year the kettle would have been full of jars and going constantly. Some things are worth canning and some just aren't worth the effort. My most popular items with the kids were peaches (so worth it) pickled beats and spaghetti sauce. Green beans you really have to be careful with, they are low in acidity so they can have a tendency for bacteria. I like them frozen better anyway.
    Anymore questions, call me! Hope hubby is better, he has been on my prayer list.
    Blessings today
    R

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  32. I have canned when I was first married. We lived near some orchards so I canned jellies, pears, peaches and cherries. It was so yummy.

    After we were in Hurricane Ike and experienced no grocery stores for 9 days, we realized we need to be better prepared. We got a large pressure canner and I have canned meats, broth for soups, veggies, etc.

    It takes time but it is so rewarding.

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  33. Hi Debra,
    I love your seed box and adding the vintage canning book was so fun for Fall. I have a couple of those old books. I can every year. Just made chili sauce on Monday. I use to do lots of canning. Now not so much but make salsa and sweet pepper relish every year. We love both of them. I make a sweet pickle relish about every other year that hubby loves on hot dogs and burgers. I grew up with my mom always canning. Never did help her or learn until after I was married. I think you will find it to be very rewarding. Hope hubby gets feeling better. That vertigo is not good. My FIL had it for quite some time and I could tell he was miserable. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    Hugs,
    Jann

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  34. Cute seed box and I love to look at those older books and pictures. I did some canning when I was younger ( mostly tomatoes ) and I would freeze tomatoes as well...mostly for chili and such in the winter.

    Now ( having a few tomatoes etc in a small raised garden ) i am just making sauce and freezing some, and I recently tried roasting tomatoes to freeze for later on as well. Have another batch of tomatoes to do "SOMETHING" with this weekend coming up! :)

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  35. thank you for sharing, debra--i just had a bout of vertigo, maybe, i need to cut back on the salt:( i've never canned, but, i like geneva's freezing idea a lot.

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  36. Love it Deborah! What a nice moment to have. I have never tried canning.

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  37. Debra,
    This is interesting that you have turned to the old ways to help your husband's health! This is just the thing I have experienced. I also have been tuned into the old made from scratch recipes because of all of my allergies. It is seriously the only thing I can eat! What a difference in my health. Great post!
    Sherry

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