# Surburban prepping #3



## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Once you get a garden going, look into canning. It's really not hard. It's so easy even Sasquatch can do it. This is something else my wife and I have tried for the first time. Here is a link to the video I found taking you step by step.






Getting started isn't even that expensive. We started by making jams. I was surprised but we actually enjoyed doing it. We did a different batch each weekend. We started with peach jam and tried it several different ways. The first batch was ½ sugar and ½ stevia. The final batch was made with all stevia. We have also made blueberry jam. Next we tried pickling. The recipe said let it sit 4-6 weeks. Last week was the 4-week mark. We opened one jar. Not bad for our first try.

Soon we will be going to the farmers market and picking up a few things and we will be trying pressure canning. This will be the first thing we try. 





We want to be ready when our garden gets going. You can have vegetables you know what chemicals were or were not used. We are into organics. This is a health concern for us. We are growing non-GMO vegetables.

By growing and canning your own you are also much more capable of feeding you and your family.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Canning has to be done right with the right materials and procedures. That said, we always had canned (glass jars) of produce in the cellar when I was growing up. Another way to preserve foods that doesn't require boiling veggies is making Kimchee (korean style pickled vegetables). Course if you've got high blood pressure, the salt content will probably get you


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

> It's so easy even Sasquatch can do it.


Why I oughta!!!!

Actually, it was easier than I thought. Just a little intimidating at first.

Another good post @inceptor


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

Watched my wife can for the first time last year making homemade Salsa. ( It's a hit both at her office and mine ) She didn't use the pressure cooking method so I am buying a pressure cooker and jars. I told her if she can do it and if the Squatch can, then I certainly can can. I see it as more of a supplement to my store bought supplies but also will help with my garden overflow next year.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

We turned this into a team effort. She does the food, I do the jars. We both put them in the jars.

We bought a pressure canner but it's still in the box. Once the fall vegetables are all planted then we'll hit the farmers market. Green beans will be our first project.

Thanks to @SittingElf, we looked into garden bags. The reviews and info provided were great. They should be here today. I will be planting lettuce and green beans to start.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Prepared One said:


> Watched my wife can for the first time last year making homemade Salsa. ( It's a hit both at her office and mine ) She didn't use the pressure cooking method so I am buying a pressure cooker and jars. I told her if she can do it and if the Squatch can, then I certainly can can. I see it as more of a supplement to my store bought supplies but also will help with my garden overflow next year.


And that's the idea. Storing freeze dried and dehydrated food will only take you so far. Growing your own will last as long as you have seeds and can provide you with an unlimited supply. Canning will help that supply last.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Sasquatch said:


> Actually, it was easier than I thought. Just a little intimidating at first.


This was us too. It took a while before I could get the wife to try it. Now she's having fun with it.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

we spent the most of the day last Saturday afternoon canning and freezing , we are getting ready for our second trip to the farmers market the end of Oct . .


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Canning most things like vegetables and jams is easy but a bit time consuming. If kept cool they will last 2-4 years, after that they probably are still safe to eat but will loose flavor and the texture may change. Canning meats and low acidity things is a little trickier and I'd eat them within a year. 

Canning isn't hard to learn and a life skill I think all people should learn even if they rarely do it.


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

Would home canned foods last a lot longer in a refrigerator set at about 55 degrees ? How long ?


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

Even if you don't have a garden, there are many local farmers that do a lot of private business at farmers markets and such and will sell you veggies on the cheap.

A customer of mine got 20lb boxes of tomatoes last week for 60 cents per pound. That will yield 6 quarts.

You can just can the tomatoes or, go the extra step and make sauce with or without meat.

I use a pressure cooker...

This was last year's effort....


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## 7052 (Jul 1, 2014)

One of the things I love about canning, and it goes along w/ the subject of "Suburban Prepping", is the ability to get things when they are on a great sale and keep them. I lopve to check the "reduced meats" cooler at the store I shop in. In case you don't have one, it's where they put the meat that only has a few days left on it for sale, before they have to dispose of it. Here in the Democratic People's Repuiblik of Hellinois, there codes, regs, and guidelines for everything. So by the time they can no longer sell a piece of meat (at least here in my town) there is still a decent amount of "life" left in it before it actually goes bad.

Often, there's nothing of interest in the cooler, but every now and then there's a real gem in there. I often will fine nice big roasts, hamburger, turkey breasts, whole turkeys after the Thanksgiving rush is done, etc in there. I snap those up anytime I have some extra $$$. We break them down a bit, and can them.

Good meat, cheap price, fills the shelves.


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

Egyas said:


> One of the things I love about canning, and it goes along w/ the subject of "Suburban Prepping", is the ability to get things when they are on a great sale and keep them. I lopve to check the "reduced meats" cooler at the store I shop in. In case you don't have one, it's where they put the meat that only has a few days left on it for sale, before they have to dispose of it. Here in the Democratic People's Repuiblik of Hellinois, there codes, regs, and guidelines for everything. So by the time they can no longer sell a piece of meat (at least here in my town) there is still a decent amount of "life" left in it before it actually goes bad.
> 
> Often, there's nothing of interest in the cooler, but every now and then there's a real gem in there. I often will fine nice big roasts, hamburger, turkey breasts, whole turkeys after the Thanksgiving rush is done, etc in there. I snap those up anytime I have some extra $$$. We break them down a bit, and can them.
> 
> Good meat, cheap price, fills the shelves.


Yup...and if you have a pressure cooker, you can take really cheap cuts of meat and when they are cooked, will fall apart.

My parents made a lot of great meals using one when we were growing up.


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## AnotherSOFSurvivor (Sep 7, 2016)

My wife was the one who turned me on (zing!) to canning, she would pressure cook deer meat and can them in a homemade brine - you could eat it or just cook it from there. Usually but it in mason jars but they would keep in her grandmother's root cellar for about 2 years or so, which is plenty fine.

A good 'ripple effect' benefit from canning is that you can reuse some of the materials, keeping the overhead low, and any byproducts/mess ups/expired vegetables or fruits can be composted to sustain your garden.

The one question I had is if I made a batch of jerky or some sausage - mold would usually get on it if it just in a regular Tupperware/glass container within 2 months. If I made huge batches, would canning/jarring them be a good way to keep it? I assume so, being that mold/mildew needs moisture - but even dehydrated meat has some level of acidity in it.

And as usual, great discourse and ideas from @inceptor


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

We can the veggies in the summer months and meats mostly in winter.


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