There were not a lot of vendors. I don't blame them. I wouldn't stand around in this type of heat, hoping that someone would hand over $3 for something into which I had put in lots of hard work and sweat. But there they were. Hopeful, happy farmers. With beautiful, bountiful produce.
With our purchases in hand, we rode off into the sunset - to can our loot. Canning with a pressure canner is a fairly new process for me. If you've never done it, do it! I was a bit scared of the words "pressure", the thought of something exploding, and the sound of a jiggling weight blowing off steam.
But - and this is VERY important - I read the directions! Usually the last thing I do. But fright does strange things to people, and it manifested itself in my wanting information on how to properly use the canner without bodily injury or property harm.
The best book of the several we purchased on home canning for recipes is "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving" edited by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine. With "400 delicious and creative recipes for today", this book had a recipe for everything I wanted to try.
Look at our results:
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| The carrots came from our garden! |
And another surprising, delicious find was a vendor at the Farmer's Market selling beef. Beef raised the way my parents raised cattle when they did that sort of thing (which was not for very long, but long enough for me to remember). I've had some of the meat already, and like the difference between a home grown tomato and a store bought tomato, the beef is much more flavorful than its store bought equivalent. I don't know how, but it is!
So, this week I overcame my fears. I ventured into the world of the Farmer's Market. I used a pressure canner. I ate non-store bought beef.
I came. I canned. I conquered.
Congratulations on successfully canning all those great looking veggies. You will appreciate them even more when you have delicious garden vegetables long after the season is past. The parents of my roommate in college lived on a chicken farm, but they raised a few cattle on the side. They kept our small dorm fridge/freezer stocked with the best tasting steaks ever!
ReplyDeleteGood for you. It's lots of hard work, but rewarding.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
I have never canned, so bravo. You did a great job and I am like you. I would be eyeing up the goodies for dinners.
ReplyDeleteI was looking at pressure canners last week, so your post is very timely. I have also never been to a farmer's market. Looks like your pantry will be full in no time, and your photo is very pretty!
ReplyDeleteWow! It all looks wonderful. I have been wondering about getting a pressure canner, but like you, I have been nervous about trying it. You may have just talked me into it.
ReplyDeletecongrats on canning. Reminds me of my sweet grandmother. That pressure cooker always seemed bigger than she was during canning season. I would visit here in the summer and she would spend a week canning different things. It was great fun for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed! Canning! Wow! Years and years ago I did can with the help of my husband. Then kids came along and other commitments. My daughter (Greens and Jeans)is a great one to can. We benefit from that at Christmas time. Her bread and butter pickles are fabulous as are the variety of jams she does. Instead of canning my extra veggies I freeze them instead.
ReplyDeleteWe have lots of farmers markets around here though haven't been yet this year. There's one near my church on Sundays that we've gotten some good cheese from and other vegetables and fruit.
My mother-in-law was in town last week and I took her to the farmer's market in Dallas (we avoided the weekend - I hear it is really busy then). I bought a lot of fruit and froze most of it. I was really eyeing the vegetables as I would like to learn how to can also. My mom always did, but she is not around to teach me. I am so proud and envious of your experience.
ReplyDeleteWow! You have lots of goodies to eat. I do more drying and freezing than canning. My mother cans a lot. It all looks so delicious!
ReplyDeleteThose are lovely and delicious too!
ReplyDeletedeb - How wonderful it must have been to be in college and eating steaks! I bet everyone was jealous!
ReplyDeleteCher - It is time consuming. And my kitchen looked crazy, but it is so satisfying.
GWGT - I am going to put these in my pantry instead of the store bought canned goods. When we run out, we'll go back to the store. Until then, yum!
Sherry - I was really impressed with the farmers market. Very friendly, and the produce was neatly displayed. I recommend giving canning a try.
Carol - I haven't blown anything up, so I can say - go for it! I think the fear was good - I actually read the directions.
redneck rosarian - What sweet memories of your grandmother. I don't remember being around the canner much when I was young. I just remember the weight rattling constantly. I knew there was something 'dangerous' going on!
Marcia - How wonderful that your daughter still cans and makes jams. Freezing is probably a bit easier. But canning is better for us "what can I make for dinner fast" types. I would love to try some home made cheese!
Tufa Girl - I hear the farmers market in Dallas is wonderful! If I can do it, you can certainly do it, too. And a lot of acidic fruits and vegetables don't need a pressure canner - they just need a water bath (fill up the jars, put in pot and fill water above top then boil) and that's very easy! Try it!
Sage Butterfly - I haven't tried drying. I bet a lot of fruits would be delicious done like that.
p3chandan - I have to say my blueberry jam tastes wonderful!
Wow! Canning is something I've never tried, but we do freeze as much as we can from our garden. And hooray about the farmers' market! I love them. Makes me feel like I'm more connected to my food. The first time I bought beef at a farmers' market I felt odd, too, but now I look forward to seeing if the "meat guy" is there when I go to my local farmers' market.
ReplyDeletecongratulations. you've even made it fun.
ReplyDeleteJennifer@htreedogsinagarden.com
ReplyDeleteI came. I canned. I conquered. I love that ending!
I am a huge fan of farmer's markets. I look forward to Saturday mornings all summer long. Your canning is impressive and inspiring.
Ohh! Good for you!!
ReplyDeleteCiao Monica
That's very very impressive and commendable! Wow! Kelli
ReplyDeleteBumble Lush - You know exactly how I felt, then, when I saw the 'meat guy'. A little odd - but so glad I tried it!
ReplyDeletegreggo - Looking at all those filled jars is fun!
Jennifer - I'm glad I finally got the courage to go. It was a lot of fun, and didn't take very long for us to go around and get everything we wanted. I'm hooked now!
Monica - Good food is good in any language!
Kelli - It's so satisfying to hear those cans go 'pop' when they're sealing. Very satisfying indeed. Although, it's amazing how much food it takes to make just one jar full.
How fantastic! I love farmers markets. So much to see and taste and buy. I don't often get to our local market though as we live so far out of town. Hopefully my veggie garden will start to produce soon so I don't have to worry about buying too much.
ReplyDeleteMarguerite - I hope you get wonderful harvests from your vegetable garden. It's hard to plan excursions when you live out of town.
ReplyDeleteWonderful job, don't you just love looking at all the colors and beautiful blessings you'll be able to enjoy! It is work, but well worth it. I've put up green beans, pintoes, and squash relish and bread and butter pickles so far...Like your garden ours is hot adn dry - Thankful for the rain we've had this week!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Ava
Thank you for making me laugh again, Holley!
ReplyDeleteWe go to farmers' markets a lot, I love the atmosphere as much as the food... You did a great job with canning, those rows of jars look very impressive...
Wow, what a beautiful array of bottled veggies. I love the feeling of abundance one gets from a pantry full of produce! x Sharon
ReplyDeleteAva - Yes, the colors are so vibrant! Like the carrots - I've never seen carrots so orange! Hope we both get more rain. Sounds like you've been busy!
ReplyDeleteMasha - Now that I've gone, I loved the experience. You're right - a great atmosphere. I'm going to make it a habit now.
Sharon - My pantry is starting to fill up. It does fell great!
The ending of your post is very clever. I used to do a lot of canning but it has fallen by the wayside with running my nursery. I can't believe that a lot of people have never been to a farmer's market, but we have so many around here that I guess I take them for granted. I like knowing that even if the produce isn't organic, I am looking at the farmer who grows (and eats) it partially for the joy of it. He/she is not going to poison himself/herself and family. Most farmer's markets have someone who sells buffalo meat. My red meat eating husband and three boys think it is far superior to beef hamburger, which we don't eat any more. You need to try it first from a farmer's market, because the buffalo burger in the stores is often second rate, even Whole Foods.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for all of those fun firsts! I've done hot-water bath canning before (though always with my mom looking over my shoulder, which in my mom's case actually helps) but never tried a pressure cooker. I recently joined a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where for a set fee I get all the produce I can handle each week. They sell range-grown beef--you're right, what a difference!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy eating all that gorgeous food (and looking at it in the jars, too)! I bet Julius Caesar would have been completely flummoxed by the pressure cooker.
VERY proud of you. I'm a big fan of the farmers markets for so many many reasons. Way to go!
ReplyDeleteYes, VERY proud of you too! I always forget about the farmer's market but you're so right! We are spoiled.... we eat only fresh veggies (or ones I've frozen or canned) and herbs (or ones I've dried) but the difference between fresh grown locally and fresh in the grocery store is huge.
ReplyDeleteI have a 23 quart pressure canner and I would sooner give up my right arm!
Carolyn - Interesting to know about the buffalo. I have tried it from the store, and like it as well as store bought beef. Based on the difference in the taste of beef, I bet buffalo would be fantastic from a farmers market. I'll be on the lookout for a vendor.
ReplyDeleteStacy - haha Who knows what Julius Caesar would have thought of a pressure canner! A CSA sounds great. Do you get enough to put some aside by freezing or canning?
Jess - My mother now wants to go, too!
Cathy and Steve - How wonderful! That is my long term goal. This year, I just want to take note of all we eat, and next year I'll be more prepared to give that a try. Maybe my garden will be more productive then, too!
Holley, for the most part the weekly share isn't enough to put things by, unless they have a random bumper crop of something. But at some CSA's you can purchase extra as long as they have it available.
ReplyDeleteStacy - Thanks. They are not popular here yet, so I was curious. Appreciate the extra information.
ReplyDeleteCanning is on my list of things to try out this summer! I can do it, I can do it! :)
ReplyDeleteHanni - Yes, you can! :) Do give it a try!
ReplyDeleteWow, that is a lot of canning! I am envious of the black eyed peas. I didn't get mine in the ground soon enough and will have to wait until next year. Seeing all of the canned veggies is such a feeling of accomplishment!
ReplyDeleteThe Ball canning book has been my bible ever since we started canning as well. It is a great resource. The looks of our book speak for it's use. :)
Peggy - It has been so fun to open the pantry and see all those jars lined up! A sense of accomplishment is right! I'm glad we got the Ball canning book. It covers everything!
ReplyDelete