Pressure Canning Item List

With this fast-paced and ever-changing world we live in now, there is no better time to learn to pressure can food.


Many people are taking a renewed interest in learning to can food in light of the recent world events taking place.


Pressure Canning Check List

In addition to saving money by buying food in bulk at grocery sales and farmers’ markets, a pantry full of jars of food can give you confidence that your family will stay safely fed.


Whether you are harvesting the food from your own large garden or farm or beginning to grow some veggies on your deck or porch, the art of canning food is a great way to stock up on items you regularly use. To learn the basics of pressure canning, a good book like this one is very important.


There are some essential kitchen appliances that you will need to get started. The cost of some of these items may seem a bit daunting at first, but the investment will be well worth it.

Pressure Canner

First, you will need a pressure canner. NOT a pressure cooker, but a pressure canner. A pressure canner is used to cook, sterilize, and preserve low-acid foods that are to be canned for future use.

Water Bath Canner

Another way to can food is by using a water bath canner. This is a large pot with a jar rack. It is used with all high-acid foods. High-acid foods include all fruits, jams, jellies, pie fillings, pickles or condiments, and tomatoes with added lemon juice.

You will need a good supply of canning jars, lids, and rings. These three items come together in a case of canning jars.

You cannot use just any jar in canning food. Canning jars are specially designed to withstand the high temperature of steam pressure processing and the low temperature of freezing. These jars will be labeled as canning and/or freezing jars.

Canning Jars

These jars come in a variety of sizes, most commonly found are:

Pints.
Pint jars are great for just about anything you want to add to them for smaller portions.

Quarts.
Quarts are a great family-size jar. They are ideal for canning whole fruits and vegetables like peaches and green beans, or for just for canning larger portions.


Half Pint or Jelly Jars

Half Pints. This small size is great for creating gifts or small batches of jams, jellies, or preserves. Some smaller or cut vegetables may fit in these jars if using a wide-mouth canning jar.


Canning jars also come in what’s known as “regular mouth” and “wide mouth” jar openings. The only difference is the size of the jar opening.

Lids and Rings

You can sometimes find some canning jars at thrift stores, or maybe you have a relative that no longer does canning and has a stash of jars. If you find some of these older canning jars, you may need to buy lids and rings to go with those jars.

There are reusable lids available now that are called “Tattler” lids that are made in the USA. They also come in sizes suitable for both wide mouth and regular mouth jar sizes. You can use these with pressure canners, water bath canners, and vacuum sealers.

There are also plastic lids for canning jars for use in storing the jars in the fridge after they've been unsealed.
Plastic lids that fit canning jars

Pressure Canning Quick Guide

You will need various kitchen/canning utensils to make your canning projects easier. You can buy a kit of items like the one below that has most if not all of the items you will need.

Utensil Kit

Or you can purchase items separately. You will need:
Funnel that fits jar openings

Ladels

Jar Lifter

Other supplies you may need, depending on the types of food that you intend to can, are:

Pickle Crisp (for pickling veggies and pickles)
Citric Acid, commonly used for home canning tomatoes
Canning Salt (Not regular salt)

Real Fruit Pectin for homemade Jam and Jelly recipes
5% Vinegar You will probably use large amounts of this.

Vinegar is used in the pressure canner to prevent minerals from hard water from building up on the jars or on the inside of your canner. Vinegar is also used along with water to fill jars of some foods to be processed.


There are also seasoning packets available for use in canning like salsa tomato mixes, pickle mixes, potato seasonings, etc. Mrs. Wagers' brand is very popular with canners. My favorite is the salsa packet below.

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So what are you waiting for? Learn to pressure can and water bath can and start saving money on food and getting some much-needed food security!

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Other Canning Articles:

15 Common Questions Answered About Canning

Pressure Canning Check List of Items Needed  Printable

List of Items Not Safe to Can

The Role of Vinegar in Canning

The Importance of Headspace in Canning

Signs of Spoilage in Home Canned Foods

Prep for Making Fruit Jellies and Five Steps to Waterbathing

Why Canning Jars Break

Reasons for Loss of Liquid in Canning - Siphoning

Canning Jar Sizes and Their Uses

Reasons Canning Jars and Contents Darken

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Pressure Canning Quick Guide

Canning Jar Sizes

Canning Jars Sizes and Their Common Usages

Mason jars have many uses, but the glass in them is particularly molded for use in home canning to preserve food. The mouths of Mason jars have threads on their outer perimeter so they can accept a metal ring when it is screwed down onto them.

Growing Kale - Homesteading 101

Growing Kale

A hardy biennial usually grown as an annual.
Height 12-18"    Width  8-12"

When it comes to Kale in salads, Kale adds substance, color, and most importantly nutrition.  Its colorful leaves are packed with vitamins and minerals.  Kale's leaf texture can range from deeply puckered to deeply frilled.

Types:
Curley Leaf (Scotts Kale).  Noticeable pungent flavor with a peppery quality....

Dinosaur Kale.  Hearty leaves that are tall and narrow.  It retains its firm texture even after cooking.  It is slightly sweeter with a more delicate taste.

Red Russian Kale.  Flat, fringed leaves that resemble large Arugula leaves.  Great sweet flavor with a bit of pepper.

Rape kale (aka Leaf and Spear).  A cross between a curly leaf and plain leaf.

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Starting Seeds of Kale

Seed Depth:                     1/2"
Seed Spacing:                  3"
Days to Germinate:           5-7 days.
Days to Harvest:
70-95 from seed.  55-75 days from transplants.
Seed Longevity:               2 years.

Sowing Indoors:

Spring:  Sow 5-7 weeks before your last average frost date.  Plant out as transplants 1-2 weeks before your average expected frost date.

Sowing Outdoors:

Spring:  Direct sow 2-4 weeks before your average last frost date or as soon as the soil can be worked.

    

Winter Sowing

If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat.  This method is especially good for sowing herbs and greens.  Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of a milk jug during the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in Spring.

To see our full Winter Sowing article, click here.

To watch our 30 minute video on how to winter sow, click here.

Growing Kale Plants

Growing Temperature:          60-65 degrees down to 20 degrees.
Plant Spacing:                      Thin plants to 12-15" apart.
Container Size:                     6-8" depth.
Sun/Shade:                           Part sun/part shade.
Soil:                                       Rich in nitrogen.
Watering:                               Consistent moisture for best flavor.
                                              Water heavily during the growing season.

Fertilizing:
If grown in nutrient-rich soil, your Kale plants won't need any fertilizer until after the first flush of leaves.  Then one side dressing of balanced fertilizer is all that the plant should need for the growing season. 

 

Harvesting Kale

Harvest Kale when the plant is 8-10" high, starting with the outside leaves.  To harvest the entire plant, cut 2" above ground level.  The plant will sprout new leaves in 1-2 weeks.

   Using Kale

• Remove stems before cooking.
• Use young leaves raw in salads
• Substitute Kale for spinach in any recipe.
• Kale chips, kale pesto, sauteed Kale, Kale Quich, Kale Soup, Kale slaw.
  Kale can also be used as a garnish!

Storing Kale For Later Use

Although tender green leaves, like Lettuce, can't be preserved well, the thicker leaved greens can be.
Fresh

• Clean and pat dry.  Bundle stems lightly, place on a paper towel (to absorb moisture) and wrap in a plastic bag.  Keeps in refrigerator for 10 days.

Freezing for Later Use in Chili, Soups, Sauces, and Casseroles.

• Steam or saute' leaves, chop them and store in freezer bags.
• Puree with water and freeze into ice cube trays.
• Clean and dry the leaves and store in quart size freezer bags.
• Frozen leaves will keep for 6 months.
• Blanching the leaves for two minutes first will extend freezer storage to 14 months.

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Kale is one of the most nutrition crops you can grow. I love kale in soups, stir fries, steamed or even eating baby kale leaves in salads. It's often found in mesclun and lettuce mixes to add a deep green color and crunchy texture.

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Growing and Using Comfrey

A great organic idea for your veggie garden!

One of the most popular plants to grow in an organic vegetable garden is the Russian Variety of Comfrey specifically Bocking 14. 

Growing Oregano - Homesteading 101

A hardy perennial in Zones 5 – 10 gardens, Oregano is a pungently aromatic plant that is one of the most important herbs in Italian, Greek and Mexican cooking.  It has a bold flavor and a hardy constitution.  It is also called Wild Marjoram.

The flavor of Oregano can vary greatly from variety to variety.  Greek Oregano is the spiciest. 

Starting Oregano From Seed

Seed Longevity:                                   One Year.

Seed Sowing Depth:                            Just cover.  Needs light to germinate.

Best Soil Temp for Germination:          60 degrees.

Days to Germination:                           7 - 14.

Spring Sowing:                                    Sow indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost.                                                                Direct sow 2 weeks before last frost.

Fall:                                                      Not recommended.

Winter Sowing

If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat.  This method is especially good for sowing herbs.  Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of milk jugs in the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in the Spring.

For our article containing detailed information about Winter Sowing, click here.

            Other Sowing Tips                               

At 6” tall, thin seedlings to 12” apart.

Growing Oregano

Plant Size:                                                   Height 8-12” Spread 24”.

Spacing:                                                      18”.

Container Size:                                            12" diameter and  8+” deep.

Soil:                                                              Well-drained.

Watering:                                                      Thoroughly, less often. 

Light/Sun:                                                     Thrives in warm, sunny spots.

Fertilizer:                                                       None for the best-flavored foliage.

Good Companions:                                       Everything.  

Bad Companions:                                          Nothing.

                    

                                Other Care Tips                                       

• Flowers should be pinched off to keep the plants bushier and prevent them from early bolting.
• Allow plants to grow to 4” tall then trim lightly to encourage branching.
• Regular trimming will avoid plant legginess.                               

Dividing Oregano

Divide Oregano plants when the stems begin to die out or the stems become woody, or to simply make more plants. 

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            Spring Sowing                                             

Direct sow 4-6 weeks before the last frost date or as soon as the soil can be worked, or sow indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. 

Winter Sowing

If you haven't tried winter sowing, you're in for a treat.  This method is especially good for sowing herbs.  Winter sowing is basically sowing seeds in the bottom of clear milk jugs in the winter, setting the milk jugs outside for the winter and leaving them there until the seeds germinate in the Spring.

For our article containing detailed information about Winter Sowing, click here

To watch our 30 minute video on how to winter sow, click here.

Soft Cuttings

Take cuttings in spring when new growth is several inches in length.  Side shoots of 4" in length are perfect. Cut the stem at an angle and remove lower leaves leaving an inch or two of the stem bare.  Plant cutting bare side down into a well-drained soil mix.  No fertilizer is needed at this stage.

Wrap the container in plastic to keep in humidity.  Avoid having the leaves touch the plastic.  Place the pot in light but out of direct light.  Keep soil moist but never soggy.  Remove the plastic when cutting grows roots.  A light tug that gives you some resistance means it has rooted.

Overwinter Plant Care

Oregano plants should be cut back to ground level and covered with a layer of mulch.  Containers can be brought inside for the winter.

Harvesting Oregano

As soon as the leaves are large enough to use and before the plant flowers.

Snip the leaves individually or shear plants to 2” above ground level just before flowering and again a month before the first frost.  You'll get two harvests that way.

 

Harvesting Oregano Seed

Oregano seeds are tiny and develop after the flowers fade in late summer or fall.  Collect and thoroughly dry seeds before storing them in an airtight container.

Storing Oregano

Fresh
Damp Paper Towel

This method works well for hardy herbs that have woody stems as well as a few soft-stemmed herbs.

Clean and thoroughly dry the Oregano.  Arrange lengthwise in a single layer on a slightly damp paper towel.  Loosely roll up the herb and transfer to a plastic bag or plastic wrap.  Label and store in the fridge. 

Oregano will stay fresh in the fridge using this method for up to 2 weeks.

 

Freezing

For best results, use frozen Oregano within 1-2 years.

By freezing herbs, you will lose some of the herb's texture but preserve the flavor.

Here are some freezing methods:

Tray Freeze

Spread herb onto a cookie sheet on a single layer. Freeze in the freezer, then transfer the Oregano into a labeled freezer bag to store.  Since the leaves are frozen separately, later you can easily remove the amount you need.

Ice Cube Trays with Oil

This method works well for hard-stemmed herbs that would probably be cooked when adding to a dish.  The oil reduces some of the browning and freezer burn.

Clean and thoroughly dry the Oregano.  Mince and firmly pack herbs into an ice cube tray 3/4 full.  Add Olive Oil to fill and freeze.  Transfer frozen cubes into labeled freezer bags to store.

 

Flat Freezer Bag

Trim off the stems and place in a labeled freezer bag.  Squeeze out the air, flatten the freezer bag, label and store.

Drying Oregano

Oregano is one of the best herbs to use in a dried form.  For best results, use dried Oregano within 1-2 years.

Hang to Dry

Pick your Oregano in bunches right before you intend to store them.  Tie the bottom of the bunch together with twine and hang upside down to dry in a dry, low humidity area. For added protection against dust, you can put the bundles inside paper bags with plenty of holes for ventilation.  When the herbs are dry, the leaves will crumble easily between your fingers.  Store in an air tight container.

 

Using Oregano

• Oregano adds zest to pasta and pizza sauces.
• It complements meats and vegetables.
• Garlic, onion, thyme, basil, parsley and olive oil are complementary partners.
• Makes a great ground cover.

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Growing your own herbs is fun, easy, more healthy than the herbs shipped to grocery stores, and what's best, saves you tons of money! Try it today.

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Epsom Salt for Roses and Bloomers!

Epsom Salt for Rose and Bloomers

You may have heard that Epsom Salt is a great, safe, effective and economical garden amendment for use on your flowering plants. But what is Epsom Salt and why is it so popular among rose gardeners?

Reasons for Loss of Liquid in Pressure Canning

Reasons for Loss of Liquid in Pressure Canning or Siphoning

First, if you've lost liquid during the pressure canning process, you're certainly not alone, but it's important to learn the reasons for liquid loss so it doesn't happen more often than you'd like.

Growing Mint - Homesteading 101

Mint is a hardy perennial commonly associated with sweets.  Mint lends a cool, peppery bite to plenty of dishes.  It’s very fragrant, fast-growing but it can be invasive.

Starting from Mint Seed

Mint is very difficult to grow from seed and most plants grown from seed will be different than the parent plant.  This is because they are hybrid varieties that don't come true to form when grown from seed.  Growing Mint from seed is not recommended, but here are the details.

Growing Mint

Plant size:                                 Height 12”–18” height  Spreading.

Spacing:                                    8-24”.

Container Size:                         2 seedlings in a 12” container.

Soil:                                           Avoid very heavy soil.

Watering:                                  Loves moist soil.

Light/Sun:                                 morning sun and part afternoon shade.

Fertilizer:                                  Fertile soil.  Diluted fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

Good Companions:                  Peas, tomatoes.

Bad Companions:                    Keep away from other spices.  Taste can transfer.

        Other Care Tips              

•  The plant can be rather invasive as it spreads through runners underground.
• In fall, cut back the plant to the ground
• Trim off the top of the plant for compact growth
• Mulch plant before the first frost.
• Bring a plant indoors in later summer for winter.

herb mincer

Dividing Mint

Mint propagates well through rootball division.  Use a sharp shovel to cut into desired pieces and replant at the same depth.  Dividing a Mint plant every two or three years will help keep the fresh scent and the flavor of the mint nice and strong.

Softwood Cuttings

Cut off a 4” sprig and place in 1” of water.  Remove leaves that fall below the waterline.  Small roots should appear under the water.  Change water every three to four days to prevent rot.  Wait another week then plant in soil.

Harvesting Mint

Right before flowering, cut the stems 1 inch from the ground. You can harvest one mint plant two or three times in one growing season. You can also just pick the leaves as you need them. You can grow the plants indoors for fresh leaves throughout the winter.

Storing Mint

Fresh
Bouquet Storage

This method works well for tender herbs with soft stems and leaves.

Clean and thoroughly dry the herb.  Trim the end of the stems and remove any wilted or browned leaves.  Place the Mint in a Mason jar or clear glass with 1" of water like a bouquet of flowers. Loosely cover with a plastic bag or cling wrap.  Label and store in the fridge.

Mint will stay fresh in the fridge with this method for up to 2 weeks.

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Freezing

For best results, use frozen Mint within 1-2 years.  By freezing herbs, you will lose some of the herb's texture but preserve the flavor.  Here are a few freezing options to consider:

Tray Freeze

Spread herb onto a cookie sheet on a single layer. Freeze in the freezer, then transfer the mint into a labeled freezer bag to store.  Since the leaves are frozen separately, you can easily remove the amount you need.

Ice Cube Trays

Clean and thoroughly dry the mint.  Mince and pack firmly into ice cube trays 3/4 full.  Add water to fill and freeze.  Transfer frozen cubes into a labeled freezer bag to store.

Flat Freezer Bag

Clean and thoroughly dry the mint.  Chop herb into 1/2" pieces, place in a labeled freezer bag. Squeeze out the air, lay flat and freeze.

Drying Mint

For best results, use dried Mint within 1-2 years.

Hang to Dry

Pick your herbs in bunches right before you intend to store them.  Tie the bottom of the bunch together with twine and hang upside down to dry in a dry, low humidity area. For added protection against dust, you can put the bundles inside paper bags with plenty of holes for ventilation.  When the herbs are dry, the leaves will crumble easily between your fingers.  Store in an airtight container.

Using Mint

• Perfect for summer salads and to liven up a sauce and to brew fragrant teas. 
• The flavor is also used to temper spicy curries. 
• Mint complements fish, chicken, lamb, and spices up vegetables like carrots and peas. 
• Spices up salads, too.

Growing your own herbs is fun, easy, more healthy than the herbs shipped to grocery stores, and what's best, saves you tons of money! Try it today.

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