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What are you canning today? Part 8


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Beans are a great source of protein and can be stored dried.  They are great at substituting for meat or stretching meat.  Chickpeas in particular are easy to make into meat substitutes like sausage patties, chickn' patties, or just beans and rice.  

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1 hour ago, euphrasyne said:

Beans are a great source of protein and can be stored dried.  They are great at substituting for meat or stretching meat. 

As a Type2 Diabetic beans are not a part of my diet . . .  although I do have some canned pinto and kidney beans to add to chili, etc, if I have to. Keeping glucose under control is infinately more impt than having "calories" for consumption because elevated glucose levels cause much havoc on the body in many many ways.

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Now that I have my kitchen back together. I am going to go through the chest freezer tomorrow. Will pull out things to make spaghetti sauce and some more soups. Might can some more beef as well as chicken this week. Just have to keep GS from messing kitchen up to a point that i get a late start on canning. I like to start early around 5 or 6am. So tomorrow morning I will pull out what I need and let thaw in fridge and then Wed. I can get things canned. Checked my pint jars to make sure I have enough, and I am loaded on them. So good there. I won't be using my qt. jars much as it is only me now. Pints are better for me. So, I am going to take a day and can water in the qt. jars. Cheaper than buying bottled water. I will need to find a new place for everything I can now as my pantry is full. 

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I'm still looking for a true pressure canner here instead of a pressure cooker. 

While the canned chicken here tastes better than the canned chicken in the US, it's not as good as my bottled chicken.  Considering that a half-cup sized can is a very solid basis for a meal for me, I would look at a one-pint jar as something to open about twice a week.  So for a year, I would bottle at most about 40-50 pints of various kinds of chicken, 24-32 of various kinds of pork, and about 24-32 of stew beef and variety meat, these jars including meat-rich soups and chilis, etc. as well as pure cold-pack meat (and bone).  In addition, I would bottle up as many pint or quart jars of pure broth as possible.  Broth is gold.

The canned fish here is better than mine, and the tastiest kinds are rich in hunger-resolving fat as well as protein.  I wouldn't bottle it ahead of time, but if I had fish and no freezer, you bet I'd bottle it.

Edited by Ambergris
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Still have a lot to get canned. But so far, I canned up veg. beef soup, veg. soup (no meat) tomato soup, chicken, and beef and canned water.  Dehydrated more frozen veggies. Using all pint jars for canning now and quarts for the water.

 

Ambergris, hope you can find a canner soon.  I have 2 of them and keep them going mostly in summer when garden comes in and then partway through the winter. Though with all the construction it put me behind and is why the freezers are overflowing. 

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Strawberry all the things.

 

:24:

 

The only problem is, I'm running out of ideas and there's still about 8 lbs of strawberries staring at me wanting to know what they get to be.

 

As an aside, at one point today my watch congratulated me on completing 45 minutes of rowing.

 

I was hulling strawberries, but okay... :24:

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  • 4 months later...

Cherry tomato pasta sauce for DS2 (Tony-37). He likes a sweet sauce—but doesn’t want sugar. So I’m experimenting. :24: 

Used 7.5 qts of juice.

Roasted carrots, candy onion, yellow and orange bell peppers, garlic, and apples in olive oil. 
Blended veges with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, beef base, basil pesto, garlic paste and enough water to make it blend. 
Finished with 1/2 stick unsalted butter. 

Started yesterday boiling down the tomato juice. Added veggie blend today. Will can tomorrow. 
 

Oh, yeah, I tasted it. 🤢 :0327: It’s SWEET!! He ought to love it!! <_<:curtsey:

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8 minutes ago, Littlesister said:

Necie, that sounds really good.  I might have to steal your recipe.  


Go for it!! 🙂 I don’t measure anything though. 😂 The only way I knew how much juice I used is cuz I canned it first so I could make sauce as I had time. 🙄

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Another batch of pasta sauce done. 
20 qts tomato juice 

3 qts (about) of other stuff

 

Got 15-24oz jars. 
 

Will start another batch tomorrow evening.

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I WILL be canning next year too. I really miss it. I already have a long list of 'to-can' ready. Most of mine won't be coming out of the freezer though. I need lots of veggies to make soups. I'm not opposed to buying them either. Anything to get my pantry built back up. I can live on soup. Most of my freezer contains meat and MRE's. I've been watching a lot of canning videos lately so it really keeps me inspired and also some new recipes to try. 

 

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Jeepers, what is in my freezer is the meat and veggies from garden I didn't get to can that I will be making soups and sauces to can. Then I will be canning from garden. If I do a garden next spring. If not, I will be getting veggies and stuff from the farm down the road. He has a huge farm and one of the few that is left around my area and has a stand he sells from. I can call him, and he will have it all picked and ready for pickup. I have bought from him before, and his veggies are really fresh straight from the garden that morning. I have been working on some things in the back yard and one of those is rather or not to tear down the old garden shed and build a new one over the old garden as the trees were putting out too much shade last summer over that area. So, garden didn't fare as well as I had hoped. 

Or should I take down the 2 trees that are hovering over my present garden area. If I tear down the old shed, I will have a much larger garden area but need to till all of that land up. And my clothesline poles are sitting over in that area as well. So those will have to be moved. Yes, decisions, decisions. what should I do. 

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I have a lot of decisions to make too. What I'd like to do, (but won't $$$) is hire someone to map out my yard on a computer and show how to professionally landscape it and where the best place to put trees etc are. I have a corner lot too and am at a loss on how to fence it in. Most people don't have fences out there so I can't see examples. I do plan to have a dog so I'd want one for her. The people before me had an invisible fence for their dog and they left it there for me but I don't like those. Also to show where to permanently put things like a pool, firepit, outdoor seating and a grill area, water barrels and things like that. Also the best place for the garden and a good spot if I ever wanted a hen house. I don't think I want chickens but having a chosen spot just in case I ever change my mind. You know, have it all laid out so I don't make mistakes and end up having to redo it if I want to add something in the future. I could also do it slowly and not all at once. I thought about getting a little storage shed too. I don't really need one but it would be nice to keep my gas and propane in it a little farther away from the house. Maybe a little garden shed where I could keep garden tools and combustibles. That's what I mean about getting it planned out first. That yard is so over grown and neglected. I need to hire a tear out. I was thinking next spring but I'm thinking about doing it now. Probably need a bush hog. It has to be done before I can get a generator because it has to sit on that side where the biggest mess is. There are some medium size trees growing right up next to the garage and the house. They have to go. I'm always afraid tree roots will tear up a foundation. One is right by the septic tank and I definitely want that one gone. They are pretty ornamental trees but in a bad place. Not sure what they are but they are very fast growing. More like a shrub maybe. And all of those wild raspberry plants that sprang up out of nowhere are taking over the yard. They even popped up in the front yard by the driveway. Not nice big black ones but little bitty tiny red ones. I want a designated area for everything but I'm not talented enough to see the big picture. Problem is, once again, I'm not over there enough to hire and direct what I need done. It would be easy to take advantage of me not being there. They could do a lousy clear out and I wouldn't really know it until next spring. Plus all of the work that needs done inside. I haven't forgot about those two big holes I put in the dinning room wall either. Champagne taste on a beer budget. 

 

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Okay, WARNING…..middle of the night, can’t sleep, think of possible Jeepers ideas coming up! 
 

Jeepers, perhaps you could look into urban homesteading to see how others plan theirs.  Check out one acre (or half acre or whatever) homesteads. Then look into garden designs and don’t forget to check out Permaculture.  You already have an idea of what you want to do there, things like gardening and etc.  You would need to set priorities, then ‘walk’ through them one at a time , listing needs. Say it’s gardening.  You would definitely want sunshine and perhaps you would need to be close to water source. You would want to water plants easily, have an area for potting plants and maybe for washing veggies before you take them inside.  You’d want to have a place for compost and/or close or connected with a chicken run if you decide to have chickens.  You might want a small greenhouse and a place to store tools.  You might want two garden areas or even three, a ‘kitchen’ garden close to the back door for planting things you might use often like herbs or salad greens and veggies.  Then perhaps a bigger garden for canning,  crops like tomatoes, beans, and etc.,  then maybe an area for potatoes, corn or other less often tended crops.  Think ahead.  Perhaps you will start with a small garden shed for tools but plan it so you can add a small greenhouse. Perhaps later you could add a small chicken house and run to that greenhouse.  
 

Do the same ‘walking’ through other wants.  Like a swimming pool. You would need easy accessibility from the house, a place to store pool cleaning equipment, supplies, and ‘toys’. They might share the same garden/greenhouse/chicken coop/shed.  It’s easier and cheaper to build ON to an existing building than build another whole building unless they really did need to be on a different part of the property.  If you have never experienced something before then you need to learn from those who have BTDT.  
 

Permaculture has a great model for working with the land. It can be quite involved or very simple depending on your need. In general it has you thinking in terms of zones. Things needed close to the house, things needing to be further out, things on the perimeter and etc. It encourages multiple uses and things (even plants and trees) working together. For instance, big trees with shrubs and bushes under them and smaller plants under them, each taking advantage of the assets of the other, each helping to sustain the other.  Or in the instance of the garden/animal/compost connection.  The garden feeds you, if the chicken run and coop are close by the garden waste is easy to feed to the chickens or maybe rabbits.  The chickens in turn process that waste into fertilizer to feed the garden while giving you eggs or meat.  Perhaps the animal building attached to the greenhouse will help heat it in winter and the greenhouse will feed the animals in the winter. The building could be used as a rain catchment system to water the animals, the greenhouse, the garden and maybe you if it’s set up correctly.

 

It all depends on your WANTS and NEEDS. None of it will work well if you don’t know those first. Landscapers can only make a plan after they know those two things.  And remember this very important rule.  No matter what age you are or at what physical ability you are, if you plan to stay then you have to plan for aging and ability.  Plan in handicapped accessibility in both house and yard.  
 

Another suggestion. You can find programs online that ‘landscape’ for you but you can also make paper or cardboard cutouts to plan your property.  Use ‘to scale’ shapes to represent house, garages, gardens, sheds, pool, fire pits, trees, etc, and move them around a scaled drawing of your property.  Mark water sources, pathways, driveways, possible fences, dog runs, etc. It is more fun than paper dolls and could be a fun winter pastime.  :grinning-smiley-044:

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Thank you Mother!!!  :hug3:All fantastic ideas.

 

I should probably have said 'hardscape rather than 'landscape' but you knew what I was talking about. I have scoured the internet and all over Pinterest. I have downloaded a lot of pictures too. I have an old program that I really liked for the old house, but it is no longer compatible to this computer. I know there is a way to take a photo from online and transport it to a program where you can see exact dimensions of your property. But I can't find out any further information on it. That is probably how the professionals get their information to work with. If I could get a schematic of the property I could get a better program because I'm sure a better program would be cheaper than a designer.

 

Great Idea about watering. I didn't really think about that. I have a spigot at the end of the house by the garden but I would really like to have water to the second garage not only for garden but for a utility tub. Maybe outdoor canning too. I really want rain barrels. 

 

And yes about the shed close to a chicken coop and greenhouse. Something I can build up on but plan out the space now before I have to cram it all in later. I don't see me with chickens but you'd better believe I'll get them if times get bad-er.  I definitely need a compost area! I'm lost without a garbage disposal right now for even simple things. That is going to be a learning curve for me. I've always had one but not so sure with a septic system. I know they make them for septic's but my under the sink space is already limited. I'd also like to have a burn barrel if they are allowed.

 

I have been adapting the inside of the house for senior years. It's pretty good except I do have carpet. It's new but when it gets worn I'll replace it with some sort of easy to clean surface. Wood or tile. I only have a throw rug coming into the house from the garage. It's a heavy duty indoor/outdoor mat that doesn't move. First trip on it and it goes. So, I see what you are saying about senior safety and accessibility outside too. This is the last house I'm buying so I want it to be right while I still can do things.

 

I do the graph paper cutouts too. That's how I rearrange my furniture. 

 

Only thing going for me is most of the acre is a blank canvas except for the house, garage and garden area. It is in a subdivision and everyone (except for me) keeps their property in very nice condition. So far I am the eyesore of the neighborhood but hope to rectify that soon. My house is the first impression one gets coming into the subdivision, so I sort of need to keep that in mind too. There is no HOA but probably restrictions. Since it is a corner lot, the side of the property abuts the road so I need to consider how to use that area. 

 

Thank you for all the ideas and encouragement. 

 

Google Maps:

There are three big pine trees in my yard on the side property line.

The big pine tree in front is mine on the property line on the back side.

image.jpeg 

 

Another Google image I found. The second garage is actually about a yard from the house.

image.jpeg

Ugh, those words say:  three pines, big pine, septic cap, well pump, garden area, 2nd. garage and house.  :sEm_blush:

 

Edited by Jeepers
edited to explain blurry words
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Oh wow Jeepers.  That’s a great space.  Does it have a lot more trees and bushes than the picture shows? The way you described it I had envisioned a very wooded area.  
 

I’ve never had a garbage disposal.  Every leftover went to chickens, pigs, or compost area.  I can see why in your neighborhood you would have to think of esthetics too.  Perhaps you will want to think of raised beds, in an artistic or symmetrical design, right from the start with nice mulched or hard surfaces paths between.  With your son a Plummer, even if he IS like the cobbler:grinning-smiley-044:, you might want to consider having water lines run to the area so you can run hoses to the different beds.  Unless, of course, you have sun close to the house to run them from there.  Be aware though that the hoses would have to be taken in each winter and the faucets drained or be frost free ones.  Take my word for it….that’s harder as you age.  DH and I have lost a garden area because we can no longer do it.  
 

Hey, as this is a canning thread, maybe you will want to start a new thread (or move these couple of posts, into another forum, maybe DIY,. Put in your pictures and let others weigh in on what they would do.  Fun for us all and ideas for you! :happy0203:

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Yes I agree! I tried to move the last five posts to the Urban Farm forum but It didn't work. If you can figure it out please move them! I have errands to run now but will be back later this evening to work on it. I don't care about my own posts being deleted but I'm afraid I'll take someone else's posts away. :unsure:

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