marylp Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 I really want to learn but I am terrified that what if I didnt do it right, What if I end up poisoning my family. I have no guidance other than the net. There is no one here to stand in my kitchen and guide my through it. I am afraid I will end up buying the supplies going with the whole thing and then end up throwing the food out because its probably poisoned. Help!! Thank You in advance. Link to comment
BiscuitMaker Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 Marylp---go down to preserving the harvest. They will hold your hand. Link to comment
marylp Posted September 14, 2008 Author Share Posted September 14, 2008 Thank You so much!! Link to comment
MomM Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 marylp, I was terrified at first, but now I love it. UGA has an online free canning course that was very helpful. The ladies here are very knowledgable, and really believe in safe canning techniques. The first time I canned with my brand new pressure canner, I had my DH stand beside me and go over the directions with me, to make sure I was doing it according to the directions in both my canner manual and the Ball Blue Book of canning. You can do it! Link to comment
westbrook Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 hey girl.. here is the link to photos and recipes.. pick one or two or three http://www.mrssurvival.com/forums/ubbthrea...stlist&Board=39 Link to comment
Cricket Posted September 14, 2008 Share Posted September 14, 2008 Welcome, Marylp As for poisoning, goodness, I am much more confident in foods I prepare and home can. I know where they came from, how they were prepared and what's in them! Everyday there is another news story about food poisoning from commercial sources. You will be fine! Link to comment
Violet Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Hey, come on over to the preserving threads ! We will help you through it. As long as you stick with recipes and methods that are tested for safety you will be fine. Trust me, I teach hundreds of people to can. Been canning for over 30 years and instructing folks for the past 8 years or more. Never any illness or deaths, I promise ! It is addicting once you start, so be warned ! Canning is fun. Link to comment
ANewMe Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 Marylp, Welcome!!!! I too, am in your same shoes. I read through some threads not to long ago and got excited about it. Went and purchased the Ball Canning Book and that was as far as I got. I second guess myself. For goodness sakes, I have no idea how to even garden, but after being on this site I built a container garden at the last minute and I actually got a tomato!!!! It didn't look that great but it grew!!! So how about you and do it on the buddy system??? I trust these ladies more than I do most people I have personally met. If you are in....I am in. Again....Welcome!!!! Link to comment
marylp Posted September 15, 2008 Author Share Posted September 15, 2008 Thank you so much. Lets give it a try, I dont have a garden either. I was going to start using produce from our local farmers market. I sells produce by the dollar, ex.. 12 ears of corn for 1, 5 pds of tomatoes, etc.. I was going to use that as a starting point while I get my own garden going. Link to comment
westbrook Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 there is always someone around to help if you need it. Link to comment
Violet Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Yes, please, come on over ! We are always looking for more canning victims, oh, I mean FRIENDS, ha ha. We promise, we can teach you. You can also can dried beans in a pressure canner if you want to try something that is not expensive to start out with. Link to comment
ANewMe Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Looking foward to it. I got on Walmart's website last night to make a "wish list" for Christmas. I put a pressure canner on my list...16 qt...doubles as a waterbath canner. I also put some books on my list like square foot gardening for dummies and several others. At the school I work, we have a huge pear tree that is overloaded. There are pears all over the ground. Principal said for me to take all that I want because they will start to stink when they rot. So I thought I would start loading up some bags and see what I could do with them. They are FREE!!!! I like that. I'm going to go over to the forum and see what else I will need to get besides the pears to get started. Can't wait. Link to comment
Violet Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 You may want to check out the 23 quart sized canner since you can stack jars in it and get done faster. I prefer that size over the 16 quart size. I just replied to your post over there. Link to comment
RNMOM Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 marylp....I caution you.....never start to can! It is the most addicting thing you'll ever do! Walk away from the stove, walk away from the jars, walk away from the freshly picked goods. You really don't want to see those beautiful jars filled with delicious food. If you can't tell I'm being very sarcastic! Except about the addicting part. It is so much fun. It's a lot of work and you definitely want to have the Ball Blue Book and the advice from people here, but it is the best thing you'll ever do. For you and your family's health. It's so cool to KNOW what goes into your cans instead of hoping some disgruntled worker is being sloppy. They say that food travels 1500 miles to get from the farm to your table. Not at my house! It goes from backyard to shelf! YES! Link to comment
preparing Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Originally Posted By: Violet Hey, come on over to the preserving threads ! We will help you through it. As long as you stick with recipes and methods that are tested for safety you will be fine. Trust me, I teach hundreds of people to can. Been canning for over 30 years and instructing folks for the past 8 years or more. Never any illness or deaths, I promise ! It is addicting once you start, so be warned ! Canning is fun. This statement is getting me closer to opening a jar of soup or carrots and seeing if I live! Link to comment
JCK88 Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 preparing...LOL Back about 30 years ago when I thought about canning, I had the same fears you do. I remember canning tomatoes and being afraid to use them! Then, the nice friend who had shown me how to can them pointed out that if you use them in recipes that are cooked, you can't be poisoned because heat kills the pathogens. So, I opened a can of tomatoes, made a terrific Italian dish--and the rest is history. I'm still here. In 30 years, I can count on one hand the number of jars that came unsealed. I have never been ill from anything home canned and neither has anyone I shared things with. If you follow the directions and follow good kitchen practices, you will not have to be worried. (This is why we have the USDA guidelines and the Ball Blue book!--and all the experienced people around here who can help!) I have to add that the green beans I canned this year are superior to any commercial canned beans--mine were picked from the garden and then immediately canned. Nothing like that in the world. Same goes for the carrots. You can do this same feat with produce from pick-your-own farms or the farmer's market. It's a lot of work, but extremely satisfying. Go for it! Once you get to the part where you pressure can jars of home-made soups or stews and you discover that later on, you have your own convenience food (without the preservatives and additives) you'll be hooked. Don't feel like cooking? Heat up a quart of your own soup, make some garlic toast--and presto..dinner. Link to comment
Violet Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Preparing, if you are really afraid, then just boil it for 10 min. before you taste the food. If you canned it according to current USDA standards, it is fine. I have done this for 35 years. As you can tell, I am still here, too. Link to comment
kathy003 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 it all started with simple peach jam with me just about a month ago. That's all i was going to do. 6 jars of peach jam. That's it. 30 pints of jam later 23 quarts of peaches later about 40 quarts of canned pears later, I am finally able to start experimenting with my pressure canner i just got ( just have to get the dial checked). And yes, my hubby will be beside me my first time to make sure i'm doing everything according to directions,, and i'll have "preserving the harvest" forum open on my computer. REALLY, all I was going to do was Jam! They aren't joking, it's addicting. But, so rewarding when you see your family eating what you made. I have very, very picky eaters for children. They love my canned fruit and jelly better than store bought. Next week is applesauce. Go ahead, give it a try. Doing something wrong was my first and foremost worry. Between a canning book and this forum i really don't think you can go wrong. Link to comment
westbrook Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 send me a jar! if I don't die it is good! just do it within the next 2 years! after that no tellin' how much longer I got. then I won't be able to be your tester! Link to comment
anitapreciouspearl Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 It took me 6 months to get over my fear. I bought the canner and there it sat. I think the fear is universal... well - I got over it. I've been canning all month and I am as addicted as they say! You CAN do it! Link to comment
kathy003 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 lol, I wish I could send you a jar- but my kids are making a career out of eating it, as well as our friends who have learned i am making alot of my own things now. They look at me in disbelief like on one ever does things like this anymore. Once i explain to them how much cheaper it is (leaving the survival topic out of it) they seem to deal with it better. Then, they ask for a jar! Link to comment
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