savagerabbit Posted June 23, 2010 Share Posted June 23, 2010 A GIFT???? Wow!! how generous. I'd LOVE to have a woodfired canner! Link to comment
mom11 Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Oh my! YES! A gift! Can you believe it? They bought it for us, brand new. I cried. These are "Old Order Mennonites" and dear, dear friends. I take them to the doc., pick up, type and print out copies of a newsletter each week for their CSA boxes, bring them treats...Just the same as I do for all my friends and I certainly won't take money from any of them. When my water heater caught on fire...This was loaded into my van. They had tried to pay me, for things I do and I would send the money back...SO they latched onto this opportunity. I was so excited, but told them when I got a water heater, I would bring it back! Well, there was gonna be NONE of that! Except when I tried to tell others about it, no one had a clue what I was talking about. So I bragged to my Mennonite friends. It was so funny. One said GAAAAAAAAAAAAAVE it to you? MY they must be good friends.... This thing holds 28 quart jars. I can't believe how fast the water comes to a boil. I thought it might take a long time and we practiced ahead of time. We are still figuring it out. One thing...The water turns dark. We put a pipe thing on it and keep the lid on. Maybe we need a certain kind of wood? It's fine for the water bathing, but I was wondering about cooking down apples for applesauce. Anyone know? Anyway....This was a prep item, I was dreaming of. Now I can water bath can, if there is no power, and a large number of jars. I already pressure can on kerosene cookers. Today we canned 7 pints of B&B pickles. Filled the dehydrator with more yellow squash. Started another big bucket of Violet's Sweet Chunks. We planted another long row of pickling cucumbers. What was I thinking?!! Link to comment
carr Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Wow!! Mom11 ... you inspire me!! Link to comment
CrabGrassAcres Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 http://www.omick.net/cooker/cooker.htm If you're handier than I am, you could make your own. Link to comment
carr Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 this week, over three days: 4 quarts and a pint of purple hulls, which ended up in the freezer because I'm slow!! lol 20 pints of pickled okra for my DDs who love it so, and 9 quart bags of ready-to-fry okra to the freezer for DH who deserves to get what he wants!! 6 quarts and a pint of tomatoes, and 4 quart bags to the freezer for stews. 4 quart bags of green beans to the freezer cause thats the way DH wants to do 'em!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!! I heart Link to comment
mom11 Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 7 pints of Violets yummy pickles. Had 8 lbs. of peppers all sliced for salsa and couldn't fine one piece, to one of the kerosene cookers. Threw it all into the freezer. I planted another pound of beans...Sure the bunnies will be happy...Grrrrr! My wood fired canner is stainless steel and isn't up on legs. It has a wooden rack. I was so afraid that someone would steal it for the metal, but duh! Someone told me, that thieves don't want stainless..Well...Who knew! I need to see if I have a pik. It is wonderful. The Mennonite's use theirs for all kinds of things, including laundry and heating hot water. Isn't this wonderful?! The best prep item. I really wanted to brag to everyone...Naughty aren't I? I was so excited. But no one knew what in the dickins I was talking about. Link to comment
mom11 Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 this week, over three days: 4 quarts and a pint of purple hulls, which ended up in the freezer because I'm slow!! lol 20 pints of pickled okra for my DDs who love it so, and 9 quart bags of ready-to-fry okra to the freezer for DH who deserves to get what he wants!! 6 quarts and a pint of tomatoes, and 4 quart bags to the freezer for stews. 4 quart bags of green beans to the freezer cause thats the way DH wants to do 'em!! Happy Happy Joy Joy!! I heart Oh my! You GO girl! I've never had pickled okra...I'll bet it is yummy! Link to comment
CrabGrassAcres Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Oh WOW, mom11, they got you the real high priced one! It should last a long time. I expect the one on legs will burn thru much sooner. Link to comment
carr Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Thanks Mom11 ... I'm so happy about your new canner!! Link to comment
carr Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Thanks Mom11 ... I'm so happy about your new canner!! Link to comment
mom11 Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Oh WOW, mom11, they got you the real high priced one! It should last a long time. I expect the one on legs will burn thru much sooner. This Mennonite community is VERY frugal and they live the most spartan life. Very little furniture, no piks on the walls, barely paint, but when they do buy something, they want quality, not junk. Some of the simplest, non-electric household or farm items...They actually pay mega bucks for, but they last....These people are the absolute best friends. We got out at least twice a week and our chicks play and I help the family or visit. Today we pick up the newsletter and are picking up quail eggs to hatch for them. I will take them ice cream. It is beyond HOT! I am afraid the quail eggs will come before the quail rails get here......We hatched real chicks for them last month. What a thrill! Our first time and right in the middle of the dining room...Can we say "Beverly Hillbillies?" Link to comment
savagerabbit Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Ok,,, I swear... I looked. I DID! I promise! (: Where is this lovely pickle chunk recipe that everyone raves over from Violet? I'm being attacked by cukes from my garden right now and I need to get them in cans! I did 23 4oz jars of jam this weekend. Strawberry Peach, Strawberry, Strawberry Blackberry, and Black and Blue berry. I gave a few to neighbors already. Link to comment
mom11 Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Satruday 12 pints B&B pickles, yesterday 16 twelve oz. Violets Sweet Chunks, for a dear 85 year old friend, today 16 pints of Violet's Sweet Chunks for us...I picked 3 gallons of blackberries today and my Emma has them washed and ready for pie fliing, which we will do in the morning. I found white blackberries in my pasture. Just this afternoon, my Mennonite friends mentioned seeing some. My Aaron is a teaching assistant for the college, for a gifted camp. He made sure Emma knew how to do all the steps for the Sweet Chunks. She was a busy girl today, since there are 9 BIG buckets full on the counter. Joseph is in charge of washing and slicing the yellow squash and getting it in and out of the dehydrator. What a drill sergeant their older brother is. He didn't want me to work too hard, during the three weeks he is away. Noah is off to camp this week and with Aaron gone, the rest are just miserable! Link to comment
mom11 Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 Ok,,, I swear... I looked. I DID! I promise! (: Where is this lovely pickle chunk recipe that everyone raves over from Violet? I'm being attacked by cukes from my garden right now and I need to get them in cans! I did 23 4oz jars of jam this weekend. Strawberry Peach, Strawberry, Strawberry Blackberry, and Black and Blue berry. I gave a few to neighbors already. > Here's Violet's Sweet Chunks: > Sweet pickle chunks: > Pour boiling water over 24 pickling cukes for 4 days. On 5th day, drain, add > this syrup.Cut cukes in chunks. > 8 cups sugar > 4 cups cider vinegar 5% acidity > 3 1/2 tsp. pickling and canning salt > 2 Tbsp. pickling spices, tied in a bag. > Drain and heat syrup for 3 more days. On 4th day, pack pickles into jars, > seal with lid. Process in water bath canner for 10 minutes. > > You drain off the water each day, boil fresh water, and pour over the > cucumbers. Let sit a while to cool down before you cover them up. > > On the 5th day, drain off all the water. Cut cucumbers into chunks. Make the > syrup, pour over the cut up cucumbers. Then, each day for 3 more days, pour > off the syrup, bring syrup with the spice bag to a boil and pour back over > the chunks of cucumbers. On the 4th day of the syrup, drain off, boil, pack > pickles into jars, pour over the hot syrup, seal jars, and process in the > BWB. Link to comment
savagerabbit Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 thank you so much! I must admit,,, I've never seen such a recipe! I'm definitely going to try it! Link to comment
TurtleMama Posted June 29, 2010 Share Posted June 29, 2010 8 pints of chicken (it was on sale) and I have to get 1/2 pint jars to put up my strawberries as jam. Link to comment
mom11 Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Eleven 12 oz. jars, Violet's Sweet Chunks, for my dear 85 year old friend, 5 pints B&B pickles, and 12 quarts blackberry pie filling for my dear chicks. I have another gallon of wild blackberries and a gallon of tame blackberries, washed and ready to can into something in the morning. My Joseph filled the dehydrator with yellow squash, and Emma, Caleb, and Joseph planted another 200 sweet potato plants...For the bunnies to eat! Link to comment
savagerabbit Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 7 quarts of chicken breast and 4 failed jars of raspberry jelly. (syrup) I poured my first boiling water over some cukes for violet's pickles (YAY!) and I may do banana peppers later. Link to comment
ScrubbieLady Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Today will be blackberry jelly, sugar free and regular. Link to comment
savagerabbit Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 just poured my third round of boiling water over cukes for Violet's Sweet Pickle Chunks. Is there supposed to be a disgusting white film over the water? Link to comment
mom11 Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Today 10 jars Violet's sweet pickles and 8 jars blackberry syrup. Getting ready to put a gallon of tame blackberries in the steam juicer. Picked more squash and cukes. Heading out to the wild blackberries and need to plant more seeds. Link to comment
mom11 Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 just poured my third round of boiling water over cukes for Violet's Sweet Pickle Chunks. Is there supposed to be a disgusting white film over the water? Mine do this and I wash them each day, while I am boiling fresh water for them. The white goes away, once you put brine on them. Link to comment
savagerabbit Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 ETA: irritating double post. SORRY! Link to comment
savagerabbit Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 just poured my third round of boiling water over cukes for Violet's Sweet Pickle Chunks. Is there supposed to be a disgusting white film over the water? Mine do this and I wash them each day, while I am boiling fresh water for them. The white goes away, once you put brine on them. Good. That's what I did. Link to comment
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