Picking the Garden and Canning the Goods!

Well, this year is my first year for a garden and my first year to can. I was VERY nervous about the whole canning process. I was afraid that I wouldn't do it right and all my food would be ruined. I was afraid that I wouldn't get the canner lid on right and it would explode and I would burn my face with the steam. I was afraid all my jars would break or that they wouldn't seal. Yes - I imagined up every possible scenario!! I had read the books my mom gave me, but I still wasn't feeling very confident, so I asked for her tips. Well, bless her heart, so typed out the whole process - from beginning to end - and emailed it to me. I printed it out and read it several times and most of my worries were put to rest. The next day I went out to my garden and dug up all my carrots and spent the next few hours washing, peeling, and slicing them! And when it came time to can - well, that was the easy part! I was able to get 5 quarts of carrots and they all sealed! Now, I just have to be patient till winter time and pop open a jar and see how they taste!

I am now confident that I can do the rest of the canning. I only got 2 pickings out of my peas and then it got too hot for them - but they were delicious! I put one quart of peas in the freezer. My green beans are doing really well, and we have had them for a few meals. I will have to save a few days worth of pickings to be able to can them. We have cucumbers and LOTS of yellow squash! The okra still has a ways to go - but so far so good. I have one little bell pepper, but several more blooms, so I hope I get a good crop of bells. Joe's jalapeno's have taken off and the plants are full of them - his habanero's haven't really done anything yet, though. And our tomatoes, well, they aren't doing so great. Of the 6 we planted, only one is still alive. The one has lots of blooms and just the other day we found our first little tomato! So I hope all those blooms turn into tomatoes!

This garden has been a learning experience. We don't have a bumper crop or the nicest looking garden - but we are getting some good produce and are learning how to do things different for next year!