Canning, just canning

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Patchouli

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By the time I was old enough to learn it, my mom didn't want to teach it. I was around when she would do it, but I was young and she was teaching my sisters.
I have never learned how to can, pickle, or make delicious jams and jellies.
Did someone teach you or did you teach yourself?
Is there a particular website or youtube video series you'd recommend for canning?
Any helpful tips on how you do any kind of canning is greatly appreciated.
 
Mom and grandma canned but didn't really teach me, or I was too busy being a teenager to have interest back then. Taught myself waterbath canning and finally bought a pressure canner in 2009. One of the ladies from MrsSurvival.com stayed on the phone with me for over an hour the first time I pc'd something. She was in KY and I was in AZ at the time, very, very helpful! I belong to a facebook group called rebel canners. That is about it! And pinterest is a great resource also!
 
I checked a book out of the library when I was 19 and kinda just jumped into water bath canning. My mom never canned although I have heard stories about my grandma canning jellies at least at one point in her life, but I lived 1200 miles away from her. I didn't venture I to the pressure canner until late 20s maybe 30s? Started out with peach jelly then when kids were growing up we would go down the river to collect Mayhaws. Came home to make jelly with them along with homemade biscuits! It has been a trial and error learning experience. You can always go to the Blue Ball web site to get instructions now. They got tons of approved recipes. . . .
 
Never grew up around it, never knew anyone who canned.
Just read a couple articles online, screwed up my courage, and jumped in - that was the hardest part.
I bought a gauge presser canner because I wanted to can chicken, and had read that I needed a pressure canner for meat.
Followed the steps as instructed (the instructions that came with the canner). Had to follow them step. by. step. the first couple times. Now it's old hat.
I still have yet to do any waterbath canning.
 
I did the reverse. Water bath first. I bought an All American pressure canner and lugged it to my cousin's house in Kansas, along with a few turkeys. She taught me how to can turkey, but it's been awhile, so I'd have to read directions again. Mom moved away from our Amish community, and never taught me any of that. Cousins had a laugh that I had to learn.
 
I was around canning all of my life, both kinds. But as others have mentioned, I was too busy being a teenager to learn. As a young married mom, I started out making jam. I used the "inversion" method that my mom did (not recommended ) and still use it. Sterile jars, hot high sugared jam, seals and rings on, upside down for 5 min, then right side up. Never lost a batch yet. Then I learned water bath and pressure canning . I've never done meats though.
 
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i learned from my grandmothers. maternal grandmother lived in a small town, she got her veggies from the store and my dad's garden. paternal grandmother had a farm and canned everything . this is where i learned butchering and how to cook and smoke meat. wish they were both still here . there is so much more i could learn from them.
 
I really wish I could have had the opportunity to have had a teacher. . . none of my DIL seem interested in learning, but I do have three out of the four boys that have at least done some. This is one of those lost arts. . . too many just find it convenient to buy it out of the stores now days. Think most of it is because their lives are so busy with work and taking kids to one activity to another. No extra time to garden and put food stocks away. Its all about electronics and staying connected for teens. Still holding out for the grandkids to want to learn. . .
 
My kids and grandkids are all step kids that I never had the opportunity to be around as they live in IL. One step daughter is interested but we just don't have the money or time to be there. I still hope to spend time there in the future. By that time, it may be great grands that I am teaching!
 
I grew up with my Grandma canning. She would send me home with her homemade pickles every time I visited. When I was old enough, I started canning, and the first thing I made was her dill pickles. I've been canning since. I love it. I have a whole playlist on my YouTube channel that is devoted to Canning and Gardening. I try to can something new every year.
 
Growing up if you didn't can you didn't eat that winter.
All of my family canned from the garden or bought local produce cheap.
I remember going with my Grandma and Mom to a canning place.
They took a bunch of green beans they got free from a friend.
They would stuff the cans with beans and send them down a conveyor belt and they would come out the other end sealed in cans.
Cases and cases of green beans.
I still am not very fond of green beans unless they are fresh out of the garden.
When my Mom passed there was 5 or 6 big pressure caners in the pump house along with everything needed to can.
She had long ago became unable to use the stuff but she just could not let it go.
I gave some stuff to a SIL because she started to can.
She gives me pickles so it works out for me.
My wife isn't able to can but I'm thinking I might have to try it.
Just no green beans.:)
 
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