It has not been the best year in the garden, but we have tried to do the most with the least. There were more peaches this year than last, and we knew from experience to pick them just slightly under-ripe for canning.
Zuzu knew that hanging around the bucket would increase the chances of maybe getting a peach. My first year of canning last year made me a smarter canner this year, and I learned it's OK to do things in stages to avoid the insidious canner burnout. The peaches were blanched, peeled, sliced, and left to soak in the no-brown-em overnight. Believe me, that's a lot of work in itself. Zuzu watched the whole thing and can vouch for me.
Soaking peaches, fresh dill, prepared beets, and sliced cucumbers were all ready to take their turns in the canner the next day.
In succession, spicy dill pickle chips, dill pickle spears, pickled beets, and peaches.
It's a good thing I plant a short-season variety of corn because a short season is exactly what we got. It was evident that the corn was as good as it was going to get, so we pulled it all, and I prepared it for pressure canning. If I say next year that I am going to can corn, you'll know I'm very, very sick and need help. Blanching corn and stripping it from the cob is a special kind of kitchen torture. The only reason I subjected myself to it is because I was not, after all the work of growing the starts in the greenhouse and putting over 100 of them in the garden, going to just throw it all to the chickens. (although it is nice to know that nothing will ever go to waste.)
I combined it with some of our carrots and the bush beans to make some nice mixed veggie jars. I think canning must be like childbirth. Once you see the pretty jars all lined up, you forget the pain of it all. But I think I'm done having corn.
Your bounty is beautiful. Not having given birth, I can only say that your theory makes sense to me. I'll be canning some peaches this week. Really didn't get enough from the garden to can much else. We are pretty much eating it all (and some sharing) as it comes. If I get any more zucchini gifted to me though, I will be making those yummy pickles you gave me last year.
ReplyDeleteThanks,Tristan! How did your peaches go? I got zucchini, but not as profuse as it usually is. I found 6 little corns the other day, and we had them with dinner -- they were delicious and a nice surprise. Let me know if you need the zuke pickle recipe!
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