Canning Collards

Sow celery thinly in pots or boxes in heat in March for early varieties, or in a cold house in mid-April for the main crop. Prick off into deep seed boxes as soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, at 5cm (2in) intervals. After hardening off, plant out from mid May to the end of June, in prepared trenches. This is not only helpful in earthing but enables watering to be carried out by flooding the trench.

Some tomato plants, even high-acid varieties, produce lower-acid fruits under some conditions. Always add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to avoid the risk of botulism.

Why blanch vegetables before freezing? Blanching vegetables before freezing is critical to quality, but not safety. Blanching is scalding vegetables in boiling water or steam for a short time. It is typically followed by quick, thorough cooling in very cold or ice water. Blanching stops enzyme actions which otherwise cause a loss of flavor, color, and texture. In addition, blanching removes some surface dirt and microorganisms, brightens color, and helps slow vitamin losses. It also wilts greens, softens some vegetables, such as broccoli and asparagus, and makes them easier to pack. It is critical to use the correct blanching time for the size and type of vegetable (see table below). Under-blanching stimulates enzyme activity and is worse than not blanching. Over-blanching leads to partial cooking and causes loss of flavor, color, vitamins, and minerals.

Home canning season is just around the corner. Having equipment ready and recipes selected before fresh produce is available will allow a smooth transition to a busy time of year. Only choose recipes that have been developed specifically for the canning method you are using. Safe canning methods include the boiling water bath method, the atmospheric steam canner method, and the pressure canner method. Recipes should only come from research-based sources like the USDA, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and Extension sources and should include the ingredients, preparation instructions, and processing times.

Adapted from:  So Easy to Preserve, 6th ed., p. 151

2 pounds cranberries 3 green apples, cored, peeled, chopped 1 orange, seeded and chopped 3 cups sugar 2 cups water ½ cup honey

I routinely scout the collards in my yard for insect pests and enjoy watching wasps parasitize worms and aphids. I walked out the other day and thought the wasps must be taking a break from parasitizing because I have serious damage.

The major reason we recommend Mason-type canning jars is our experience with them and their decreased rate of breakage compared to mayonnaise jars, salad dressing jars, spaghetti sauce jars, or other jars not intended for canning. Home food preservation experts have worked with various types of canning jars, and their experience is reflected in the following long quote from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.

The canning lid lifter/lid wand is a magnet attached to a short plastic stick and is a useful tool for lifting metal lids from hot water. Lid wand brands include Back to Basics, Ball, Harold, Norpro, Presto, RSVP, and Victorio. For several years lid wands have been available online and in-store from vendors that sell canning supplies (including kitchen supply stores, hardware stores, department stores, and big box stores).

A frequent question to the Home & Garden Information Center: “I canned my green beans in a water bath canner. Are they safe?” Often this question is prefaced by “My mother and grandmother taught me to can green beans in a water bath, and they survived. Why should I use a different method?”

You can win one of two, three-book sets that I’ve purchased to share as prizes—no, not my old food-splattered copies, above, but new ones. Promise! All you have to do to have a chance in the truly random drawing (I’ll use the tool at random [dot] org to pick a winner) is comment below, and be a subscriber to my email newsletter. All the details are at the end of this post.Your comment should simply tell us what you like to put up for later from your garden or the farmer’s market—and it can be as simple as a sentence or include a recipe or a link to one; up to you.Tips and Tricks:Immediate ideas and tips on coping with the harvest can be had from these articles:What’s in My Freezer at Harvest Time: a Roundup of Ideas Making Pesto: Garlicky Green Ice Cubes Growing and Storing a Year of Parsley (good for many other green herbs, too) Dan Koshansky’s Hand-Me-Down Refrigerator Pickles Vegetable Curry-in-a-Hurry ‘Love Apple

AS I PLANT MY PARSLEY, PICK ASPARAGUS and get ready for tomato transplant time, it gets me thinking about tomorrow (as in “the offseason”) when my Northern garden doesn’t offer up so much food as it will the next few months. No worry, because I am a hoarder—of fresh garden and farmer’s-market produce (though not on sagging shelves like that 1940 Farm Security Administration slide, above!).