If you run into limp carrots, radishes - pick your favorite root crop - and even lettuce I have a little tip for you. As soon as you get home, put your limp produce in a ziplock bag with cold water and pop it in the fridge. Carrots, celery, and root veggies can stay in it overnight, or even several days and come back to a crispy crunchy state. Lettuce will need to be pulled out after a few hours, rinsed and dried off to save it from getting all slimy. And no one wants slimy lettuce!
Canning is being put off this year until the last possible moment. It's simply too hot to can where I live right now. I'm hoping to get a canning party going towards the end of August. Things go so much faster with a team! I now understand my grandparents much better when they spoke about all the farmer's "women folk" getting together to can every harvest.
For those of you who don't know how to can, check with your local CSA's, state Agriculture departments, local churches, farmer's markets, and churches for possible classes. It is possible to figure it out on your own, but nothing beats having someone walk you through it the first time at least.
And with this long, hot summer, canning may be the only way to make it through the next big price jumps on food...which will happen sooner than we are all ready for.
Looking for canning resources? Check out www.freshpreserving.com - brought to you by the folks who make Ball jars.and canning supplies.
This is now on my Christmas Wish List - who knew that someone would figure out a way to make a home appliance that does all the cooking and stirring for your jams/jellies?
Ball® freshTECH Automatic Jam & Jelly Maker 2.5-pt
Ball has had such a demand for this that they've delayed delivery until after August. You can find out more information on this here: Ball Automatic Jame & Jelly maker
