# Anyone else with a canning goal for 2013?



## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

I like to UP myself every year. Last year I did approx 850 jars. This year I would like to do 1000. I probably could have done 1000 last year had we not had a drought that reduced my garden and made for ZERO new fruit additions (whole, sliced or jellies) Two years ago I think I did 500. I have only been canning approx 5 years. What are your goals for this year?


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

2 yrs ago we probably did about 400 jars- this year we did about 175- BUT- I think that is cause we had about 100 left from 2 yrs ago- 

My goal is to make sure we have enough sauce for 2 yrs, fill in any gaps we have- definitly- do at least 50 jars of green beans- we could easily eat a jar a week and we had just learned to pressure can so we only did about 20..


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I want to can up more leftovers this year. I have cases and cases of canned products that I use slower than I can. I think canning up leftover soups or stews would be a good idea. They are fast, ready made meals.


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I haven't canned hardly anything this past year, wahhh! The gardens the summer before were a total loss due to the drought, and due to time, money and health considerations I didn't even plant a garden this past summer.

Still trying to decide whether to plant this year, as they say the drought will be the same or worse, and we have had NO winter! I need to make my mind up quick, though, as it already feels like March or April out there, ack!

The only things I've canned this year are some chicken, beef and pork I got on a good sale, beans, soups, some meals in jars, and tons of apples and applesauce (a nice old man in town lets me pick his trees for free every year, and I give him homemade goodies, lol). 

I am in canning withdrawal! lol I've done some dehydrating too, but again not nearly as much as usual, just stuff I've managed to catch on a good sale, nothing homegrown. My ideal canning goal would be at least 500 jars, but at this point I'll be happy with anything I can do. They're saying this drought could last 10 years in our area (researching alternative gardening now). I may just have to live vicariously through y'all, lol!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

My canning goal is to ONLY can what we eat in a reasonable amount of time.

We are still using up stuff from 2010. I've only been canning for a few years and I love doing it, but I have no one to feed but the two of us, and while I like having two years worth on hand, more than that might be a bit much. I like knowing even if I have a poor year, we'll be just fine. 

I'm going to toss out some of the stuff that time has shown we are not going to eat, and concentrate on what we do like. It won't go to waste - the chickens will love it.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

I'm just learning pressure canning. Want to try different types of beans, stews, soups, meats and vegetable bases. Mainly figure out what works for us. Loving having canned chicken broth already! Would like to have things that I can just pull off the shelf for a quick reheat homemade meal and move things from freezer storage to shelf storage to simplify hurricane season. Already have lots of dehydrated things (around 270 jars that I did last year) to use as components for meals and meals in a jar.

Have been water bathing for about 20 years and dehydrating for three. Year before last, I dehydrated 51 pear leathers, 94 trays of pear slices, and 39 trays of cubes, canned 70 jars of slices, sauce, butter and mincemeat and froze 123 individual cups for smoothies. All from two huge trees. No harvest this year - hurricane blew everything away. We picked enough from friends to replenish the smoothie stash and had enough left of everything else that we should make it through to harvest this year. Hopefully, we will have enough to at least equal year before last.

We've been shelling and dehydrating pecans from our tree and the neighborhood. Have enough in the freezer for several years and still have bags to finish. Such a blessing. I use pecans in everything and was down to a couple of gallon bags of shelled in the freezer. Goal there is to finish shelling :sing:

Main goals will be competing basement storage as pantry is overflowing with dehydrated items and closing in back porch for canning kitchen.


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## msyankeeindixie (Jan 27, 2013)

Good Morning 

I was born and raised in a homesteading farm where we grew ourselves. I have not canned in yrs and this year I am hitting the ground running! I just pray Karma will allow me to can as much as possible! 

Anyone have any good resources for canning supplies at great prices?


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

I just buy a box or two as I can... even in the middle of winter. Then it doesn't feel like such a burden nor a rush at canning season. I also get sugar, etc before the seasons hit. Walmart can be cleaned out during jelly season! buy ahead!


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

mekasmom said:


> I want to can up more leftovers this year. I have cases and cases of canned products that I use slower than I can. I think canning up leftover soups or stews would be a good idea. They are fast, ready made meals.


 me too I'v got a little electric pressure canner that only holds 4 pint jars this is my leftover canner .


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

Im planning on canning about 300 or more quart jars and a couple hundred pints more than I usally do .I put up every thing from the garden apple butter peaches beef and pork plus the fressor full of meat .I'v got 3 big canners and 2 smaller ones .but if need be our county has a cannery you can use all the equipment free ,you can buy tin cans and they will process and seal em or you can bring your own jars .I used it to can a hog 6 dozen jars cost less than 5$ .a couple years ago with a great sweet corn harvest I did 80 quarts with there machine to take the corn off the cob in 1/2 a day . lets hope for great weather this garden season as last year did not produce much .ialso fell into a great deal on a couple hundred second hand mason jars at a great price last fall .what I wont mind is having to build a few new shelves in the root cellar with the walls already lined with 12 inch shelves and potato bins i'm thinking of adding a couple iles through the center. its nice not to worry about the prices skyrocketing in the stores .while talking with my sis in the city she spoke of the price of meat riseing very fast lately. i'v also got all the lumber ready to go to build my summer kitchen its been in the plans for over a year and with the completion of my new rabbitry this is next I can't wait to have all my canners and big processing gadgets out there and out of my every day kitchen .along with a big wooden farmers table it is gonna make this nessary hobby so much more enoyable


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

My New Years goal was to can every weekend until my MIL visits in March. Wish work didn't take up so much time! This is my first year pressure and water bath canning, I'm doing a range of foods to see what we like the best and eat the most of. Next step is building more shelves....


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

We are cutting back on canning, more dehydrated and with extending the growing season, more fresh foods. No garden this year as we are going to travel and spend a lot of time away from home at our other properties. DS is growing the gardens now and taking care of the greenhouse as he lives there full time. We eat so much less now, have more time to cook fresh foods, less canned, more dehydrated and use more milk products in our diet. Our canning will be mostly fruit based....James


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## Nankipoo (Jan 24, 2013)

My goal is to test my brand new AA 921 tomorrow on our brand new Camp Chef propane stove, assuming the weather is favorable. I'm a brand new canning newbie!


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## Prov31Wife (Dec 20, 2012)

My goals are more about specific things than numbers. I started in June, and started with tons of pickles and relishes....won't do those this year.

Focusing on: green beans, butter beans, tomatoes, salsa, peppers

And would like to can a lot of chicken, bc I seem to use it as fast as I can it. It's so good and useful in so many recipes.

I want to do LOTS of condiments: ketchup and bbq sauce, so I don't have to buy any all year.


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## Prov31Wife (Dec 20, 2012)

Oh and tomato jam. It is heaven in a jar.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

I just sat down with the Ball Blue Book this afternoon to see what I want to can this year. Made a spreadsheet with all of the items on it so that I could easily count how many jars we will need.

The total came out to 1169-
168 half pints
537 pints
464 quarts

That is for two adults and one toddler!

I seriously doubt that we will do that much canning. In fact, if we do half to 2/3's of it I will be quite happy. But, we have set ourselves a goal of growing and preserving as much of our food as we can manage this year, just to see what that amounts to. 

We do not usually can meat, but I would like to start doing more of it to get it out of the freezers, and to have some ready to heat meals on hand like chili and stews. Last year we made the goulash from the BBB and did not really like it. We only ate one jar of it- I should open another- maybe it has improved with age. I also tried canning some chicken one year but it seemed really "greasy" when I opened the jars. I actually wound up using it as dog food.

Let's see, the above numbers include 200 quarts of grape juice- I may settle for half of that depending on how busy we are. I do love it though- I can drink a quart jar by myself on a hot summer day!

Those numbers do NOT include any honey that we pack in canning jars. We usually pack a few hundred jars, but then we sell a lot and give some away, too, so it is hard to figure that out ahead of time.


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## campfiregirl (Mar 1, 2011)

Prov31Wife said:


> Oh and tomato jam. It is heaven in a jar.


 What is that like? Do you add sugar? How do you eat it?


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2013)

msyankeeindixie said:


> Good Morning
> 
> I was born and raised in a homesteading farm where we grew ourselves. I have not canned in yrs and this year I am hitting the ground running! I just pray Karma will allow me to can as much as possible!
> 
> Anyone have any good resources for canning supplies at great prices?


You are about 20 miles from me!! I can all the time, but cannot keep up with the fruit from my orchard. Last year I put up over a hundred jars of fruit, ate fresh fruit from April(Strawberries) through November(late apples and Japanese persimmons) gave fruit to my grown children, and fed chickens fruit too. I always look in the shoppers for people selling their jars. I'll buy at $3.00 a dozen, or cheaper.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

I fulfilled my first canning goal of the year! Canning something every weekend from Jan 1st until my MIL visits in March, which is this weekend. It was a great start to getting my rural pantry stocked up. I'll have to come up with another goal after she leaves.


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

Way to go Vosey. Congratulations!!!


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## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

I just checked my list, and after a few adjustments, I am up to 1384 jars as my goal. That is a "soft" goal, lol. 

I am off to a roaring start. NOT.

I got seven (7) pints of chicken broth put up last week.

Then I had surgery and won't be able to do any more canning for at least a couple of weeks 

Let's see-
1384-7= 1377.

Yep, I have a lot of work ahead of me.


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## Jeepgirl86 (May 18, 2012)

I printed off the chart from Granny Miller's site that lists suggested amounts to can for a family and am going to try to hit about half of what she lists of the veggies we like most, just as a starting point and hope my little garden produces enough.


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

I don't have specific goals, just to waste less! A couple years ago, I canned about 1400 jars - last year it was a little over 900. I am going to try to can more green tomatoes, as we have quite a few famly members that like them.

Moldy


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## AAcre (Mar 2, 2013)

My canning goal is to actually _start_ canning this year.. I have never done it before, so it should be interesting! I would love advice and tips from those of you with experience.


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

AAcre said:


> My canning goal is to actually _start_ canning this year.. I have never done it before, so it should be interesting! I would love advice and tips from those of you with experience.


Welcome! Canning is so much fun and addicting! Search the forums for canning and there is great info that goes back years. Everyone here is so happy to help even with the silliest of questions.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Hi I am new here to Homesteading Today! I started canning 2 years ago when I realized how much unnecessary stuff was being put in food. I sat down yesterday and made out my canning goals list, ant it cam to almost 900 jars. I need more jars, lol!


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## stef (Sep 14, 2002)

I'm dumbstruck (almost, lol) by your canning prowress, LRH, and others.

At my best I did maybe a hundred jars one season. How in the world do you do it? 

My goal is to replenish my canned (dry) beans (white and red), do some more cranberry-orange jam (LOVE it), plum preserves, tomato sauce, applesauce, beef, pork and chicken, some smoky beet relish (did that several years ago and it was fantastic), and whatever odds and ends come my way. 

If I end up with 50 to 75 jars (mixed sizes of pints, 12-ounce jars, half-pints and 4-ounce jars) I will be satisfied. It's enough for me, and I guess if we're happy with what we do (a lot or a little), then it's good enough. **


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## Marilyn (Aug 2, 2006)

*msyankeeindixie*: Re: resources for canning supplies, first and foremost, get the word out that you are looking for them. I am a firm believer that this country is absolutely loaded with basements, garages, sheds and attics packed full of unused jars, etc. After you let everyone know what you are looking for, go to auctions and yard sales that have jars or canning supplies listed. You can often buy jars for $1-3 a doz.

I have found the best prices on canning lids at Amish stores that sell unbranded lids in long, craftpaper sleeves. They're about $40 now, but you get 28.5 doz!

If you need to purchase a new pressure canner, bite the bullet and get an All American the first time 

If you have to purchase a new waterbath canner, check out the stainless steel Ball. It's on my wishlist, clear glass lid lets you see when water returns to a boil without lifting it.


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## wistful dreams (Aug 25, 2009)

My goal is to can something this year. Jam, pickles, and hopefully some fruit. Current rental has a cheap flat top stove (uck) so no leaping into the pressure canning pool this year.


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## xix (Dec 22, 2006)

I need to set a goal for this year. Off the top of my head, I want to do more than last year. But that isn't a definitive goal and thus harder to work towards. 

So far, the only things I've really managed to can over the past few years: 
- strawberry jam, pepper jelly, applesauce, apples, apple butter, poultry broth
- made dilly scapes (dilled garlic scapes) but no one liked those. But we get tons of scapes and were running out of other ways to preserve them. 

I'd like to find a pasta sauce/spaghetti sauce recipe that actually tastes good. I've tried about 3-4 over the years and have been unimpressed with them all. Also need to stay on top of canning broth, we go through it so fast and it takes so long to make enough too. Hoping to get a large pressure cooker so that I can speed things up instead of making it in the pressure canner (aluminum and I don't like cooking in that). 

Gonna think about some specific goals for the year and report back with a list.


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## Peggy (Feb 14, 2010)

would like to can more meats this year. just canned chili. I need to get some of the beef out of the freezer since we are not eating it very fast. would like to can more soup.


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## Kazahleenah (Nov 3, 2004)

I'm planning on 600-1000 jars this year. 
A variety of things from fruits, pie fillings, various veggies, spag sauce, chili, pinto, kidney, black & navy beans, chicken, venison, pork, jams, ice cream toppings, juice, horseradish, pumpkin, pickles, relish, banana peppers, soups, meatballs, chili, mustard, corn relish, oh heck... everything in sight pretty much. lol


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Can more than last year, all contingent upon what we harvest, hunting results, fishing results, etc... Also, would like to can more soups, stews, and tomato soup. Like that list, Kasahleenha!


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

Lori, can you tell us how you went about canning all the crab that you did last year? I am not sure of the steps.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

farmersonja said:


> Lori, can you tell us how you went about canning all the crab that you did last year? I am not sure of the steps.


I'll do better than that. Here is the OSU Seafood Canning Guide:

http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/pnw/pnw194.pdf


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## BKB HOMESTEAD (Mar 25, 2013)

Since we are going to be living in our camper this summer due to demolition of our plaster and lathe walls, my goal is to set up my canner outside on a propane burner and go to town! In rewiring this house that was built in 1835, we will be utilizing some space for storage of all of our home grown food supply, so as much as I can store is my goal! We have a lot of irons in the fire right now!


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## kim&dave (Apr 1, 2013)

hey folks! i just joined yesterday, this cooking thread was my first and only one to look at so far. my name is kim. we live in ilinios. we had snow on the ground last week. i"m so ready for warm weather, i have never canned, i always have a garden but nothing like ya"ll are talking about! you girls have really got me thinking now. i thought i was doing good putting mine up in the freezer. where do i start? i"m afraid of pressure cookers.


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## farmersonja (Mar 9, 2013)

You rock Lori! Thanks!


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## Peggy (Feb 14, 2010)

kim&dave said:


> hey folks! i just joined yesterday, this cooking thread was my first and only one to look at so far. my name is kim. we live in ilinios. we had snow on the ground last week. i"m so ready for warm weather, i have never canned, i always have a garden but nothing like ya"ll are talking about! you girls have really got me thinking now. i thought i was doing good putting mine up in the freezer. where do i start? i"m afraid of pressure cookers.


 welcome, you dont really need a garden, but it helps. alot of my vegies did not do very well last year. so I brought alot of produce from the local Mennonite farmer.
hope you enjoy this site, I know I do!


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## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

I hope to put up enough this year to get us through the winter without buying much produce. I also hope to put up enough soup that my honey isn't tempted to buy junk food at work for lunch. Most of it will hopefully (fingers crossed for more rain and less 100 degree plus days this summer!) come from our garden.


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## MoTightwad (Sep 6, 2011)

Kim and Dave, Don;t be afraid of your pressure cooker or canner. They are as safe as any cooking utensil. Read up on them at the stores or library. I have 3 and use the 5-10-15 weight that sits on top and it is as safe as can be. Mostly follow the directions in the canning guide of your choice. You will do fine. Once the canning bug hits you it will be hard to stop with just one canner full. LOL
We had a lousy year with veggies last year but I managed to can many jars of tomato products and even got some mushrooms canned. So this year I want to do lots of green beans and what ever other veggie blesses us with its presence. Good luck kiddo and welcome to this wonderful bunch of people.


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## mpennington (Dec 15, 2012)

Kim & Dave, welcome. You've come to the right spot for help. I just started pressure canning in January - everyone here has been so helpful. 

Check out the Helpful Links thread listed near the top of the thread list. There are links to the USDA canning guide and University of Georgia site. One link that I particularly enjoyed was Canning USA. They have a series of videos that walks you through water bath and pressure canning.


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## beaglady (Oct 7, 2002)

My goal is to can more ready to eat foods like soups and stews. My other goals is to remember to actually use them. I've canned chili, meatballs in sauce, and baked beans recently. I did have to tell DH that a quart of meatballs in sauce is not a snack - too much work.


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## Prov31Wife (Dec 20, 2012)

campfiregirl said:


> What is that like? Do you add sugar? How do you eat it?


Sorry, I haven't been on in a while to answer this question about tomato jam. I'd have to double-check the recipe, but I know it has cinnamon and cloves and sugar. It is both sugary and savory. I enjoyed it with some cream cheese on whole grain crackers. SO good.


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## farmerpat (Jan 1, 2008)

Am hoping the drought won't be as bad as last year. I canned ALOT of milk and butter from my dairy cows, and some asst'd veggies I got on sale at the store, but didn't get near as much done as I wanted to. The drought and the grasshoppers just decimated everything the minute it sprouted! I want to can more beef this year, and d/s is taking in 4 pigs (hopefully) on Monday, so I'm hoping to can up a mess of pork stew! I'm also going to make a concerted effort to can up ALOT of the dry beans I have stored in the basement, and hopefully "dry can" a lot of flour, wheat berries, noodles, etc. Canning jars out here are soooooo few and far between, and being so rural, the closest walmart is an hour each way. The local hardware store supplies jars, but WOW are they expensive! And, sadly, the closest thrift stores are 2-1/2 hours away!


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## Vosey (Dec 8, 2012)

farmerpat said:


> Am hoping the drought won't be as bad as last year. I canned ALOT of milk and butter from my dairy cows, and some asst'd veggies I got on sale at the store, but didn't get near as much done as I wanted to. The drought and the grasshoppers just decimated everything the minute it sprouted! I want to can more beef this year, and d/s is taking in 4 pigs (hopefully) on Monday, so I'm hoping to can up a mess of pork stew! I'm also going to make a concerted effort to can up ALOT of the dry beans I have stored in the basement, and hopefully "dry can" a lot of flour, wheat berries, noodles, etc. Canning jars out here are soooooo few and far between, and being so rural, the closest walmart is an hour each way. The local hardware store supplies jars, but WOW are they expensive! And, sadly, the closest thrift stores are 2-1/2 hours away!


I'm in the same boat for canning jars! Yard sales would be at least 1/2 hour away and that takes time I don't have. Never see anything on Craig's List and even then, it'd probably be an hour plus one way to go get them. I keep my eye on Amazon, the prices fluctuate a lot. The Ball jars often come in their own incredible heavy duty cardboard box, great for storage. I have Prime for shipping so don't calculate that in. 

I really like canning beef, been doing chili, taco meat, meatballs and just pieces to shred and make barbecue or enchilada filing with. 

Crossing my fingers for rain for you!


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## Kristinemomof3 (Sep 17, 2012)

I never keep track of what I can, but this year my goal is to. Also I canned jam last year and my kids really didn't eat much of it, so only jams that I like or know they will eat. Also do want to try tomato jam for blt's.


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## amandaleigh (Apr 10, 2013)

This year will be my first time trying to can anything, so I guess my goal is to actually get any done. I am thinking that some tomatoes and some jam might be good first attempts.


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