# Canning/Curious?



## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Some of you have said you can over 1,000 jars a year. What do you do with all that? Give to family, or what?


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

I figured it out one year and we canned about 700+ jars of food. I have 5 boys living at home, and we ate it!


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

We eat it! I usually can some extra in case we get a bad year. I have 5 kids at home yet.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

1,000 jars may sound like a lot, but if you break it down it comes out to a bit less than 2 3/4 jars per day.

My kids can go through 2-4 pints of chicken just snacking on it. It's one of their favorite canned things.

Just one meal can take 3+ jars. As an example, lasagna dinner: jar of meat, sauce, side of green beans and applesauce.


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Thank you for doing the math for me. I hadn't thought it out; like you do.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

I wish I could do 1000 jars a year. Will be happy if I hit 400 this year.
Have 71 quarts and 8-10 pints of green beans this year, when you think about it, that's not even 2 jars per week. 1000 jars total is less than 20 per week. Between jam, applesauce, tomato sauce, chicken, green beans, sweet corn, pickles, maple syrup, potatoes, etc, etc, we could easily go through 20+ jars a week.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

The only thing I give away is Jam,and that is very little just to my Mom. Dh and I use very little jams.It's not that hard to do between 600 to over 1000 for me. When one considers how much I grow and how many trees,bushes,vines that produce here, I meen that's what I've planted all this for. It's just how people had to live before there was a store in every town.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

My grandma would easily go through 1000+ jars of food in 6 months when she was cooking and canning for 7 or more people on a regular basis and had extra people stopping for dinner frequently.


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

Terri in WV said:


> 1,000 jars may sound like a lot, but if you break it down it comes out to a bit less than 2 3/4 jars per day.
> 
> My kids can go through 2-4 pints of chicken just snacking on it. It's one of their favorite canned things.
> 
> Just one meal can take 3+ jars. As an example, lasagna dinner: jar of meat, sauce, side of green beans and applesauce.


 The problem with your 2 3/4 jars per day is that we have about 6 months out of the year that we eat fresh just picked. We seldom eat jelly, jam etc and don't eart a lot of deserts... About 250 jars a year is all the two of us can handle.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

There are 3 of us here and we go through 1200-1400 jars a year. Half are pints now. We buy very little. I was looking in the springhouse yesterday and there were 7 open jars in there, 2 pickles, 1 kraut, 1 refrigerator pickle, 1 pickled beet, 1 canned smoked salmon and 1/2 a quart of chicken and 3 in the refrigerator, pickle relish, salsa, and ketchup. And it is summer.

We also store a lot of apples, pears, onions, potatoes, squash, nuts and dehydrated fruit, vegetables and herbs, Last year we made 70 gallons of apple juice/cider/vinegar. We can 200 quarts of pear juice, alone....

We can apples, pears, peaches, grapes, cherries, berries, prunes, jams, jellies, syrup. 
kraut, pickles, salsa, beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato juice, carrots, potatoes. 
venison, elk, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, goat, salmon, steelhead, tuna, sturgeon....James


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

po boy said:


> The problem with your 2 3/4 jars per day is that we have about 6 months out of the year that we eat fresh just picked. We seldom eat jelly, jam etc and don't eart a lot of deserts... About 250 jars a year is all the two of us can handle.


That's for you. I have 5 in the house and using your figures, it would add up to be 625 jars for 1/2 a year, or 1250 for the year if we didn't eat fresh.

And really, I was just averaging out the jar count for a year to show that it's not quite as many as it may seem. I've never kept track of how many jars I put up a year, but I do know that it never seems like I have enough jars when I need them.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

Every year since 2004 or 2005 I have written down everything I canned. It gives me an idea of how much of that one thing we use. We generally open 2 quarts at a time. If it's soup or stew we sometimes go through 3 quarts at a time.


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## kwagner21 (Oct 12, 2004)

Wow I wish I could can that much! Even if I had the time I don't think I could afford all the jars.


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## TerriLynn (Oct 10, 2009)

I only kept track the one year, it was a pretty typical year though. Some years I do a bit more if I have a bumper crop I something.

Most of the time once canning starts, its all a blur until that first frost in Sept!


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## CuriousWanderer (Feb 23, 2014)

I'm jealous of all the jars you all have! And the storage for them all


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

I keep track every year of how much I have preserved and have canning/freezing records going back to the early 1980's. Interesting to see how much more I canned over the years as the children got older, then less & less as they left home.

It's just 2 of us now, and canning/freezing is a breeze! :happy:

I don't figure up the total number of jars canned. I just check to see how much I canned/froze last year and see if it lasted until the food item is in season again. 

The amount of food you preserve depends on how many individuals and their age in your family and the length of your growing season.


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## Dixie Bee Acres (Jul 22, 2013)

CuriousWanderer said:


> I'm jealous of all the jars you all have! And the storage for them all


I'm running out of storage. By the time I'm done this year, I will probably have boxes of canned goods under the bed and in my bedroom closet.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

Most jar_s I got for free. Once the word gets out, people will often give them to you or sell them really cheap. Especially old people that no longer can._


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## countryfied2011 (Jul 5, 2011)

DB, I have already starting storing under the bed a week or so ago...


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Okay, so we feed 15. That is 4 quarts of chili per meal, 4 quarts of soup. Then the side dishes of vegetables and on and on. I'm figuring I need 2000 jars at least. We try to be self-sufficient and plan for crop failures as well. I try to have two years worth of vegetables and fruit on the shelves. No, that is not happening, but it is a lofty goal. So lofty that it has never been done......


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

That's the way I plan my canning also. I really don't eat much fresh during the summer. I put everything I can into jars because of the crop failures. If I'm eating it all during the summer and come next summer there is a crop failure, I'm going to be hurting! I can for 2 years out.

This year I've not gotten the amount of green beans as in the past. I had to actually buy some to can. That wasn't cost effective. Meijers usually has case sales of green beans and corn in the fall and the price is usually 50 cents/can. I buy corn as that is the only thing I haven't tried to can. I've heard so many people say that it turned out tasting carmelized, so I haven't tried it.


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## Werforpsu (Aug 8, 2013)

I have done just over 200 jars this year, giving about 30 away already as gifts.
This year has been my biggest ever, mostly thanks to now having a pressure canner.

I have so far tried to be very economical about it. each year I can more, requiring a few more cases of jars. I try new things each year to develop my skills as well.

For something to be canned for me it needs to meet a need and fit one of the following three criteria.
1. I don't like the store bought version (best example is canned peaches.) 
2. It is cost effective (best example is jam and jelly.)
3. It is cost effective because someone gave me a bunch of something, I got cost effective seconds or we grew it (apples for applesauce is a good example...because in my experience buying apples that aren't seconds does not come out as being cheaper for applesauce then buying).

Ideally I want enough product to get me through the year so the real question to ask yourself is: what do you eat?...
do you eat something with spaghetti sauce once a week? well, then you need 50 pints/quarts of spaghetti sauce (and that is if you don't need 2 jars to make your meal). 
do you like to have fruit with every dinner? well, then you probably need 200+ jars of fruit to go with your meal (and that assumes you don't eat canned fruit during the summer months and you only open one jar a day through the other three seasons.)
do either you or your spouse work outside the home? I plan to start making my husband pints of stew to take to work on days when there are not leftovers and he just needs something quick.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Someone asked me after I had posted that picture of my pantry how many jars I cann per year. I really had no idea. So I counted one year,it was over 1000. The next year it was arround 600. Haven't counted sinse. I do have home canned stashed in boxes now, the pantry is full. But this year I am really going at freezing more.I never had much sucess with those vacume sealers-3 of them. I finaly got 1 last year to work for me,now I have 3 again, Dh buys them for me at garage sales, same as he used to do with jars. Sheeze THAT had to stop. I have way to many jars now,probably nearing 4000. But if the freezers go out(no elec. for some reason) I 'll have what I need to cann 24/7 to avoid the loss. Seems I have everything in 3's arround here, I'm starting to feel like a horder. Just got an almost new in the box All American 921 for 30$ at a garage sale this weekend-that makes 4 canners.
I like to give goodies to my family, but they all live out of state so I do not get my jars back,except my Mom. Somehow, I get more jars back from her than I give her. Also nolonger do I gift the wine I make in my jars, they get an old mayo jar or something similar.
I'm freezing everything in sight now, because I make dog food for our 3 large dogs and they are used to the massive ammount of veggies in their food and it kills me to pay a dollar a pound for zuchinni in the winter and can hardly find kale and chard. So those things that "overproduce" are going to be a Blessing.


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## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

I am not sure how much we can- but I am thinking now I will count the jars- LOL-
we started dehydrating this yr too- we have dehydrated over a bushel of potatoes...we started dehydrating all the onions- I didn't have much luck with keeping them in the basement last yr- and I can not spare the freezer space - 
we dehydrated squash/carrots/celery/blueberries-

we started pressure canning more this yr too- tomato soup and chicken stock- 

I am so counting my jars this week LOL


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Someone gave me 5 doz pint jars this week. Yea! I can a lot in pints; since I live alone.


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## Jeepgirl86 (May 18, 2012)

I have a tally sheet from my grandma from when she and grandpa were first married (back in the 30s). For just the two of them she canned over 100 qt of peaches and another 80 plus each of apples, apricots and pears. I'm sure after they started having kids that amount went up considerably. I don't remember her ever pressure canning, but the storage was always full of jars of beautiful fruit. I have 104 pt (perfect size for my small family) of green beans and then my 80 pt tomato (sauce and diced) plus all the other stuff I've done, we'll get through a year easily and we've been eating fresh too just not as much.


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## Vickivail98 (Sep 26, 2014)

Becka03 said:


> I am not sure how much we can- but I am thinking now I will count the jars- LOL-
> we started dehydrating this yr too- we have dehydrated over a bushel of potatoes...we started dehydrating all the onions- I didn't have much luck with keeping them in the basement last yr- and I can not spare the freezer space -
> we dehydrated squash/carrots/celery/blueberries-
> 
> ...



Questions- how do you do your potatoes and are your dehydrated blueberries any good? Mine are awful (and took soooo long)!


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## Phoebe Kettle (Nov 19, 2013)

I started to keep track of what I canned this year. So far I am up to 500 jars. I no longer give anything away because of people not returning my jars. That includes my daughter in-law because she was the worst offender. My goal is to have every one of my jars filled by December 31st. Only about 150 to go. I still have a bushel of tomatoes to do and dig up the potatoes. Taking my grand daughters to the apple/pumpkin farm next week. That should fill up a few more jars.:banana:


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## wally (Oct 9, 2007)

quick look in the pantry and guessing about 500 jars filled. Just the two of us here. For some reason when the kids come home their is always some more room in the pantry.


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## Vickivail98 (Sep 26, 2014)

7thswan said:


> Someone asked me after I had posted that picture of my pantry how many jars I cann per year. I really had no idea. So I counted one year,it was over 1000. The next year it was arround 600. Haven't counted sinse. I do have home canned stashed in boxes now, the pantry is full. But this year I am really going at freezing more.I never had much sucess with those vacume sealers-3 of them. I finaly got 1 last year to work for me,now I have 3 again, Dh buys them for me at garage sales, same as he used to do with jars. Sheeze THAT had to stop. I have way to many jars now,probably nearing 4000. But if the freezers go out(no elec. for some reason) I 'll have what I need to cann 24/7 to avoid the loss. Seems I have everything in 3's arround here, I'm starting to feel like a horder. Just got an almost new in the box All American 921 for 30$ at a garage sale this weekend-that makes 4 canners.
> I like to give goodies to my family, but they all live out of state so I do not get my jars back,except my Mom. Somehow, I get more jars back from her than I give her. Also nolonger do I gift the wine I make in my jars, they get an old mayo jar or something similar.
> I'm freezing everything in sight now, because I make dog food for our 3 large dogs and they are used to the massive ammount of veggies in their food and it kills me to pay a dollar a pound for zuchinni in the winter and can hardly find kale and chard. So those things that "overproduce" are going to be a Blessing.



Feel free to send those extra jars my way, I have a constant shortage and I Never find then used! 



Mommy in Michigan


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## moldy (Mar 5, 2004)

I didn't can near as much this year as usual. Between new jobs, a major surgery, new procedures at the ranch, and a bunch of overtime - it just didn't get done.

A few years ago, I canned about 1400 jars. We use a lot, but I also have to plan on crop failures. In 2009, I got a ton of apples (literally). I canned a bunch - I still have applesauce from then. But I didn't get apples again (or at least not enough to can) until this year. Right now, there's probably 6 kinds of pickles open in my fridge, along with slaw and salsa, fruit. There's a half a quart of chicken in the freezer waiting to be finished, too.

Plus, a couple jars of homemade jam (especially unusual flavors like crabapple and chokecherry) make great impromptu Christmas gifts.


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2014)

I only have about 200 jars of 99% canned meat that I purchased on sale..for me canned meat is more important since its the most expensive and we don't grow our own..I freeze our berries and green beans.

I dehydrate a lot also.

I'm waiting for my fruit orchard to start producing enough for me to start canning my own fruit,juice,sauces etc..

Maybe 2015 will be a good growing season for all that I grow..looking forward to being able to stock a year or two of my own homegrown food.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

Sandra Spiess said:


> Some of you have said you can over 1,000 jars a year. What do you do with all that? Give to family, or what?


We are a family of 10.. we eat it all no problems though i usually do two years worth of items at a time and overlap. Some years there is a surplus in pickles another year in peaches etc... and other years something zaps a harvest entirely


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## barefootflowers (Jun 3, 2010)

Someone mentioned how once word gets out that you can, people start giving you jars. So true- last week I had almost 100 wide mouth pint jars show up on my porch. Most still unopened in boxes. It stayed a mystery until last night. My daughter called to say her boyfriend had 68 more jars for me. More jars? Yeah, he was cleaning out his parents garage. They had been taking up space for years. Jack pot!


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## Guest (Dec 23, 2014)

barefootflowers said:


> Someone mentioned how once word gets out that you can, people start giving you jars. So true- last week I had almost 100 wide mouth pint jars show up on my porch. Most still unopened in boxes. It stayed a mystery until last night. My daughter called to say her boyfriend had 68 more jars for me. More jars? Yeah, he was cleaning out his parents garage. They had been taking up space for years. Jack pot!



I wish I could get folks to hustle up some jars for me... LOL!


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## Vickivail98 (Sep 26, 2014)

My question for the 1000 jar people is "how?" How much time do you commit? This was my first season and I feel like I maxed out my available time doing my 300 jars. Is there a tips/ tricks thread here?


Mommy in Michigan


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Vicki, I can all year round so it doesn't seem as if it takes too much time. Summer/fall is for the fruit and veggies. I can meat, salsa, beans, etc. through the winter, unless I catch a good sale at other times.  Once the canner's loaded and doing its thing, I'm off doing something else.

I just got my gas stove hooked up today and will be starting later this week on canning things. With planning a move I slacked off and didn't do any canning and now I have to play catch up on meat and such.

I'm going to try and keep a total of how many jars I fill this year as that's something I've never done before and with this thread it has me wondering.


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

I also can quite a it over the winter. Usually the meat items.


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## 7thswan (Nov 18, 2008)

Vickivail98 said:


> My question for the 1000 jar people is "how?" How much time do you commit? This was my first season and I feel like I maxed out my available time doing my 300 jars. Is there a tips/ tricks thread here?
> 
> 
> Mommy in Michigan


I cann what I plant, so I plant according to that. Sinse green beans are a biggie here, I plant alot of them so that I get a bulk harvest. Usally dh will snap the beans for me while he watches tv, then I run 2 canners at once. I do the same with corn and other veggies. At other times/harvests they are usally smaller , so I strive to have a canner full. I do freeze tomatoes, they process easer after frozen, then I cann them-in the cold weather. I do grow many diffrent kinds of tomatoes along with specific paste tomatoes (all heirloom) because I make alot of salsa and v-8 type of tom.juice. I grow everything and do not buy so it's all handy when needed. We built me a big harvest table, so when canning,or cutting up a deer, makeing dog food ect. I have everything on the table handy,so no going back and forth. I freeze berrys, then cann what I want later, jam, syrup. I do them on cookie sheets then vac. pack. Haveing all the right equitment helps,like apple peeler, ,,,
Here is an example, not all of this can be canned. Do Your Kids help?


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## moldy (Mar 5, 2004)

I do try to take off a week in late September or early October to can up a bunch before our first frost. I also can year-round. In the summer, when time is short, I juice and can fruit to make jelly with later in the year. In November, I made crabapple and plum jelly with juice I had frozen/canned earlier in the year. This month, I plan on canning up some beans (for convenience and because I can't seem to get them 'done' since moving higher in elevation). Last month, I canned up beef chunks and ham hocks. I always do this when our beef/pork is ready from the locker. It saves a bunch of room in the freezer.


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## Jan in CO (May 10, 2002)

Well, it does sound like a lot, and true, during summer you eat more fresh items IF you have a good garden. Here is a sample of two days of what we used:

1 pint apples (to mix with oatmeal for breakfast)
1 qt fruit juice

1 quart soup 
1 pint minced tomatoes or broth to extend soup
1 quart pears

1 qt potatoes
1 pint carrots these are to make chicken pot pie
1 qt chicken
1 qt broth

1 qt scrap meat canned for dog food
1 qt scrap green beans



1 qt sausage patties to go with pancakes

1 pint ham chunks
1 pint pickles to make ham salad for lunch
1 jar salsa to go with chips
1 pint pears to go with rest of quart used yesterday

2 quarts stew veggies
1 quart cubed venison
1 quart broth
1 pint pureed tomatoes

1 quart peaches or nectarines for cobbler

Some days we use things from the freezer in addition to canned items, and other days few jars are opened. There's ketchup, pickles, pickled onions to put on sandwiches, olives, pizza sauce and fruit, etc.


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## Vickivail98 (Sep 26, 2014)

Thanks for all the encouragement! We eat fresh everything from our garden and I buy our food for canning and preserving from Eastern Market (a wonderfully large and year round farmers market in Detroit). I think my biggest shift next year is that I may need to set up an outside workstation. It gets too hard to prepare meals in my tiny kitchen when there are 144 ears of corn hanging out in there. 
My kids are 2 1/2 and 10 months so the best way for them to help is to play nicely! This year my big guy should be a little more help; he loves the idea of peeling corn, even if he isn't strong enough yet. 
I'm also going to start attending the market twice a week to minimize the chances of stuff getting blemished before I get to it. We'll see how this season goes, in getting a Victorio for my birthday! Unless someone has a better experience with a different brand?


Mommy in Michigan


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