Canning mania!

Last summer was busy - we were moving our school into a new building and we busy prepping and packing and then moving and unpacking. Canning took second place and I did not do nearly as much as usual. Luckily I had done so much canning the year before, and I had done a little bit last summer, that we still had lots of jam, enough to last the whole winter (and still leave some left over). This year I was determined to get back on the canning bandwagon. I started the summer by having my pressure canner gauge tested (it was fine) and by ordering a bulk supply of Pomona's pecin (my favorite). I also wanted to try out the Tattler reusable canning lids for a while. A friend has been using them for a few years and has had success, so I thought I'd buy some to try them out. I wound up ordering the bulk box of 200 - 100 each of regular and wide mouth. I began making jam on July 4 and as of August 12 have put up 123 jars. Most has been jam, but I also put up some peaches in quarts as well as some syrups and some zucchini relish (it is delicious and I'll make some more soon). The pressure canner has not been used yet, but green beans will be ready soon. We'll also put up some tomato-meat sauce and chili when the tomatoes are in full swing (unfortunately, just as school starts up again). I'll be canning, I'm sure, every weekend and in the evenings. Yesterday it was 16 jars of apricot jam and 16 jars of blueberry jam. Today it will be plum preserves - we have a bumper crop again this year!