Before I began teaching kindergarten, we grew and canned as much as possible. After two years on the job, I insisted we grow what would be eaten and not plant for a surplus. Beginning each kindergarten year was tough enough. Just ask Arnold Swartzeneger (Kindergarten Cop)

lots of green peppers? make sweet hamburger relish. about half green peppers and half cukes.

or just freeze them. if you don't cook with them (like me) , fry them up with onions. sooooo goood like that, i think.

that's what i do, at 64. still try to can or freeze as much as i can. try to can, then as i get tired, or not have enough for a canner full, i freeze.

nemotodes? i'm going to have to look that up. lots to do for that sandy soil. manure the heck out of it. old straw or hay, grass clippings, leaves, dig a hole and plant your garbage. last resort, compost. fertilize. you would be surprised, with fertilizer and water, a lot of times, you can raise something.

sure, if your jars are good and clean. when i wash mine, i use a little bleach. rinse good, put 2" of water in them. cook in microwave for 5 minutes. let cool a little, then do another 5 min. use them hot out of the micr to put tomatoes in. your lids should be in boiling hot water also.
i'm using up the last of 2005 tomatoes i did like that.
and..... i saw farmers in fla raising crops under cheap latice. for a little shade.

E.T.A - This is what I do - Please do your own research and check what's best for your family.
Two years ago I was checking on-line and with our County Homemakers Extension Service. Found out that tomatoes would be SAFER by ADDING 2 TABLESPOONS OF LEMON JUICE PER QUART of tomato sauce.
Lemon juice raises the acidity level in the juice so it's 'safe'.
We did about 90 jars in 2009 this way and we're still here! But then again, in previous years (30+) we did not add anything to the jars.

Which one is "right"? Does the lemon juice made a difference? I don't know but it's very easy to add the lemon juice to the jars as you're filling them...so I do.

I LOVE hearing the lids POP when they're sealed. :) :)

I LOVE hearing the lids POP when they're sealed. :) :)[/quote]


I too love hearing the lids pop, that to me is a sign of satisfaction!

Isn't that the best sound? I love it too! You know that jar is sealed when you hear that POP!!!

My brother was driving from Erie to Pittsburgh area and found tomatoes for $8. a bushell, I wish he could have brought me some at that price. Sorry you had no blossoms. I miss canning but don't have opportunity because of prices up here.

quilting here... yes i add lemon juice to my tomatoes. what we do, is called 'open kettle method'. and no body recommends it any more. but it has been a life saver for me, this yr. my tomatoes just are coming in 3 qts full at a time. so i do 3 qts several times a week. adds up.

does anyone do anything besides tomatoes this way anymore? you can PM if you don't want to admit it on the board. tomatoes are the only thing i do that way, besides jam. BUT I WASH MY JARS IN BLEACH, RINSE, AND MICROWAVE THEM.

I think it's funny that we're talking about this & this subject came up in my 19th Century foodgroups (yahoo):

What to eat, and how to cook it: with rules for preserving, canning and drying fruits and vegetables
John Cowan 1870
http://books.google.com/books?id=xfk...page&q&f=false

What to eat, and how to cook it: with rules for preserving, canning and drying fruits and vegetables
John Cowan 1874
http://books.google.com/books?id=QL1...page&q&f=false

has anyone ever heard of watermelon pickles? My fiance was telling me about them. Apparently, it's the watermelon rind that gets preserved. I've never heard of them, but would be up for making them possibly. He said they're very good.