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moregon
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2014 11:32
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Put up some venison stew, pears...Today I'm attempting split pea soup! Friend gave me a nice ham hock that's boiling in a pot as we speak.
Anyone else getting ready for the winter?
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2014 13:07
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I neglected to do so this year. I live in the city and buy fruit when cheap and can it most years. Last year I bought 4 flats of raspberries at the farmer's market at the height of the season for about $20 a flat, less than $2 a pint, and canned up almost 48 pints. Still eating them for desert, but getting low. Next spring I need to get on the stick.
What is the advantage to canning split pea soup? Just so you have lots of 'open and eat' in winter rather than cooking? Or do you use fresh peas that need to be canned?
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moregon
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2014 13:41
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I use dried split peas.
I guess the advantage for me is that I can make a huge pot of what-ever and can it so I'll have it for later. As a single person I wouldn't be able to eat all of that, it would go to waste, which I hate!!! Annnnd I only spend one day in the kitchen instead of multiple, which I LOVE!!!
~Monique
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groingo
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2014 13:57
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Maybe next season if I build a deer proof garden.
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2014 14:48
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I make split pea soup in a crock pot from time to time, never thought of making a huge pot and canning it. One good thing about canning it yourself is you can limit the salt, whereas the cans you get at the grocery have way too much salt. And doing it yourself costs a lot less I'm sure.
what's your split pea recipe?
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moregon
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2014 14:58
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OMG so easy. This is what my Grandma used to do
Boil ham hock in water for 2 hours. A smoked one is even better!
Take about 8 cups of the ham broth & 2 cups dried split peas, gently boil for an hour or until peas are soft. When done you can puree or not. I don't.
Then add about 2 cups chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped onion, all the meat from the ham hock, 1 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp, all-spice and salt & pepper to taste. Boil it all up for another 30 minutes and done!
All you need for supper is corn bread baby!!!
 
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 21 Oct 2014 15:21
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I'm hungry
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hattie
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2014 00:41
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We spend all summer getting ready for winter. We grow our own fruits and veggies and what we can't grow, we buy in a fruit belt one hour away.
We can cherries, peaches, pears and raspberries. I make strawberry jam and raspberry jam. I also dehydrate various fruits and herbs and make beef jerky. We grow our own onions and this year was a first for potatoes.
Bob makes his own wine from our grapes and apple wine and cider from our apples. New this year is our version of Chambord (we are going to call it "sham-bord").
It's hunting season, so Bob is getting grouse and rabbit for our freezer.
I love the winter when we can hunker down with home made soup, stews and comfort food.
Your stew and preserves look delicious!!
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cabingal3
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2014 11:36
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hattie i love your food pantry.its so beautiful.
moregon-lovely work.
i mostly picked tons of blackberries this year and froze them.
also picked tons of tea leaves to dry.strawberry leaves.rose leaves and more.
so i can have tea in winter.
and my rosehips are huge and getting ripe.so i will pick those and dry them or make syrup with them or tea.
i should have canned more.
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bobrok
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2014 12:23
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Quoting: moregon Take about 8 cups of the ham broth & 2 cups dried split peas, gently boil for an hour or until peas are soft. When done you can puree or not. I don't. Then add about 2 cups chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped onion, all the meat from the ham hock, 1 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp, all-spice and salt & pepper to taste. Boil it all up for another 30 minutes and done!
+1on your recipe, except I go crazy and add lots of whole peppercorns. Can't get enough peppercorns in my split pea soup
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SandyR
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2014 16:19
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Hattie I love your pantry!! Lol I just typed panty by mistake!
I do strawberry, blueberry, apricot, and peach jam. Grape and apple jelly. Applesauce, grape juice, chicken soup and peaches. Broccoli, beans and tomatoes.
I can some and freeze some things.
I was sick this year and didn't get much done.
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moregon
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2014 17:45
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Hattie your are awesome! !
And I think peppercorns would be great, maybe next time. ..
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 22 Oct 2014 18:37
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Quoting: groingo Maybe next season if I build a deer proof garden.
Sounds like a deer plot! You'll have venison following winter
I live in the city (weekend cabiner) and have to chicken-wire my city garden, or else I get nothing. Haven't even really tried at cabin.
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hattie
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 12:49
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Thanks for all the compliments! 
Those of you who can soup, chili, etc., I'm guessing you use a pressure canner? I've never used one. Are they difficult to use? I remember when my Mom had one and she was always afraid it would blow up, so I guess that is why I am a bit nervous about them. I'd love to hear what you use them for and how difficult they are to use. Thanks!!!
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cabingal3
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 12:59
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hattie. i never learned to can from my mom.
a lady down our street was canning beets when came for a visit.oh.from there i learned how to can.
the pressure canner is a piece of cake.mine is so many giggles per second or minute.senior moment.
now the pressure cooker.i blew up a pot full of soybeans all over the ceiling on that first try.
the pressure canners are really safe.
u can not open them till they cool off.
they are lovely things to have when canning.
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moregon
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 13:52
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I have an All American canner, if you follow the directions you cannot go wrong. Mine was around 100 bucks and fits about 7 quarts. These are really good quality and will last a lifetime.
I started canning a few years ago, self taught. When you learn to pressure can it will open up another world of food preservation.
I admit I had mine for months before I broke it out and used it. I actually just ran a cycle without anything in it to get the hang of its use.
Theres a website called "Simply Canning" they have webinars on how to pressure can, I actually think there having one today!
Good Luck!!
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creeky
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 17:43
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I put up tomato sauce. but it was so good I ate it all.  didn't last long after a cold rainy summer.
hattie that was mean. puttin' up a wall o' food for this poor ol' bachelor to salivate over. are those black cherries top left. I will trade anything for a few jars. I still have four kinds of hot peppers. I will shoot some duck. wild turkey?
name your price.
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skootamattaschmidty
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 18:22
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Hattie that pic reminds me of my mother's fruit cellar growing up. She canned every type of pickle you can think of as well as fruits and other veggies. It was so nice just grabbing something when you wanted it. Maybe as things slow down abit with the kids getting older il have more time to do that sort of thing.
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 19:56
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Beautiful pantry of canned goods Hattie. Dont you and Bob have a nice big greenhouse or hoop house?
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SandyR
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 22:11
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Skoptamattaschmidty if you wait until the kids get older to do it, it may never happen. I thought the same thing and now that I have teens I am so much busier than I ever thought that I would be.
Hattie I can't tell you how many times I thought of your pantry today. I so wish that I had one that looked like yours. You should be very proud of it.
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hattie
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# Posted: 23 Oct 2014 23:37
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Quoting: creeky are those black cherries top left. I will trade anything for a few jars.
They are just regular Okanagan cherries. We used to pit them, but occasionally would miss one. Now we just can them pits and all. That way you have to be careful with every one - no nasty tooth-shattering surprises. *LOL* No tradesies I'm afraid. We give away some of our canned fruit to the kids when they visit. They like to go down there to do some "shopping" before they go back home.
Quoting: moregon Theres a website called "Simply Canning" they have webinars on how to pressure can
I'm going to have to check this out. I think it's time to step up to pressure canning.Quoting: naturelover66 Dont you and Bob have a nice big greenhouse or hoop house?
Yes, we have a greenhouse attached to our house. It is actually directly above our cold cellar.
The greenhouse is passive solar. A wall of barrels filled with water keep the greenhouse warm in the winter and they soak up the heat in the summer to help cool it down a bit. The critical thing is the angle of the glass. Bob spent many months with a hand-made thingy to trace the sun in the backyard before he decided on the angle of the glass. We have a back-up heater in the room, but it only goes on when the temperature is -30 c or colder (which isn't very often). Last year we picked our last tomatoes on March 8! After that the greenhouse is not used until early spring.
Photo from May, 2011 showing the water barrels.
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A photo I just took of our greenhouse.
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moregon
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2014 14:07
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I have 2 cupboards as my "pantry"......
Hattie I lied about the pressure canning webinar site....its not Simply Canning its the Ball Canning Website.
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cabingal3
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2014 16:30
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beautiful moregon
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creeky
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2014 18:50
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Hattie I went through the okanagan once and camped for the night in a cherry orchard. the owner came by in the morning. we had a nice chat. and seeing as he liked my girlfriend, Ms G, (she came out of the tent wearing panties and a tshirt, we were in our early 20s). we were told we could eat all the cherries we wanted as there had been heavy rain and the cherries were split.
best breakfast ever.
eh. sometimes you can only save memories...
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neb
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2014 19:04
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Canning and pressuring food is becoming a lost art. Looks very good and always tastes better then anything you can buy.
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naturelover66
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2014 19:38
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Love that solar greenhouse Hattie... Those are very happy looking veggies... ;)
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2014 21:44
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Quoting: creeky eh. sometimes you can only save memories...
precious memories
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SandyR
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# Posted: 24 Oct 2014 22:47
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Moregon, I noticed that your fruit is floating just a little in the jars. My peaches floated more this year that any other year. Like half way up the jar! I pack the jars in super tight. After I fill the jar with hot syrup I run the knife around inside to let out the sir bubbles. I give the jars a bath and put them on the counter to cool. I use a very light 1:4 ratio of sugar syrup.
How can I get the fruit not to float?! Someone told me to use a heavier syrup, but I don't want to use that much sugar.
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hattie
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2014 01:53
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Moregon, your canned preserves look delicious!!!
I was just pricing out pressure canners and they are expensive! YIKES!!! Maybe I won't be doing this.
Creeky - That is a great story! Something you'll never forget I'm sure!!
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moregon
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# Posted: 25 Oct 2014 11:07
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Sandyr those are not peaches they are cinnamon pears. Peaches continue to baffle me as well. I have the same problem with floaters. I heard that blanching them in hot water for a minute will take the air out of them which is what causes them to float. When I tried that they all just turned to mush so I ended up making tons of jam! If anyone had any tips for peaches please let me know. ..
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