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Monday, April 28, 2014

Canning Day Checklist ~ Six Ways to Plan and Prepare


“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and 
I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” 
~ Abraham Lincoln

Do you love to plan? Do you love a list?  I will admit that both bring me pleasure and so I invite you to join me in our canning preparations! Here are six things you "can" do for the upcoming food preservation season to make everything go more smoothly and efficiently:

1. Make sure you have enough canning jars, rings and fresh lids for the amount of canning you hope to do this year. If in doubt on what size jars to purchase, always stick with wide mouth because they are more versatile . You can also find canning jars for pennies at yard sales and flea markets. Check your local ads for people trying to get rid of their excess. If you plan on fermenting this year, stock up on my favorite choice for the job, Fido jars.

2. It is also helpful to arrange your jars in size order and label boxes accordingly for canning day convenience. When doing so, make sure there are no nicks and/or cracks in your jars (remove these for a different purpose such as a vase, pencil caddy, etc., and discard the very damaged ones). 

3. Make sure you have all the proper canning supplies (and in good condition). I had to replace our canning rack recently because it was so rusty (don't leave your rack inside your canner and forget about it or it will rust *sigh*). Visit this post for all the basic gadgets that are helpful to have.

4. Stock up on vinegar, canning salt (I use fine sea salt) sugar (and/or honey) and pectin (if you will be jam making). The worst thing is to have all your produce ready to preserve to find out that you need to go to the grocery store! 

5. Have some recipes ready. For example, if you planted rows of beets, have some beet related recipes handy and so forth. You can record your goals in our Food Preservation Planner Printable.

6. Take inventory of what you have in your pantry from last year and try to use that up in the next few months to clear shelf space. Visit this post  for more details.



All the fine print. This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making MondaysModest Mom Monday'sMonday's MusingsMake Your Home Sing MondayGood Morning Mondays,  The Scoop, Tuesdays with a TwistRaising HomemakersWise Woman Link UpHomestead Blog Hop Wow Us Wednesdays,  Coffee and ConversationHomemaking ThursdaysHome Sweet HomeOur Simple HomesteadAwesome Life Friday Link Up and Create, Bake, Grow & Gather. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these. This post may contain affiliate links (which are merchant links that help to support this site at no additional cost to you if you purchase an item through them). Clip art was found here.

13 comments:

  1. Great post full of canning tips! I really like your organizational posts. I agree that wide-mouth jars are best. Years ago after we bought our homestead I was at a yard sale where I found about thirty 1 1/2 pint wide-mouth jars for less than ten dollars. Tickled me to pieces. Since then I've used them for everything from canning tomatoes and apple butter to iced tea glasses. Have a great week!

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    1. Ah, I love a good deal! I have found many wonderful and interesting sized canning jars at flea markets for pennies.... The simple things in life :) Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Very good reminders! Nothing worse than running out of these items when in the middle of canning! Been there!

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    1. Last year, with crates of strawberries, I ran out of sugar and honey... Not a happy camper was I... Plus, these items store well so an abundance will keep with no issues. Happy canning :)

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  3. Dear Jes, I Love the idea of getting ready early as canning comes around the same time every year!
    I realize you are a very popular Blogger and you have a large reading audience, but I was wondering if you would consider coming to my first Link Up tomorrow (Wednesday's) and helping me!
    The Lord has told me you have not because you ask not! So I am asking because I need help!
    He has given me this Blog and I want to treat it with a spirit of excellence!
    So please come and read a few of my posts and see if they meet your hearts mission for us a woman! Thanks for always having great advice and wisdom for homemakers. We need good sharp tools to do His work!
    Blessings, and I hope you come! Please...Roxy

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    1. I will make a visit over right now and would be honored to join in your link up ;) Have a wonderful week ~ JES

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  4. Good Morning, I am so sorry about the widget not showing up on my first party!! (Really)
    Invite you and not be home... I know God is teaching me to be patient and not worry even over little things.I am going to study this morning in Proverbs :o)
    Love, Roxy

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    1. No worries :) We will make another visit!

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  5. I agree about wide mouth jars. And we use them not only for canning, but also for milk jars. The wide mouths are great for pouring goat milk into! :)
    ~Lisa

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    1. Here, here! We use them for our goats miilk too but with the plastic caps:)

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  6. I'm sure your post will this will give a lot of people some great tips on canning.


    Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop! I hope you’ll join us again next week!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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