Winter is one of my favorite times of the year. The hustle and bustle of the holidays is over, the days are chilly, the nights are even colder, and the meals are warm and comforting. Spring may seem far off but there is work to be done for the home gardener.
Of course, I can’t think about gardening without also thinking about preserving. Last year was my first year canning and I absolutely love it! Not only are the finished products beautiful, but it allows me to feel connected to history. I think about those before us who lived by the slogan: “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” I remember being in the garden with my grandma and baking apple pies with her. Those memories with her helped lead me to make similar memories with my daughters.
The time for getting your supplies in order and starting seeds is now. As you can probably
imagine, finding gardening and canning supplies in the last three years has been pretty hit or miss in some areas. To ensure that you're ready for the season, take a moment to review what you have on hand and what you may need this year.
Here’s what I have enjoyed working with so far:
Gardening Supplies
Food Safe Buckets
If you are limited on space or limited physically on how much you can do in the garden, buckets or planters are a great option. Last spring, I purchased 5-gallon buckets from a local restaurant. If using buckets, you'll want to ensure that they are marked “food safe”. You definitely don't want to use anything that previously held things with chemicals.
Raised Beds
This past fall I purchased four galvanized raised beds, which are working out great. The size I have is 4x8x1, but there are various shapes and sizes available.
Irrigation System
My husband and I both work full-time, so watering the garden was an issue last year. Sometimes it wouldn't get watered until mid-afternoon or until after dinner. Having an irrigation system in place allows me to have watering on a timer which allows for consistent watering. Hopefully, this year’s garden will enjoy that!
Seeds
You can find seeds just about anywhere. I've had luck with seeds from Dollar Tree and, have purchased some name-brand, “fancy” seeds from a couple of big box stores. They all seem to provide pretty similar results.
Seed Starting Mix
Last year I used Miracle Grow potting mix and it did just fine. This year I'm trying out Espoma Organic Potting Mix and it seems to provide similar results so far.
Grow Lights and Starting Seeds Indoors
There are many ways to set up an indoor growing station. I've been using a DIY grow light
box recommended by CaliKim. The setup is easy and affordable. You’ll simply need a 30-gallon clear storage tote, a clamp light, and a LED bulb that emits 3000 lumens.
Preserving Supplies
Presto 23-Quart Induction Compatible Pressure Canner
There are two types of canning: water bath and pressure canning. You could purchase two
separate pots. Personally, I use my pressure canner without the lid, and it works phenomenally.
You just want to make sure you use the canning rack insert for both applications so that your jars aren’t resting on the bottom of the pot.
Mason Jars, Lids, and Rings
There are a variety of Mason jars available. I have used some classic Ball jars and some plain
ones I found at Dollar General. As long as they're canning jars and don't have any chips or cracks, they should work just fine. As far as I know, there's only one brand of lids that allows you to reuse them. Others can only be sealed once. It's worth the investment to purchase reusable lids.
Canning Cookbook
When canning, you'll want to follow recipes that have been approved by the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Canning is an exact science and requires careful preparation to avoid illnesses such as Botulism. I have been using the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving by Judi Kingry and have really enjoyed the recipes in it. The Pizza Sauce recipe is my family’s favorite!
Canning Supplies
You'll need a few supplies to handle your jars safely and ensure your product has
the proper headspace required. There are several kits available, but you want to make sure you have a funnel, a jar lifter, a bubble reducer, measuring spoons and cups, and a ladle. You'll also want to have good-quality pot holders. The cloth pot holders can burn you if they get wet, so I prefer to use the silicone ones when canning. Cotton dish towels are also something you'll need. You don't want to place hot jars on a bare countertop as this could cause your jars to break or change your product's temperature causing a faulty seal.
Slow Cooker
I prefer to make my stocks and sauces in the slow cooker. I feel like the flavor is better and it
allows me to do other things while it works for me. I have two 7-quart slow cookers that I
typically have going at the same time on canning days, but you could definitely get by with just one.
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