That sounds soooo wonderful!!

As soon as I'm back in my own kitchen - I'll be doing potatoes too (first year).

A friend did my peaches and some tomatoes and green beans for me.

I'd like to try cabbage next year.

I've actually never heard of canning potatoes, I can't even imagine what that looks like. Can you explain. Suzanne I picked strawberries but had no time to make jam so I froze them and hopefully will have time (finally) this week to make jam, maybe strawberry peach jam hmmmmmmmmmm

anni

I can potatoes, not necessarily for storage purposes, but for convenience.  You wash the potatoes, put them in a big pot, bring to a boil until partially cooked. Then I put them in a sink of cold water…the skins slide off mostly then. Cut them in chunks, quartered or so….not too small.  Stuff them into the jar…add a 1/2 tsp salt,pints…and a 1/2 tsp vinegar,pints…. for quarts increase those to 1 tsp.  Pop them in the pressure canner for 25 minutes…10 lbs pressure(at 1000 ft)  for quarts 35.

When I know that I am canning my own or a pesticide free potato…I leave the skins on and pack them raw…just scrub them really good. 

To eat them…open the jar…drain and rinse…put them into a skillet with butter and brown them…delicious homefries in minutes….or a quick potato salad.

The vinegar is used to reduce the starch and preserve color….you can't taste it at all.

These are so worth the trouble if you have a busy life. Its easier for me to give up time on a day off and make it quicker when i need it. This is a perfect thing to do with the tiny potatoes in your garden that didn't mature.  Just wash them good and stuff em in a jar. 

Have fun.

I didn't can any ramps.  Do you have directions for that?  I'd love to do that next spring!!

Ramps are sort of like a wild garlic or onion or leek.  They grow wild in the Appalachian region.  People either love them or hate them, and they do kinda stink, LOL.  I love ramps.  I did a post about searching for ramps around here this spring:

http://suzannemcminn.com/blog/2008/05/02/finding-and-growing-ramps/

Suzanne,ramps are canned like onions.  My Auntie used to stuff them in a jar, all clean and such. 1/2 tsp salt and fill to 1/2 inch headspace with hot water and process. 10 lbs pressure for 30 minutes for pints.  I've only seen them in pints.  I guess you can get alot in a pint.  Anyway, they are delicious. They gave you a ramp fix anytime of the year.

I won't be canning today, but I put up about 4-5 okra in the freezer everyday.  We only put in 6 plants this year, but we're planning on more than twice that next year.  I just clean and slice and put in plastic freezer container with 1/4 cup cornmeal mixture, shake to cover with the cornmeal and place back into freezer.  Everyday I add what we pick and when the container gets full I pour over to gallon freezer bags and place them in the upright freezer for use later.  Depending what I get out of the garden I might also cut up a green pepper or jalapeno and toss in also.  I use the okra later for fried okra or I add some to our fried rice recipe.  Very good.

Not canning today but I did manage to can 15 quarts of tomato juice and 8 half pints of sweet pickle relish last weekend.

i only put up 2 bushels of black-eyed peas this year…would love to do

some more pear relish to go with them but have to find the hard

pineapple pears somewhere in the south!

Today I have 2 bushels of peaches to get through.  I figured I'll put up half a bushel into preserves and the rest I will can in quarts for the winter.  Canning is just getting started for me.  I put up a few stewed tomatoes the other night.  I still have 6 rows of potatoes to do…but there is no rush for them.  I still have shell beans and sauce to do…and corn…lots of corn one day..hopefully. I'm off to be busy.  Have a good day.