I just finished making 12 pints of jelly from fresh apple juice. Waiting for it to cool, to see how well it jelled.
Just send me a couple of them jars, I believe I can tell if they have jellied or not. I use the homemade biscut test myself. Nothing like hearing the "tink" of canned goods cooling down. I used to help my grand mother can everything, make jellies, jam, apple butter, pickles, kraut, freeze corn. Nothing went to waste and it sure did taste good in the winter. G3
Six pints did well. The other six didn't jell. I'll have to re-do them tomorrow. Yes, g3, My wife does all the freezing. I do the jellies. We both work together on canning the fruits and veggies. They sure help on the grocery bills, and taste better than anything that can be bought.
I think canning is starting to be a lost art. Just too easy for you to go to the box store and buy what you want. The wife and me only can tomato juice and beans, freeze okera. Kill a beef every year that I raise. If things got really hard up I think some people would starve out pretty quick. As long as I have 22 shells and a fish hook or two I think I could make it alright G3
I don't raise beef, but I do process 8 to 12 venison yearly, and we can 50 to 100 jars of food. Freeze another 100 or so packages. Done lost count of the number of guns and fishing rods I own. Not the least worried about going hungry as long as I can get out and go.
Sadly, my apple tree does not seem to be producing this year. Canned 18 qts of applesauce last year and ate apple crisp and apple pie until it came out our ears. This year, there were hardly any blossoms, and now the japanese beetles have hit the old tree pretty hard. Hoping it's just a cycle... I don't have a pressure canner, so I just froze the 5 qts of beans, and we are in mandatory Eat One Squash Per Day mode. I love it!
Just got back from camping today. Was gone since Monday afternoon. Did alot of wild foraging, bathing in the lake, fishing, ect. I think I could survive. I try to be self sufficient as possible anyway. I dehydrate, can, and freeze. I don't usually by much meat from the store. Utilize friends that always get me a Deer. Sometimes they will pass along some moose meat also. I used to bow hunt, but haven't hunted for quite a few years. I do wish to again although. I do have my gardens for fresh and "put up" Since its just me now, my grocery bill is pretty much NIL, compared to years ago when my sons were both at home. I'd rather use my money toward something else besides food, when can get food myself. My apple trees are a bit sad this year. I don't take care of them. But there is enough on them for me.
and we are in mandatory Eat One Squash Per Day mode. I love it! A fella that rented one of my moms houses planted him a garden, about 20' x 20'. He planted every vine type of plant you can think of and by mid summer all you could see was a huge green lump in the middle of the yard. He also worked for me for a little while and he woild work and then disappear, then show back up and then disappear again. I finally asked what was going on and he said he had the trots, real bad. I asked what he had been eating and he said three fried squash every night. I busted out laughing and he took off for the pot again. G3
mmmmm fried squash. I'm still waiting on most my garden. Apples are not ready. Squash is slow as is my okra. Been picking about a gallon of strawberries and blackberries every time I go out. I'm going to try blackberry jelly and mead if I get enough. Just planted more grn beans and sweet peas and may try @ fall squash again. I love this time of year but its lots of work! Next is hunting season for elk and deer!!! yippee No rest for the hungry!
I just found a cider press(apples,wine etc) for a decent price but now I need a grinder for it. Anyone make a homemade one before? They cost over $200 to buy!!!!
Buy a hand crank one at the flea market for 5 or 10 bucks. If you can't find one, I have a half dozen or more.
yeah cider press' and assy are a precious comodity here!!! No flea markets around either. What you want for one Idee(pm me). Maybe we can get w/ Baxter and send one up if possible? He sent us up some hushpuppy mix in a white bag!! mmmmmm goood. Went in a week!! need more! Nuttin better than puppies, okra, squash and fresh fish all fried up in the summer!!!! I'm always talkin food. You notice that???? hmmmm I must like to eat or something!!!
I was talking hand grinders, not cider presses. Big difference. Best thing for a cider press is buy a section of acme threaded rod and nut, and make one.
Are you talking like a meat grinder type? The ones I've used chew it of moe than squeeze it. I ought to make one too. I have some rings from an old wooden picle tub that should work good? Lots of 1/2' or larger all thread. Hmmmm
