My Italian grandmother (barely 5 ft tall, but an absolute dynamo, god rest her soul) had a massive garden - I'd estimate about 35x45 - with beautiful rich soil, perfect drainage, and full sun beating down on it all day long. OMG, did that garden produce! I mean it was unreal. She always had at least 50 tomato plants and she churned out massive amounts of stewed tomatoes using those old-fashioned glass "Ball" canning jars. She was a widow with 5 kids to feed and she would load up her basement shelves during the growing season with canned tomatoes from the garden and she would then use all year round.  That turbo-charged garden - and the massive, restaurant-sized pot of tomato sauce that was ALWAYS simmering on her kitchen coal stove - are 2 of my fondest memories of her!  Honestly, I'm trying to recall if she ever pickled anything -- but I'm not recalling that. Hmmm... I'll have to ask my bro.

I'm just curious... does anyone here can - and/or - pickle? I'd be interested to hear your experiences... both positive and negative.

• Do you do it mostly for fun/novelty... because you enjoy cooking?
• Do you do it because you love gardening... and hate to see anything go to waste?
• Do you do it because you have a "prepper's" view of life?
• Are there particular plant varieties that you recommend (either for canning or pickling) - tomatoes, cukes, etc.? (I'm in growing zone 6 btw)
• Is there a particularly good source you would recommend for inexpensive supplies?

I'm thinking I might give one or both of these techniques a try this summer - just on a small scale, more of a "test run" - perhaps to see if I inherited any of Grandma's magic touch. (I know I got her green thumb anyway, lol!... hoping I got the rest). Any advice would be most appreciated! 

I make sun pickels when I have to many cucumbers. I grow garlic and dill to make pickels also. I really need to get into canning 

I pickle some green tomatoes in the fall once it gets cold. Kids like em. 

Whatever peppers I have left over I pickle and keep a few jars in the fridge and I give a bunch away at work.  

1 hour ago, Mrs. Peel said:

My Italian grandmother (barely 5 ft tall, but an absolute dynamo, god rest her soul) had a massive garden - I'd estimate about 35x45 - with beautiful rich soil, perfect drainage, and full sun beating down on it all day long. OMG, did that garden produce! I mean it was unreal. She always had at least 50 tomato plants and she churned out massive amounts of stewed tomatoes using those old-fashioned glass "Ball" canning jars. She was a widow with 5 kids to feed and she would load up her basement shelves during the growing season with canned tomatoes from the garden and she would then use all year round.  That turbo-charged garden - and the massive, restaurant-sized pot of tomato sauce that was ALWAYS simmering on her kitchen coal stove - are 2 of my fondest memories of her!  Honestly, I'm trying to recall if she ever pickled anything -- but I'm not recalling that. Hmmm... I'll have to ask my bro.

I'm just curious... does anyone here can - and/or - pickle? I'd be interested to hear your experiences... both positive and negative.

• Do you do it mostly for fun/novelty... because you enjoy cooking?
• Do you do it because you love gardening... and hate to see anything go to waste?
• Do you do it because you have a "prepper's" view of life?
• Are there particular plant varieties that you recommend (either for canning or pickling) - tomatoes, cukes, etc.? (I'm in growing zone 6 btw)
• Is there a particularly good source you would recommend for inexpensive supplies?

I'm thinking I might give one or both of these techniques a try this summer - just on a small scale, more of a "test run" - perhaps to see if I inherited any of Grandma's magic touch. (I know I got her green thumb anyway, lol!... hoping I got the rest). Any advice would be most appreciated! 

Canning, like making good beer - the key is a good recipe and sanitization...

 

 

I like making "refrigerator" pickles with whatever is in season, usually cucs, onions, peppers.  Relatively simple and they last a few weeks in the fridge.