Hello, fellow gardeners and farmers!
We're at that sweet time of the year where our crops are on their final sprint to the end of the season and many of us are probably up to our neck in homegrown food that needs to be processed and canned for winter ASAP.
This past weekend, my husband and I canned about 50 pounds of beautiful, home grown tomatoes and it got me thinking a lot about the little things that often get overlooked when it comes to canning. Little things that can add up to making us miserable and can leave us feeling like we never want to can anything ever again.
I started taking notes during the process and I thought about past years and the things that annoyed me more than I realized!
Today I figured I'd share my thoughts with you in the hopes that we can learn to love canning even more than we already do! So without further ado, here are 10 ways to make canning more fun!
Enjoy!
(The links to various products included throughout this post are NOT affiliate links. They are included for your convenience and I do NOT make any money from them! If I choose to make them affiliate links in the future, this info will be updated)
Start with a clean workspace
As with so many large projects, it's best to start with a clean slate. I know it's hard to want to clean up the kitchen entirely before starting, especially when you know you have a long day ahead of you, but trust me, you will thank yourself for it at the end of the day.
Clean all your countertops and horizontal work surfaces that you will be using while you can your produce. Make sure your sink is cleaned and sanitized (click here for my easy 2 ingredient DIY disinfectant spray!) and your canner and jars are ready to go.
This weekend, my husband and I processed about 50 pounds of tomatoes and it was so nice to get through the peeling and chopping portion and have everything else ready to go. Prepping and preparing your canning mixtures is the hardest part of the job, so it feels amazing to get to the end and realize you are basically home free!
Empty the dishwasher
As I said before, make sure everything is ready to go and this includes your dishwasher (if you have one). Take the three minutes and put away all your clean dishes so as you finish with utensils and other canning equipment, you can throw it right in to the dishwasher and it won't be taking up space where you are trying to work.
This isn't just helpful for cleaning up your canning equipment, but also for meal cleanup throughout the day! No setting dirty dishes aside for later; they can go right in and you can move on with your life.
Sharpen your knives
I've talked about this so much in other posts about making your time in the kitchen more enjoyable (check out this post for more info on that!) that my followers are probably tired of hearing it, but I keep adding it because it really does make all the difference.
Get your knives sharpened once or twice a year and make sure they are sharp and ready to go before your canning season starts! Canning requires a lot of slicing and dicing and that job gets so much easier when you have a sharp knife.
Studies show that a good, sharp knife is actually SAFER in the kitchen than a dull one and you won't believe how much faster you can get through your canning prep with a sharp knife.
(Click here for my favorite all purpose knife and a good sharpener to help keep your blade in tip-top shape between sharpenings)
Create a fun atmosphere
If you love growing your own food, there's a good chance you love canning too - or at the very least, you love the RESULTS of canning. There's nothing more satisfying than standing in your pantry at the end of the growing season and seeing shelf upon shelf of homemade produce, canned and ready to go.
Try to tap into this satisfaction when you start a canning day.
Play some happy music. Put on a good movie in the background. Whatever it takes. Make your kitchen a place where you want to be. Put on comfy shoes and clothing. Get comfortable.
You've got a lot of work ahead of you, but it is such worthy work in the end.
Invite people to help
Canning has been growing in popularity over the last 3-4 years (which I absolutely love!) so you may be surprised at how many people want to learn how to can something for themselves.
Put out a funny "help wanted" ad to your friend group and offer to repay them with yummy home canned food or, if you're comfortable, you could put out a PSA on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Nextdoor, etc. You may be surprised at the response you get.
There is so much truth in the saying, "Many hands make light work" and this is the time to utilize helpful friends and family.
Meal plan or prep ahead of time
I know I've been guilty of waiting until the last possible second to start canning those beautiful tomatoes or other vegetables, but make sure you meal plan or prep for your canning days. It is way too easy to get completely absorbed in your work and forget to eat. Before you know it, you're cranky, hot, hungry and absolutely miserable.
Plan a crockpot meal for dinner or simply plan to have someone run out and get take out for dinner. Whatever you choose, the idea here is to simply think of something rather than waiting until everyone is ravenous and then trying to make a decision.
If you have kids, this can be helpful because you can just point them in the direction of food when they start complaining that they are hungry and thirsty. It is all ready to go and you don't even have to think about it!
Get caffeinated
Coffee. Tea.
Whatever floats your boat.
Make a plan to get caffeinated or at the very least, do what it takes to feel your most energetic. Get good sleep the night before and maybe do some jumping jacks before you start if that helps.
The point is coffee can help us get through some tough tasks by giving us a little more energy when we need it most and homesteaders and home gardeners will know - Coffee and tea help solve a multitude of problems on the homestead! Use it!
Drink water
My husband has made fun of me for years about drinking water. I could sigh a little too loudly and he'll be like, "Sounds like you need some water."
And as much as I hate to admit it, he's right a lot of the time.
Don't forget to drink water! Staying hydrated keeps us feeling sharp and can actually help us get over those afternoon slumps. I always feel better when I take the time every so often to stop and take a good, long drink of water when I'm working in my kitchen all day.
I think it is so hard to forget about because canning requires water, whether you're pressure canning or water bath canning and when you're surrounded by water, you tend to believe you're absorbing it through osmosis or something 😛
DRINK WATER.
You will be glad you did.
Leave plenty of time
No one likes being rushed when they're making dinner and the same applies to canning. No one wants to look at a pile of beautiful produce they've worked hard to grow or to buy and realize they have to be done in two hours to take their kid to a doctor's appointment.
Clear your schedule as much as you can when it comes to processing big batches of produce. Depending on the amount you're working with, it may even take you a day or two to finish completely.
It is easier said than done, I know, but try to leave plenty of time to do what you need to do. If you can't clear a full day or two, clear at least two or three hours at a time and work in batches.
Make sure you set realistic expectations of what you can get done and work within your limits so you don't hate the process the entire time you're doing it. If you have never canned something before, it's going to take you longer than a seasoned pro.
Buy ice
Trust me.
Just buy the big bag of ice for $6.
If you're doing anything that requires an ice bath, buy a bag of ice.
Don't just empty your ice machine and hope it's enough. It's not. And even if it is, you won't have ice for yourself or any of your family members for the next few hours - and in our house that ain't gonna fly!
What are your tips for making canning more fun? What are those little things you find yourself annoyed by when you're canning?
Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time,
Kins
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