Canned Meat:

• Beef
• Pork 

Canned Vegetables:

• Stewed Tomatoes
• Tomato/Vegetable Juice 
• Swiss Chard (with onions, peppers & smoked pork)
• Pickled Beets
• Sliced Peaches
• Sauerkraut

Wines:

• Apple
• Grape

This is the first time I am making 'wines'.  This is a simple recipe from someone who has tried it and said it works well.

6 cups chunked fruit (any kind)

6 cups sugar

Place fruit and sugar into gallon container.  Fill with water.  Stir well.  Cover.  Stir every day for 30 days.  Rack off (strain fruit & sediment from wine).  Bottle.  Do not decrease amount of sugar!

I'm afraid this will turn into more of a vinegar than a wine, but if it does, I'll put some of my MOV (mother of vinegar) in the containers & have designer vinegars!

Jams:

• Strawberry
• Peach

Jellies:

• Apple
• Chocolate Mint
• Apple & Chocolate Mint
• Grape

Dried Fruits & Vegetables:

• Apple Wedges (plain, honey & cinnamon/sugar)
• Sliced Tomatoes with Basil

Dried vegetables & fruits are easy!

• For the apple wedges, I core the apples and slice (wedge) the apples 8 to 16 times depending on the diameter of the apple.  (You can put the apples wedges in Fruit Fresh at this time if you like.)  For flavored apples, roll apples in cinnamon/sugar or honey.  Place in dehydrator.  It takes about 12 hours to dry.  Place apples in air tight container.
• For dried tomatoes I like using Romas.  Slice about 1/2" thick in circles.  Sprinkle with ground herbs such as basil (lemon basil is wonderful!), oregano, chives, garlic, et al.  Place in dehydrator.  Store in air tight container.

Dried fruits & vegetables will be slightly chewy.  Make sure they are thoroughly dry otherwise you risk mold!

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This is the time of the year I have a love/hate relationship with my garden.

The vegetables are coming on faster than I can can them.  The weeds are growing faster than I can pull them.  My children's activities increase so I have less time to spend on the garden anyway.  (Working 60 hours outside the home also puts a halt on many activities but it does pay the bills and provides insurance).

So far I have canned up beef & pork to make room in the freezer for the next hog. 

Canned Vegetables:

• Stewed Tomatoes
• Tomato/Vegetable Juice 
• Swiss Chard (with onions, peppers & smoked pork)
• Pickled Beets
• Sliced Peaches

Jams:

• Strawberry
• Peach

Dried Fruits:

• Apple Wedges (plain, honey & cinnamon/sugar)

Grapes are ready (as are more tomatoes & apples)  On Monday I plan on making apples slices, apple sauce, more dried apples and grape juice/jam (if I get them picked Sunday.)

Milk soaps need to be made for the holiday gift giving season and matching bath salts & lotions.

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Finally can cross that off my list!

I put up 8 quarts of sauerkraut last weekend and will probably put up about 8 more this weekend during the "Homesteading Weekend".

Mom and I thinly sliced 4 large green cabbages from the garden.  (Paul asked me later if I had used my cabbage slicer - ummm ... NO!  What a DUH moment!  It would have saved so much time!)

A friend gave me a 'no fail' method that sounds easier than what I did.

Remove core of cabbage. Slice thin (about the size of a dime, no larger than the thickness of a nickel).  Stuff tightly into canning jars leaving 1/2" headspace.  Add a teaspoon of pickling salt.  Add boiling water.  Finger tighten lids.  Place on towel in cool, dark place.  Check daily (it will start fermenting and will leak, so replace that towel!).  After about a week or so, tighten the lid again. Do this every week for 5-6 weeks. 

The other way is to place your sliced cabbage in a stoneware crock, adding a couple tablespoons of pickling salt to every 4 to 5 pounds of cabbage.  Mix well.  It will start weeping water.  Make sure the salted water covers to cabbage.  Top with weighted lid (water filled ziploc bags work well).  Skim surface every few days, replace salted water if too much evaporation occurs.

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