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I can’t stand to give away just one Ball Blue Book. Since the first day of the contest, I have been dreading the drawing because I want to give one to EVERYONE. I’ve never held a contest for anything before that has generated so much enthusiasm.
I love canning. It’s self-sustaining, wholesome, practical, and just plain fun. I learned to can at the feet of Georgia a few years ago when I lived in the slanted little house after I moved to the country. As this site grew into Chickens in the Road, I’ve enjoyed sharing my newfound love of canning with readers. I especially love to see new canners. To can is more than just to put away a jar of food. It’s a connection to the past and a hope for the future. It bring families and friends together, creates new memories and brings out old ones, and is one of the easiest ways anyone, living anywhere, can practice self-sustainable, green, and simple living. Canning changes perspectives and changes lives.
As I thought about this drawing over the past few days, and how much I didn’t want to give away just one book, I was struck by an idea that quickly turned into the Ball Blue Book Project. (I set up a page here with much the same information as in this post, as a permanent resource for information on the project, with a link in my sidebar.)
The idea behind the Ball Blue Book Project is to get more canning guides into more hands to promote healthy, safe canning–and the good food and fun that goes with it. I want to give away a Ball Blue Book every week. I can’t do this alone, though. In an “if you build it, they will come” moment, before I could even go live with this project, I had the first three weeks’ worth of sponsors lined up. I will be giving away a Ball Blue Book once a week, in one-day-only-entry posts (to spare you entering three days in a row!). These will be random giveaways, every week. I will continue to post my regular daily posts–look for the Ball Blue Book Project giveaway as an addendum at the bottom of one of my regular posts on randomly chosen days each week.
If you are interested in sponsorship: For $10, sponsor a 100th anniversary edition of the Ball Blue Book, the classic American guide to preserving food. Click here to email me for information on sponsorship and to give me your information and links. Promote a website, blog, book, product, or service! Your information and links will be posted in the Ball Blue Book post you sponsor. Sponsors (and their links) will also be listed permanently on the honor roll here. Ordering and shipping books to winners will be handled by me, no work for you! The $10 sponsorship fee covers the cost of the book and shipping. No profit will be collected by me for the Ball Blue Book Project giveaways.
*If you don’t have anything to promote but just want to encourage safe, healthy canning, you can still sponsor a Ball Blue Book. (You can even sponsor anonymously if you choose.)
Any week in which there is no sponsor, I will provide the book myself.
Instructions available on this site:
How to Can: Hot Water Bath Method
How to Can: Pressure Method
Pictured: Apples, raisins, and dried cherries in syrup.
Also read: The Joy of Canning.
And see: All my home-canning recipes and ideas.
You can also talk about canning with other canning enthusiasts and ask your canning questions in the canning section of the Chickens in the Road forums.
And now for the winner (of only the FIRST!) 100th anniversary edition of the Ball Blue Book of Preserving! “Jackie in FL” who is comment #79 on the Winter Comes Calling post. (This was scientifically calculated by asking Morgan to choose a number out of the total number of comments for each of the three posts then calling my cousin Aaron and asking him to choose one from the three numbers. Neither Aaron nor Morgan looked at the comments. They just chose numbers.) Email me to send me your full name and address for shipping!
There will be more Ball Blue Books. Watch for the random one-day-only Ball Blue Book Project giveaway sometime this week! And the week after that, and the week after that, and the week after that….
I want you ALL to have a Ball Blue Book!
P.S. I want to also note here the amazing results of giving. This all started with the wonderfully sweet reader who offered ten Chickens in the Road 2010 calendars. Her gift inspired me–and inspired other readers–in a domino effect, a chain of giving that will go on and on, not only in the Ball Blue Book itself but in all the food and sharing and love that comes along with canning. Many of you someday somewhere will give someone a lovely jar of something you put up from your garden from a recipe in the Ball Blue Book, or make memories as you teach your child to can, or share memories and strengthen bonds with a grandmother who used to can, and it will all go back to that first lovely reader who thought to give and offered me the opportunity to be the conduit for her gift. I’m thrilled to be part of something so generous during this holiday season, and beyond. Thank you all! The best readers anywhere are right here.
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on November 30, 2009Tags: Ball Blue Book
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Apple, raisin, walnut muffins just out of the oven. Wish you could smell them. I’m going to eat two and go BACK to bed.
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This project is just wonderful, Suzanne!
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Say, just a reminder…Canning is for everyone, even guys!
I’m a guy and I learned to can from my mom and grandmother. I helped my mom prep garden goodies for canning every season. I continue the tradition today, primarily for keeping food in the pantry throughout the winter and for gift-giving.
ShadowWoods
8:51
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Congrats to the winner! One of these days, though, I’m gonna win!!
I’ve only won one thing in my 45 years…..a turkey.
Heading off to vote!
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Ps. I love all the pictures you take of your recipes.
9:05
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Going to vote now.
Kathleen H from Indiana
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I did not realize that you can preserve so much using a hot water bath. I do remember my Mom putting up her wonderful soup using the hot water bath. The soup used a lot of tomatoes so I guess that it was acidic enough to can that way. We never got sick!
I have a big hot water bath pot so this is soooo exciting to see lots more than I thought can be canned using this method!!!
I am still voting every day and my friends are too.
Deb
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I voted today!
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I sent you an email about the Blue Ball Book. Hope you got it.
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I’ve voted again today with two different browsers. I tried using my hubby’s laptop, but it must have the same IP as mine. It said he’d already voted
Even if you don’t get the most votes, I’m sure the judges will see how awesome you are. We all do!
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Since more books are being given away I want one! I’m pulling out my old canner and having it checked out. It’s time to start canning again. Nothing tastes as good as home made
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I wish I had thought about canning earlier when I was picking all of those apples back in Sept. Apple butter would have been a great gift.
Hey-here’s a suggestion. How about a week on homemade Christmas gifts, either here or on the forum? Maybe you already have something going over there–I have to go look….
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I’m still voting every day: 21940 votes.
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And aren’t some of the words that go with canning just scrumptious? Apple butter, pear butter, caramel apple jam? Maybe I will take up canning…
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Little doesn’t look so little lol.
Well at least all the posts are now showing up. Here’s hoping they pay good attention lol.
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This is a marvelous idea, to have Ball Blue Book Project. I learned to can from you, and I would be so honored to give back and be a sponsor. Thanks for this opportunity.
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I read the `How to can – water-bath method`. Wow! That’s an impressive pantry!! Beautiful! I want one like that. I have a water bath canner just like your’s and I am going to start using it in a couple of weeks. (Too much going on right now.) You have inspired me, now I have to can too!
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Fun! I love the look of your jars of goodies, Suzanne, so gifty looking. Lucky folks that are on your list.
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Thank you!
Mel
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I’m curious if you or Georgia have ever canned horseradish? My mom and I are planning to do some and are struggling to find the “right” way to do it…? Thanks!
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Thanks for nudging me to discover the beauty of canning!
ps..the Cherry Preserves mixed with the Homemade Yogurt are to die for!!
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your pictures and comments. I cannned the cranberries and they are delicious. You have renewed my canning fun! I love to look at the beauty in each jar. I have voted every day since I joined.
I hope you win! I would also love the canning book.
bellcarol