This post is part of the Virtual Retreat series. If you can’t be there, you can be here!
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–and watching their enthusiasm grow, too. 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.
Dede (aka wvhomecanner) will be leading the preserving classes at CITR Retreat 2011, teaching the principles of safe home canning, proper processing methods, how to use basic canning equipment along with the hows and whys of specialty equipment, how to can with low-salt or low-sugar, how to make baby food, and the tips and tricks of gorgeous jar presentations–everything from pre-canning planning to storage. Dehydrating and steam juicing methods will also be included.
Recipes that will be made by attendees at the retreat include: Banana Split in a Jar….
….Wonderful Salsa, and Dede’s Bread & Butter Pickles. In the pressure canning class, attendees will try their hand at canning chicken and dry beans, too.
Learn about home-canning with us–at home!
How to Can: Boiling Water Bath Method
How to Can: Pressure Method
Find all my home-canning tutorials and recipes here.
Happy canning!
aprilejoi says:
What a great class that will be. This is a topic I need to learn more about so I will be watching ‘virtually’ for any info!
On August 29, 2011 at 7:14 am
Miss Judy says:
Yes, I will be watching virtually. And it is NOT making me feel any better! I am still pouting because I can’t BE at the “real” retreat! 🙁
On August 29, 2011 at 7:56 am
rurification says:
I’ve been a BWB canner for years, but this site really helped me make the jump to pressure canning. Thank you! This year I hope to pressure can chicken stock for the winter. I’m so excited!
On August 29, 2011 at 8:00 am
holstein woman says:
There is so much to learn about canning, I have been canning for years and plan to keep learning for years. I need this virtual learning also. Thnak you for all your hard work, everyone.
On August 29, 2011 at 9:32 am
BunnyRuth says:
Looks like a wonderful workshop. And, having read dede’s posts both here and onn the Yahoo group on canning, I am sure it will be great!
As we waited for the hurricane to hit New England over the weekend, we went out to harvest as much of our garden as we could before it all blew intot he next state. This resulted in over 30 pounds of tomatotoes in our kitchen to deal with. So we (my fellow canner and beloved husband and I ) chopped, and chopped and chopped to make and can up 8 pints of salsa. Then on Sunday we made and canned up a big batch of tomato sauce with onions, garlic, peppers, jalepenos and dried mushrooms tossed in. It really helped a lot with my anxiety (the waiting was the worst part) to be doing something so wholesome and hopeful. And now my pantry is stocked even more for the winter ahead … and the blizzards!
Thanks for the virtual peak at the retreat,
Ruth in NH
On August 29, 2011 at 9:54 am
justdeborah2002 says:
Virtual canning is almost as good as the real thing….standing beside someone as they walk you through it. It’s been 8 months now that I have been canning, and I want to give full props to Dede.
Through the forum, she walked me through pressure canning the first couple of times, along with CindyP and even Ross. As much as I wish I could be at the retreat to say a BIG thank you in person, I hope that Dede and everyone else who helped, and continue to help, know how much they mean to the community, make canners out of even the most newbies of us all.
On August 29, 2011 at 12:39 pm
MonkeyPhil says:
When we lived up North my friend and I canned out of our garden every year. Now, retired and living in Florida, it is one of the things that I miss most. I can almost smell the tomatoes and of course zuchini relish we made.. Only thing we were never able to can was horseradish.
On August 29, 2011 at 1:19 pm
rephiddy says:
:fairy:
Sure do wish I could be there attending. Then I would be able to finally get to meet Dede and say a big “THANK YOU” to her.
I am a member on the Canning2 site who was lucky enough to have Dede as a moderator who offered her help. She is very adept at hand holding as we learned the art and craft of PC and BWB canning. Congratulating us on our accomplishes and helping us out when we made mistakes.
Besides which I would love to thank her in person for her wonderful recipes. I have for the past 5+ years made the Bread and Butter pickles and Wonderful salsa, oh so very yummy. But, never the Banana split in the Jar… got to try that one.
Anyway… there are going to be some very lucky attendees in her classes. Have fun… and if there’s any of that Banana split in a Jar leftover, I accept care packages! LOL! :shimmy:
On August 29, 2011 at 2:49 pm
wvhomecanner says:
:heart:
You girls are so SWEET! Thanks for the nice words and thanks for being part of my world the past few (and for some of you, more than a few) years. It’s so FUN too!
dede
On August 29, 2011 at 9:50 pm
mymsie says:
Thought you would appreciate this –> https://www.etsy.com/blog/en/2011/preserving-the-community/ :happyflower:
On August 31, 2011 at 12:21 pm