The process of canning and preserving is just one of the “living arts” that we are thrilled to see making a comeback. This year at The Factory Café, we have set ourselves the goal to “put-up” as much of the bounty of summer as we possibly can. (Not to mention my plans for my own backyard.) Our kitchen staff is constantly searching for ways to further source organic and local ingredients. Part of that solution means growing herbs, tomatoes, and other vegetables on-site; canning as much locally grown produce is another.
Last summer we made my Gram Perkins’ recipe for 14-Day Pickles for our café Egg Salad and, unfortunately, ran out of pickles by November. This coming summer we plan to, well, make better plans.
We are starting with the canning calendar below to save our harvest at its peak and preserve only the freshest garden fare. (Please note, the calendar below is tailored for the Southeastern U.S., but you can look for more specific information on your region or zone on The Old Farmer’s Almanac website.)
Find more information and resources on home canning at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website. We also recommend the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life for further inspiration.
Share some of your favorite canning recipes and tips with us in the comments below.
MARCH
Harvest cabbage – make sauerkraut
Harvest broccoli – make broccoli soup
APRIL
Harvest asparagus – can or make pickled + peppered asparagus stems
Harvest strawberries – make jam and/or pie and crepe filling
MAY
Harvest cucumbers – make pickles and/or relish (dill, sweet, or bread and butter)
Harvest rhubarb – make jam (combine with strawberry for a sweeter treat)
Begin to harvest herbs – make infused oils
JUNE
Harvest garlic – can or make minced garlic and/or pickled garlic
Harvest green beans – can or make “dilly” beans (pickled)
Harvest new potatoes – can and use for potato soup
Harvest blackberries – make pie filling and/or syrup
Harvest summer squash and zucchini – can sliced or make sweet + spicy relish
Harvest cucumbers – make 14-Day Pickles
Harvest herbs – dry for colder months
JULY
Harvest corn – can or make roasted salsa and/or sweet corn relish
Harvest blueberries – make jam and/or pie filling
Harvest plums – make preserves and/or plum butter
Harvest eggplant – make pickled eggplant (with garlic and herbs) and/or canned eggplant antipasto
Harvest okra – make pickled okra
Harvest pepper – make pickles, pepper jelly, and/or hot sauce
Harvest tomato – pickle green tomatoes; use ripe tomatoes to make salsa, pasta sauce, ketchup, and/or crushed preserved tomatoes
Harvest cucumbers – make 14-Day Pickles
Harvest tomatoes – make sauce
Harvest basil – make pesto
Harvest garlic – roast and can in oil
Green Tomato Jam
Can Chili Starter – recipe coming in July
AUGUST
Harvest apples – make applesauce, pie filling, and/or apple butter
Harvest watermelon – make jam
Harvest cucumbers – make 14-Day Pickles
Harvest tomatoes – make ketchup
Harvest corn – make creamed corn
Harvest garlic – clean and move to dry cool spot
Make Pickled Watermelon Rind
SEPTEMBER
Harvest kale – make canned greens
Harvest sweet potato – make canned sweet potatoes in brown sugar
Harvest pumpkin – make pumpkin butter and soup
Harvest Tomatoes – make tomato paste
Can Soup Starters
P.S.: Canned goods from your kitchen also make great gifts. Use recycled fabric scraps to create our Canning-Jar Covers for easy labeling, and you’re ready to spread the love.
Photos by Rinne Allen and Robert Rausch
In the northern climate our growing season is very short so you are lucky. I start caning by saying how many would we need per month & then make what we need. I make tomato sauce that I used to can but because the pressure cooker can only hold so many jars at once it is time consuming. So I put it in bpa-free bags & using one of those sealer machines (takes our air & seals) & I freeze it. It lies flat & easy to defrost. Taste is not compromised. I make 3 cups sauce per bag & 53 bags.
First step is to cook tomatoes & them put through a machine that separates skin from fruit. Then cook sauce with carrots celery & onion – purée or not then bag & freeze.
I can salsa, jams, red pepper jam, & of course pickles that are the fantastic. We don’t share our jars of pickles because the labour is high (but we do serve them at gatherings). But I give instructions to others who I find in turn also refuse to share once they start making them.
Bernardino has a canning soft cover book. Careful of food safety when canning at home – temperature is important for low acid foods & a pressure canner is needed for something and submerging in a regular canning pot is ok for other things.