Canning is a Family Affair

Growing up I learned how to can with my Aunt Cindy. My first experience was corn. I got to sit on the front porch and shuck the corn, that was it. My next canning experience was pears. I got to peel pears, cut out the bad spots and slice them up. My next canning experience I got to do pears again but I got to learn more about actually canning...I got to learn about filling the jars, our special family secret for canning pears and adding the lids.

My Aunt Cindy bought me a water bath canner, a canning book and a few other supplies when I got married. It's been a great gift! I've done mostly jam but I've done a roasted red pepper spread, corn and yesterday peaches.

Jared and I bought a thing of peaches for $8.50. I was super excited for the work to come to put up some home canned peaches. I cleaned up my scrap booking mess from the morning and went to work on cleaning and setting things up for canning. To my delight and surprise Jared helped out. He helped get jars upstairs. We found plenty of jars which I knew I had several but we also found a ton of lids and rings. I've apparently bought them multiple times over the years instead of going through my boxes. Oh well my benefit yesterday!

We boiled peaches after giving them a little X on their butt and then dipped in cold water. We peeled peaches and pitted and sliced them. Both of our kids took pretty good naps while we were doing this which was great. Eventually Benjamin woke up though and wanted in on the action. It became a family affair. I would slice the peaches and then hand them to him and he would throw them into the water. It was pretty fun!

We were able to can 13 quarts of peaches.

Some things we learned:

1. The X on the bottom needs to be in the crack
2. Boil them in the hot water for 2 minutes roughly and longer for green peaches
3. Don't over tighten the rings as the air will have to force it's way out and crinkle the lid
4. My small ice cream scoop is my favorite tool for getting rid of the pit and center
5. Start the water bath water long before you are ready for it as it takes awhile to heat up