Canning Day

So today was canning day….tomato canning day.  I have to admit I really kinda hate tomato canning day….but today I tried something a little different thanks to Karen at “The Art of Doing Stuff” ( http://www.theartofdoingstuff.com/how-to-press-can-tomatoes/).    She posted a while back about using a tomato press to can her tomatoes. I thought I would give it a try. Not nearly as miserable as she described!  Here is how it went in photo’s

Harvest day

Important items for harvest time is an iphone and Kirkland water as pictured here. Every farm girl has those items.

Picking even the semi ripe ones

Things I "won't" be canning, but eating a LOT of in the next few days!

I wrap my unripened tomatoes in newspaper to hasten ripening

Many many bushels of wrapped tomatoes and YES it really works!

First you need a tomato squisher machine. Make sure the stuffer thingy is red....it's important.

Then you just start stuffing those suckers with the stuffer thingy into the squishier machine.

Side note:  Use “Roma” tomatoes (unlike what I am using here in this photo) the juice is thicker and richer….trust me,  I made the mistake so I KNOW!  You can of course use the regular ones…..but Roma are just better.

Be sure to drink coffee while doing this....even if your not a coffee drinker.....it's just the way its supposed to be. The tomatoes won't come out right if you don't.

Boil the juice for about 15 minutes.

Try not to let this happen.....It's a B to clean up....

Ladle into the jars using a plastic funnel deal made specifically for canning.

Waaaa Laaaaa! You are now ready for soups, sauces, salsas, or whatever you need to take you through the snowy wintertime when life SUCKS!

You do NOT have to have a garden to can your own tomatoes…but it is really nice if you do. There are plenty of farms and places you can buy your own tomatoes.  Just do it, and you will feel really farmgirly!

Make sure to wear a country type apron while you do it because you won’t feel as farmish if you don’t.

When your hubby comes home make sure to tell him that you have slopped the hogs and milked the cows and fed the chickens and he will need to finish plowing the back 40 “after dinner” since the roast beef you have in the oven is nearly ready!  …………….JUST KIDDING……..ask him if he will go pick up pizza for dinner!  Cause you have WORKED YOUR BUTT OFF ALL DAY BEING A FARM GIRL!! Smile real purdy though and wink while you say it.