Ping.  Ping.  Not the average sound that most people would use to describe fall, but it is one of the sounds familiar in our household.  It is the sound of canning lids as they seal.  The canning lids make a joyful little “ping” noise to let you know the job is done.

Canning season has been in full swing for weeks.  It overlaps the last of summer vacation, the start of school, and the first cool tang of fall air.  Today, I canned my remaining tomato sauce that has been simmering for days (yes, days) and pulled the remaining tomatoes from the garden to be peeled and canned whole.  We won’t get an entire year’s worth of tomatoes like my grandmother did when she canned, but we will have enough to stretch our food budget.  The best perk is the fact that the tomatoes are grown completely without pesticides or non-organic fertilizer. 

I thought that I would just review the tomato canning process.  It’s not hard and could be done in one evening.  You will need some equipment.  If this is your first time canning, check with friends and see if you can borrow a canner.  If not, canners are available at most hardware stores and places like K-mart.  So, you need a canner, canning jars with lids and rings (they usually come as a set with the jars), a large pot, a large funnel, two bowls, a collander, slotted spoons, clean towels and wash cloths, and thin plastic or wooden spatula.

All the equipment (except the towels and cloths) should be washed in hot, soapy water and rinsed well.  The jars are then put in a pot of water and boiled to sterilize.  I fill the jars with hot water and set them in the pot standing up, then cover them with water to about 1 inch.  The lids are placed in a small pan, covered with water, and boiled for 1 minute.  Leave them in the water.

Since it would take a lot of space for me to describe the whole canning process, I’ve found an excellent link that shows the process.  Your local Cooperative Extension office also has materials to help you with this process.  The materials are free. 

My next canning project will be jellies from our crab apple tree and applesauce from local apples.  Let me know if you tried this and how it worked out.  If you need some help, just leave a comment and I’ll try to find the answer for you.

Happy canning, “ping”.