Can I be Trusted?

 

Can I be trusted?

Wow, that seems strange for me to ask. Can I be trusted? Hmm…Well of course I would say yes as would every single person that knows me, but while I was writing an article about canning pickled okra, it hit me that YOU, the reader, have no way of knowing if I can be trusted or not. I mean after all there is a TON of wrong information out there when it comes to canning. Sadly, it seems there are many people that simply copy and paste another blog post without knowing whether or not the information given is accurate. So I decided to give you a bit of background information about me, so you can make up your own mind and answer the question, can I be trusted.

About me

If you have read our "Who We Are" post on this website, then you already know a few things. If you have watched any of our videos then you probably know that I tend to over explain things. (guilty) While over explaining things and giving WAY more information than was asked for has always annoyed me, I realized this past summer that it is actually a “gift” I guess. I have been told countless times over the last few years how even though I over explain things, people learn so much and their questions to which they’ve never been given an answer actually get answered because I tend to give all kinds of advice and tips and tricks all of which are hidden in my over explanations. So instead of continuing to apologize and being annoyed by it, I’m going to embrace it and give you all I’ve got. Glean what you can from it.

How I learn

I’m not sure how to respond to this without sounding like I’m something special. Hmmm….Ok, every single person is different and has their own unique way of looking at something. The individual uniqueness is amazing and because of that we all learn all sorts of things about a topic since many perspectives are used. However, without trying to sound like I’m “one of a kind”, which I guess we are all one of a kind=unique, I tend to look at things different than what I can find out online and I ask questions to which there seems to be no answer to online. I’m not making this up and perhaps you’ve found this to be true for yourself as well. The internet world says, “such and such can’t be done.” If I think it can be done then I ask, “why not?” and I try it anyway. So far, I have always, yes always, found the internet world to be wrong. I don’t know if it’s due to different factors or what, but I question and test and observe everything that I’m interested in.

When I get interested in something new, it literally does not matter what the topic is, I get so engrossed in the subject that my other duties tend to fall by the wayside until the new topic is complete. It has become a problem over the years, so I am much better, but I still have to be careful.

I am quite the researcher. I will dig and dig deep and deeper to sift through for any keywords or little hints or clues to answer a question and will not give up. Yes, it gets exhausting, but I guess my research ability and quest for truth is why I have so many people in my personal life coming to me to answer their questions about a multitude of things instead of doing the research themselves. On more than one occasion, I’ve asked a particular person, why don’t they just look it up online, since they have a very simple question. They’ve said that it’s easier to ask me…although they have to type the text to ask me. LOL

The fact that we have found numerous things in our lives go against what the world says things should be is why we call our homestead Against the Grain Homestead.

My experience

Since I’m writing this article because of canning, I am only going to focus on my experience with canning in this section.

I lived with my grandparents until I was 10 years old. We worked with them in the garden and helped prepare vegetables for canning, which was done by my grandma. My grandparents were born in 1924 and 1927 in case you’re curious. Even when we moved out of their house when I was 10, I was still very close with them, and my grandma still canned and preserved food up until the year before she passed when I was 25.

In my teen years, I worked in a large garden with a man from church. This garden was massive and sold to the community as well as to the grocery store. He and his wife canned up food for the year for them. In fact, canning was a natural and expected part of life while I was growing up. I saw it done by all the older generations.

I got married in 2003. We’ve always had a garden. In 2007 my husband wanted me to can. I had way too much going on with working 50+ hours/week, running a household, raising a toddler, being pregnant, managing a farm, and gardening to take on something like canning for a years worth of food. I told him no thank you and that he could do it. So he did that year and maybe the next. In 2008 I quit my job to be a stay at home mom and then I began to can and have canned ever since. I took on pressure canning the same time as water bath canning. No reason to fear either.

What have I canned?

So what have I canned you ask? Well up to this point I can maybe tell you…if I don’t forget anything, but keep in mind that there will be things I can in the future that won’t be on this list. Here it goes.

Apple sauce

Apple jelly

Apple butter

Apple pie filling

Beans (navy, pinto, black)

Beef Stew

Blackberry jelly

Broth (chicken, beef, veggie)

Butternut Squash 

Candied jalapenos (a.k.a. cowboy candy)

Chicken

Chili

Carrots

Dilly beans

Green beans (snap and wax)

Green beans and potatoes

Green tomato relish

Meat (ground and chunks)

Pear sauce

Pear jelly

Pickles (all sorts)

Pickled okra

Pickled peppers (hot and sweet)

Plain okra

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Rotel

Salsa

Strawberry jam

Tomatoes

Tomato sauce

random fruits

In addition to canning the above, we ferment, freeze, water glass, root cellar, and dry foods as well.

What you can expect from me

What you can expect from me is the truth and only what I do in my home. I only share what I do and what works for me. If I don’t can fish, I’m not going to tell you how to can fish. I will not copy and paste or reword someone else’s post as I undoubtedly will have a ton more to say and add to than other people. I will only share with you things I am confident in, and if I am excited to share something new I am doing and can’t wait until the confidence builds up then I will DEFINITELY let you know that I’m new to it. If I steer from the “proper” guidelines for canning, I will let you know. For example. I reuse lids! (GASP!) Don’t worry I think reusing lids is the only thing I do different.

Can I be trusted?

There you have it, more information that you wanted, but I wanted you to decide for yourself whether or not you felt comfortable following my canning information, or any information I share. I do hope you will decide I can be trusted, and I will give you all the relevant information I have on any topic I write an article about.