Backyard Canning Time!

Backyard Canning Time

Do you have a backyard that is brimming with delicious produce? If you are like me, your postage stamp garden is teeming with all kinds of fresh goodies that are far better than what is sold at the grocery store. Tomatoes, squash, grapes, herbs, berries are all at their peak of freshness. If you haven't done so already, select a date and 2 or 3 hours this week to harvest and preserve your treasures. 

1. Lemons: Pick the ripest, freshest lemons and preserve them. It couldn't be easier! Because of the high acid content, you don't need to worry about botulism. This is a great project for people who are new to the canning game.

2. Mint: Pull up all of your mint from the backyard and create mint jelly for the holidays. Once again, this is an easy starter project. If you are like me, you planted a tiny mint plant a few years ago and it took over the garden.

3. Berries: I planted some berry bushes against my fence 10 years ago to deter the neighbor's dog from mauling my cat. It worked! The neighbor moved and my cat is safe. I'm still left with the legacy of blackberries though, so time to make jam.

What are you going to work on this week?