Canning Made Easy With Personal Advice From a Home Canner  

by C.L. Carr

I’ve been home canning for several years, and I am still always on the lookout for tools and techniques to make my canning season easier and less tedious.

As I look back over all the seeds, pits, peels, cores, toil, sweat, chopping, cutting and mashing of canning season, I “relish” (canning product term!) the various pieces of canning equipment I have added to my repertoire that have truly helped ease my stockpot burdens.

Perhaps you already have these pieces of equipment in your kitchen and have not yet employed them in your canning regime. Or, perhaps after reading this article, you too, will invest in some of these tools to further aid you in your canning season.

I have found these tools irreplaceable and, although in a pinch I could can without them (in some cases), I would prefer to always have them in my kitchen of canning splendor.

1. Steam Canner: There is some debate out there in canning land whether or not a steam canner adequately heats the contents of jars in order to kill bacteria. I have used a steam canner with great success for the past 6 years. I especially like using the steam canner for fruits, pickles, and jams.

A steam canner uses much less water, therefore less fuel, and is easy to handle. I have even steam canned tomatoes with good results. As usual, I believe if you follow the guidelines which come with your steam canner, you should enjoy great results.

2. Pressure Canner: Years ago folks were scared away from using pressure canners because they seemed “dangerous”. Pressure canners on the market today are very safe to use and a MUST if you wantto can vegetables and meat. I recommend obtaining the biggest pressure canner you can afford!

You’ll be glad for the investment!

3. Food Mill:  A few years ago I purchased a food mill through Lehman’s (please follow link at the end of this article to find out where you can obtain your own food mill). It was one of the best investments I ever made. The food mill eliminates many steps, such as peeling, and is wonderful for making all types of sauces, syrups, juices and purees. Most food mills come with various screens that will aid in anything from removing small seeds to making chunky salsa.

4. Food Processor:  My food processor saves me tons of time in the chopping and slicing department. From salsa to pesto, I’d be hard pressed to be without my food processor.

5. Double Burner Outdoor Cooker: On hot summer days, I take much of my canning outdoors and complete my canning on my outdoor cooker. Trust me, during canning season, almost every burner on the stove is being used, so an extra burner or two does not hurt! Plus, the house stays cooler, you get a tan, and the canning gets done. Talk about your multi-tasking!
In addition to the above equipment, it is a good thing to have large stainless steel bowls, a set of good knives, a sturdy cutting board or two, and a lot of patience! Canning is a lot of work, but in the end, the rewards are well worth the effort. I accumulated much of the equipment listed above over a period of time, and now that I have these tools, I would prefer never to look back. In fact, if I can find other equipment and tips to make my canning season easier, I’ll be sure to check into it…and pass it on to you!

About the Author

More tips on canning and canning equipment, as well as other information on self-sufficiency and homestead living, from C.L. Carr can be discovered at http://emergencyfoodpreservation.blogspot.com or http://survivalcentral.blogspot.com

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 Dome Tents: Lightweight Portable Comfort

Josh J Moore

 Do[me] tents have been around for a long time, and have provided shelter for travelers and outdoor enthusiasts from the very beginning.  

Today’s dome tents can withstand subzero temperatures and high winds without ripping apart or collapsing.

Before their invention, most mountaineers used small canvas tents that were just big enough for two people to squeeze into.

However, these small canvas tents were no match for subzero temperatures, and often, you could freeze to death when you used them. For more mundane camping, large canvas tents were similar to those you could find at an Army surplus store. Heavy, with wooden poles, they definitely were not particularly portable.

By the 1950s, tents had become increasingly lightweight, and were made of materials like mesh and nylon, with aluminum instead of wooden poles for much more lightness and portability.

Then, in 1949, a man named Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller created the first geodesic dome. This large dome could withstand its own weight, and then some. The US Army found interest in this and asked him to make smaller ones in the 1950’s. These were rigid domes, however, that had to be assembled, and then broken down for transportation. Fuller’s tents in this regard were not collapsible but instead were rigid so that they had to be assembled for use and then taken apart upon transport.

Nonetheless, these “dome” tent continued to be developed by a number of different inventors, so that in 1975, Robert Gillis and his company North Face developed what became the first true portable dome tent, which was called the “Oval Intention.”

Dependable and strong, this tent had strong, thin aluminum poles and ripstop nylon that was very durable. In addition, the tents are easier to set up than ever before, too.

In fact, many of today’s tent designs “self-erect” when you pull them from their bags. They pop up by themselves and all that remains for you to do is to stake them down. In addition, design innovations have led to tents that have anywhere from one to four rooms for families, with some having square footage of 400 feet.

Materials, too, have gotten much more high-tech and simply better. Today’s tents can breathe even as they prevent moisture from getting in.

There have been advances in how easy the shelters are set up. Now you can purchase so-called “self-erecting” tents, domes which you just pull from their bag and they pop right up before your eyes. All you have to do is stake them down.

There has been innovations in designs, with one to four room family tents, some as big as 400 square feet! All that remains for you to do is to stake them down.

Design innovations have led to tents that can literally be a “home away from home,” with between one to four rooms for families, and dimensions of up to square 400 feet.

Materials themselves have simply gotten better and much more high-tech.

Dome tents come in a variety of colors and sizes and weights. Some are designed exclusively for cyclists, backpackers, and mountaineers. There are cheaper designs for the backyard or simple camper, or rigorous outdoorsmen.

You can purchase dome tents that affix to the back of a pickup truck, making more space. There are tents that attach to one another, making a community of domes for large families, or activities such as scouting events.

Today, tents are very easy to set up and are very easy to find and use. You can use them for just about any type of outdoor activity. These types of dome tents remain a good choice for shelter no matter what type of outdoor enthusiast you happen to be.

Take a look at one of the many dome tents that are on the market, so that you can choose the right one(s) for the activities you want to pursue.  

About the Author

Josh J Moore is a recognized expert in Family Tents. Check here for the best selection in Camping Tents!

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