Today I'm sharing my very first experiment for canning in my kitchen! I quickly fell in love with canning and can't wait to try out more recipes. I'm definitely looking forward to some apple picking in the fall.
Despite being from the South I didn't grow up watching my mother or grandmothers can which means I have been blazing my own learn-how-to-can trail over here. My dad's mom was a canner but I imagine had just stopped canning by the time I was old enough to remember things. Fortunately my dad was able to pass along some canning equipment and he gave those to me this spring which jump started my inquiries into learning how to can. Canning isn't something to be taken lightly - if something isn't canned correctly then bacteria could develop in your food and it could be deadly. If you have any interest in learning to can I highly recommend finding a canning class either through your local extension office or some other avenue.
With this mind I knew that I wanted to learn from the pros. So I looked around for some canning classes sponsored through the NC Cooperative Extension program. They have offices in all 100 counties in the state and their mission is to provide educational programming in five key areas: sustaining agriculture and forestry, protecting the environment, maintaining viable communities, developing responsible youth, and developing strong, healthy and safe families. It seems like canning is making a comeback so I was surprised to find only a handful of county extension offices offering canning classes. That didn't stop me from driving out to Lee County for two of their canning classes led by their extension director, Susan Condlin. She was a wealth of information and exactly what I was looking for! I learned quite a bit by attending these classes; learned enough that I felt I could tackle some canning!
For my first canning experiment here I still thought it would be a good idea to call over a good friend who had canning experience. This meant she could call me out if I was overlooking something and look over my shoulder to make sure everything was going just the way it should.
This Blueberry-spice Jam is from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning. And I've included some of the pictures throughout the canning process below.
A very special thank you to one of my mom's friend who gave me all the blueberries! She has blueberry bushes in her backyard and the most tasty blueberries. We're so thankful when she shares with us. Patrick and I ventured out into the blueberry world and planted 3 bushes in our side yard last spring so hopefully one day we can make this jam from our very own blueberries!
The jam is wonderful! I am so glad you like canning. I used to do some many years ago, but glad you ventured out and learned from some experts.
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