Canning is something that’s always been on my radar, yet intimidates me. Last summer, I got my feet wet and tried some low-sugar strawberry jam. The results were great and I knew I should branch out and try canning even more.
When the good folks at Ball sent me a Canning Discovery Kit, it was just the inspiration and motivation I needed.
Saturday was National Can-it-Forward Day, and Ball had live demonstrations via webcam on their website. You can watch the canning demonstrations here. There are demonstrations for how to can mixed berry jam, kosher dill pickles, pepper jelly, and tomatoes.
Now I just need to decide where to start. I would love to make and can fresh salsa with some of the tomatoes from my CSA box. Or should I preserve the delicious summer peaches I love so much? Or maybe I should make pickles from the extra CSA cucumbers I get? So many possibilities!
The intimidation factor is definitely less now that I have the right tools at my fingertips. Ball would like to help one reader get started, too. They have offered to giveaway one case of jars to a reader.
Would you like to win that case of jars? Of course you would! Even if you aren’t into canning (yet?!), Ball jars are great for so many things around the house, including storing grains or nuts, gift-giving, and even decoration.
To enter, simply leave me a comment telling me if you’ve ever canned before and what you’d like to do with the case of jars if you win. I will pick a winner Monday, July 23rd. Good luck!
Ball sent me a Canning Discovery Kit free of charge, but I was not compensated for this post. The giveaway is hosted by Ball.
I’ve canned tomatoes with the help of my father in law I’d love to try to do more, I hate, hate, HATE throwing away veggies and when I freeze them, I forget about them.
Just found your blog, looking up healthy recipes, signed up to get your email, and would love to start canning what a great idea and giveaway.
I just found your blog and I love it. I made pickles the other night and they are so yummy.
I just started reading your blog and I will absolutely be following you. Health and exercise are my top priorities for my family. It seems everyone has health issues these days and it has to be what we are/are not putting in our bodies. Canning is a great, fairly easy way to store up vegetables when they are cheap. I prefer to freeze but some things are just better canned 🙂 i.e. salsa.
I grew up on Kraft Mac & Cheese, McDonald’s and Twinkies (which are probably still with me) and have recently started my journey toward eating all organic food and actually cooking, which until a couple of years ago was foreign to me. I have a pretty good raised bed garden going this summer and would LOVE to be able to preserve some veggies to enjoy in the winter. I would especially like to make my own pickles!
How cool is that!? I would help my mom can when I was little. Mostly tomatoes. I would love to try different jellies/jams, especially a jalapeno jelly!
I have never canned but would def like to try and absolutely live glass jars for organizing and freezing!!!!!
I’ve canned Strawberry jam before. I’ve heard that the small jars are the perfect size for freezing homemade baby food so that’s next on my to do list. The possibilities are endless with these jars. Love them.
I have never canned before BUT have read many a blog about canning. Add to that little tidbit that my husband is Italian and has been bugging me to try making his mom’s spaghetti sauce this Fall and canning it…. and I would love to win these and surprise him!
I have never canned but I would like to try it with all of the summer fruit, also I would also use them to organize my pantry it really needs it! Thank you for the giveaway!
I canned with my dad when I was little. A fun memory helping him can peaches and tomatoes. I would like to try and make salsa and can some peaches.
I would like to win this for my sis who cans
thansk
I have never canned before, like you I’m a bit intimidated. I would love to try my hand at canning marinara sauce or all of this amazing summer fruit. Great giveaway!
Peaches, pears, applesauce, jam, tomatoes… and this year I want to add pickles and marinara sauce. I would love more jars, what a great giveaway!
I’ve canned pickles, green beans, pepper jelly, and berry jam with my grandma. By myself so far I’ve tried apple butter.
While I have dabbled in canning, I would love to do more of it. And one can never have too many Ball jars! I love them for storing everything.
Canning is one of my favorite childhood memories! I grew up near Watsonville, California (the berry capital of the US), so my mom and dad took me berry picking on the weekends. Whether it was strawberries, boysenberries, raspberries, etc., we always had a great time eating them on the ride home. Whatever was left (and it wasn’t much after I finished stuffing my face with them), we would make into jam that would last us over the next year by canning them. Canning was and still is so much fun to me. While I don’t live near Watsonville anymore, I still find enjoyment by jarring jellies, jams, and spreads using locally grown fruits and berries.