Canners Across America: Can-A-Rama Home Canning Parties, 2010

Ladies and gents, fire up those kettles!

The 2010 Can-a-Rama is around the corner (Saturday and Sunday, July 24-25) and we’re looking for your show of cans! Here’s how home canners are preserving the art of food preservation, coast to coast. Won’t you join us? And if you send us a note (canningpartiesATcanningacrossamerica.com), we’ll get your event listed and you’ll be entered to win canning supplies, books and coupons (check here for more details).

H. Stiefel, Chadds Ford, Pa.
“My friend Joan and I have been canning for just two years. We have canned twice this year already and will be canning again July 24-26 to make use of the 60-plus pints of blueberries that we bought on sale and then froze. We are inviting two other friends who are very interested but scared to try it on their own.”

Janiece D., DeWitt, Ill.
“When I was growing up my mom and the neighbor ladies would all get together and can whatever everyone had and then they would share the end results of their combined labors. I also took canning in 4-H and remember how proud I was of my first canning adventure – green beans!
The rest of the neighbor ladies are gone now but my mom still cans. It’s been a long time since it was a family event and I am planning to get my mom, sister, nephew, and I together in August to have a family canning day. We’ll get to spend time with family, bond over the wholesome activity, and share in the beautiful jars of tomatoes, vegetable soup, preserves, and whatever else takes our fancy. I’m looking forward to this and will enjoy the foods all winter and the memory for years to come.”

Cathy B., Washington, D.C.
“I’ll be showing some ladies how to use a pressure canner when we put up pints of Roasted
Poblano Salsa and quarts of Spicy Bloody Mary Mix this Saturday, July 24. We’ve got
50 pounds of tomato seconds, a basket full of peppers (hot, mild and incendiary), a peck of
onions and lots of garlic and spices. We’ll enjoy a potluck lunch. At the end of the day,
we all hope to go home with plenty of goodies.”

Sue B., Coraopolis, Pa.
“I’m planning a small canning instruction/party for Can-A-Rama 2010 on Sunday, 7/25- dilly beans and corn relish with my daughter, her husband and hopefully a couple of her friends. If the weather is too hot/humid to stand in the kitchen, we’ll be taking the party outside and using a heavy-duty propane camp stove to do our cooking.”

Robin B., Burlington, Vt.
“I have 2 workshops scheduled for August 28th and September 28th through a local plant start company. In addition starting in September I am going to do a series of free canning workshops at a local family child center. The majority of folks who attend this family child center are food insecure and receive WIC and/or Food Stamps. These workshops will allow them to save some of the produce that is often donated to the food shelf here in the growing season.”

Donna S., Spotswood, N.J.
“I would love to host a canning party on July 24 to help celebrate canning Across America. I’ll call it “Getting your Can on”; it’s our going to the county fair canning party. Canning has been my passion since my husband’s grandmother introduced me to the lost art. Guess she wanted to make sure this city mouse would keep her country mouse grandson healthy. It became an obsession. I would take vacation from my job around what I was canning. Then March 17, 2008, I got canned from my job. I turned to canning as my crutch to battle my anger. Thus Just Got Canned was born.”

Leslie V., Seattle, Wash.
“As we prepare for all of the fun Seafair events, we are hoping to can for the first time. Our canning party is planned for our 16yo daughters’ friends from the Museum Apprenticeship Program at the Museum of Flight, and their families. It is planned for our home. Our family lives in the South Park neighborhood, and we grow in the SeaMar patch at Marra Farm. We are psyched.”

Meaghan O., Fairfax, Va.
“I’m hosting a canning for newbies party with a good friend, and recently certified master preserver, as our teacher! We’re going to learn the basics of hot water bath canning for tomatoes and a few “quick pickles” that we can keep in the fridge and munch on.”

Lexi W., Folsom, Calif.
“I am participating again this year!. Last year was the first time I canned and it was great fun.”

Jodie S., Odenton, Md.
I’ve actually never canned before, but my mother-in-law, who lives on a large farm, used to do it often. We’re going to have a family canning party at her house (since she has all the supplies) with some of her sisters and their kids. Not only will this be a great family get-together, but I’ll also learn if I have it in me to can my summer produce (and perhaps how many canning supplies are involved–my poor lack of kitchen space!!).”

Elizabeth H., Malden, Mass.
“I’m inviting friends over to learn how to can. We’re going to make dilly beans and gingered zucchini marmalade (using ingredients from my CSA share) for some good old-fashioned flavor and everyone gets to take home a couple of jars.

Blair S., Scottsdale, Ariz.
“As a newcomer to canning and someone who is enjoying making jams and butters – I would love to challenge four of my friends to a crazy jam party on July 25. Each friend will be challenged to bring (at least) 1 pint of a fruit and one spice that they think would complement it. The jams will be made from all the fruits and spices. I will provide the sugars (and if needed pectin). If this works out, we may even make a pie filling to enjoy in pie form at the “eat up what you put up” follow up party.”

Vicki H., Lexington, Ky.
“Saturday July 24 — I plan to have some friends over, and my mother, who has canned vegetables for decades, will teach us all the basics. I am 41 and grew up eating home grown vegetables all the time. My dad manages the gardening and my mom does the canning, freezing and preserving. During the summer, home grown food is nearly all we ate! It is the healthiest lifestyle, and I look forward to sharing it with my friends, and relearning the canning techniques I’ve forgotten.”

Lynda R., Williams, Calif.
“On July 24, we will be preserving fresh local fruit jams and jellies (berry and peach) and jars of peaches and whole plums.  On July 25, we will focus on pressure canning of local tomatoes, green beans.  On July 31, we will pressure can local grass fed beef and pastured grass-fed chickens.  The group I’ll be working with are the Seniors with the Colusa County Community Garden (I manage the garden), we will use our garden grown veggies and fruits from the Colusa Certified Farmers Market (a market we started last year). I have been canning for over 40 years (yeah 4-H) and teaching home preservation on and off for 30 years.”

Jane C., Manchester, Mo.
“I’m going to be doing 2….one for family and another for friends/work associates. Last year was such a hit that I’m having helpers this year as the friends/work associates have grown.”

Kay J., Byron Center, Mich.
“Looking at doing the canning party on July 24th (Saturday). Advertising to friends and church friends on Facebook.”

Erica G., Cottonwood Falls, Ks
“We are going to have a jelly making party using fresh local fruit.”

Ann V-H., Bellingham, Wash.
“I am planning a jamming party on July 17th. I have at least three friends who want to learn how to can, and it’s a perfect time of the year to get up early, go berry picking, and come home and teach them how small batch jamming works! We live in the largest raspberry producing county in the US. I’m excited to show them how easy it is to put a little summer in a jar.”

Shannon C., Mint Hill, N.C.
“I’ve been canning most of the summer and am on a local message board dedicated to mommies in the area called Charlotte Mommies. There is a forum there and tons of mommies are asking canning questions. I’m sure they would be thrilled to come over and discuss canning and learn from each other.”

Sarah G., Portland, Ore.
“We’ll begin by harvesting some plums from a neighbor’s tree, then make a number of preserves based on those plums (including jam, a savory sauce and perhaps plum pickles), and probably some other preserves — blueberry, apricot, zucchini? — based on what’s bountiful and cheap that week.”

Beth H., Seattle, Wash.
“I am a Director at a non-profit nursing home, and we are going to do a canning group activity with our Residents to celebrate the art of canning.”

Diane M., DeWitt, Mich.
“We will be canning dill and bread and butter pickles on July 31 and might even do up some peaches if I get to Tenn. to get them.”

Marisa Z., Boynton Beach, Fla.
“Mango season is almost upon us, My friend’s trees are so full of mangoes that I need to start my canning soon. A colder than normal winter delayed the ripening of fruit, as by this time of year I usually am elbow deep in mango jam, mango butter and mango chutney. I think I will be able to have my canning party on July 24. I have 2 newbie canners this year, and I’ll be teaching them the ropes.”