Hi! New here; food preservation

12 years ago

Just thought I'd introduce myself. Can't garden much anymore due to a disability, although I hope that gets better. Have a small bit of soil here at my city apartment, which I worked organically for nearly 20 years, taking it from horrible to beautiful. Now using farmers' markets for produce. I'm a Master Food Preserver and hope I can be of some use on the formal stuff, although I've noticed some of you use...ahem...what I'd call less-than-safe methods, if I've been reading correctly.

I ate some canned items throughout my youth that I'm shocked we all lived through! But while I worshiped my gram, I don't use her methods, lol.

So--how are you guys doing for strawberries? They're horribly expensive this season, as are blueberries, even on sale, in stores. It could make me cry.

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Comments (3)

digdirt2
12 years ago
Hi chata and welcome! Nice to have another MFP here as we have several MFP regulars.

Yeah we work hard here to discourage less than safe methods but ultimately each defines their own level of risk so sometimes pointing out the risk is all any of us can do. Unfortunately some folks will never be convinced. :)

But all in all this forum is much more canning safety oriented than most of the other canning forums on the web.

Strawberries and blueberries are just starting to come in here and given the food prices on everything any more it is a true blessing to have a big garden to work with. Any pick-your-own options in your area? Any chances of bulk discounts from your farmer's market?

Dave
dgkritch
12 years ago
Welcome!!
I am also an MFP, as are a few others here. We have all levels of expertise here and welcome questions! The intent is to sort out the tested, reliable methods from the fly-by-night postings. However, there are no "police". Ultimately, each one has to decide what level of risk they're willing to accept. Some of us aren't feeding at-risk groups. Some are selling are markets to total strangers. In general, we are not here to judge, sometimes folks want to argue when they don't get the answer they wanted, but there's really no point. The science is what it is. Recipes have been tested...or not. What each person chooses to do with that information is completely up the them!

You don't say where you're located, but here in Western Oregon, the strawberries are just coming on and they're beautiful.

I pick at a local farm where I can get an approx. 4-5 lb. bucket (depends on your talent for heaping/stacking it) for $8.50. Gorgeous berries, nice fields, good people. LOCAL!!

I grow my own blueberries, but there is a U-pick farm nearby that sells for $1.25/lb. Picked ones are $2.50.

How do our prices compare with yours? Where?

Deanna
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lyndapaz
12 years ago
We went strawberry picking yesterday at a local organic farm. They charge $5.50 a quart for pick-your-own and give you a quart for free for every 7 you pay for. In the end we got about 15 pounds for $38.50. And they are the juiciest, sweetest, loveliest berries I have had since my childhood days on the farm.