Canning tomatoes

For as long as I can remember, there's always been this room in my parents' basement, just off the den called the green bean room. This room is long and narrow, and it's lined with wooden shelves. There's some of dad's old stuff from college, some empty gift boxes, old toys, but mostly there's jars and jars. These jars are full of green beans, tomatoes, soup, jellies and more. Some of them are already empty, waiting for the next canning season, but I remember the majority of them being full. My sister and I were sent downstairs on many afternoons to get a jar from the shelves for supper. (We also have two stand-up freezers down there full of bags of apples, beans, peas, corn - you name it!) My granny and mom have always saved up fresh food to have year round. This is the way I grew up, and I've decided that I want it to continue.

I think that canning is a way of life that is slowly fading away, sadly enough. People just aren't interested in it because it's easier to buy it canned from the store. Gardening and canning - two things that I'm hoping to learn now, so I'll be able to do it for a lifetime and hopefully pass it on, too.

This past week, we got some tomatoes from a farm down the road, and the boys and I took them to Roseville to can. My mom and granny were more than happy (I think) to help out and show me the process. I tried to help as much as I could, but they were doing there own thing like it was second nature. I did get to do some of each of the steps though.

Pretty red tomatoes

Baylen was sleepy. He didn't choose the best place to lay down, but of course, he didn't stay there long. Notice mom in the background cutting the tomatoes and Granny was busy sprinkling salt, boiling lids and getting the jars ready. 

I helped mostly in the blanching process. Then I helped granny put some of the whole tomatoes in the jars. Aren't they pretty? 

It was like an assembly line, and we got it done. I think we had had 13 quarts by the time we were finished. They will be super yummy in our taco soup and chili this winter!