Canning Season.

[coronabarb]

<<I hope all our market sellers, crafters and small seed vendors have a profitable pre-holiday season!>>

Thank you and very well said. We do a lot of promoting of our local farmers' market - Umpqua Valley Farmers' Market. We are in a small rural area (small being relative - 22,000+ in the city of Roseburg, OR, more in surrounding county) but we are separated by low mountain passes from large cities 1 1/2 hrs away each direction. We see our market as a place that people who want to run their own businesses are provided with a location, existing customer base and advertising. They in turn must have liability insurance (everyone, no exceptions), be in place by a certain time and cannot break down before ending time. So in one location, there could be 30+ to 40+ small business owners who put in long hours and are no way reimbursed for the hours.

I sell my jams for $5/half pint. Under our farm direct law, I must grow all the principle ingredients like the fruit (not the spices), or garlic, onion, tomatoes, peppers if I wanted to sell salsa. New jars are around 60 cents when on sale and pectin is not cheap. Maybe I get $3 back per jar? That doesn't reimburse me for the time spent making the product, setting up/tear down and market time. But I get to work from home, so that's cool.

[imp]

Originally Posted by coronabarb

<<I hope all our market sellers, crafters and small seed vendors have a profitable pre-holiday season!>>

Thank you and very well said. We do a lot of promoting of our local farmers' market - Umpqua Valley Farmers' Market. We are in a small rural area (small being relative - 22,000+ in the city of Roseburg, OR, more in surrounding county) but we are separated by low mountain passes from large cities 1 1/2 hrs away each direction. We see our market as a place that people who want to run their own businesses are provided with a location, existing customer base and advertising. They in turn must have liability insurance (everyone, no exceptions), be in place by a certain time and cannot break down before ending time. So in one location, there could be 30+ to 40+ small business owners who put in long hours and are no way reimbursed for the hours.

I sell my jams for $5/half pint. Under our farm direct law, I must grow all the principle ingredients like the fruit (not the spices), or garlic, onion, tomatoes, peppers if I wanted to sell salsa. New jars are around 60 cents when on sale and pectin is not cheap. Maybe I get $3 back per jar? That doesn't reimburse me for the time spent making the product, setting up/tear down and market time. But I get to work from home, so that's cool.

I agree, there are a lot of costs in producing foods to be sold legally. And much depends on the laws in each state as to what may be sold produced under particular conditions. And, of course, end rice is also determined by what the market will bear for a product, which produces a valuation for the product at the time of sale or non sale.

I applaud anyone who can make their business profitable and agree, a lot of hard work; not just in the product its self, but the paperwork, the sourcing or growing, equipment, insurance regulations, health codes and permits.

There is a huge difference between me canning at home and some one canning for market.

Hoping all the market sellers, crafters and small seed vendors have a profitable holiday season and more.

[imp]

Thinking of definitely using the pickle pipe thingies to make some pickles this next year. Small batch seems to be the way for me to go on that.

Now, I just have to decide if I want to make blackberry and raspberry jam this week.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by imp

Thinking of definitely using the pickle pipe thingies to make some pickles this next year. Small batch seems to be the way for me to go on that.

Now, I just have to decide if I want to make blackberry and raspberry jam this week.

You might consider using 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt per quart of water with dill and garlic with long cut cucumbers quartered.
Let ferment for no more than 7 days.
They should come out like crisp fresh deli pickles.
If the house is n the 80's go to 4 tablespoons of salt.

Worth

[imp]

Barb, is there a book or site you recommend for fermenting?

[coronabarb]

Several of my friends have this book - Fermented Vegetables by Shockey

https://www.amazon.com/Fermented-Veg...s=fermentation

[imp]

Originally Posted by coronabarb

Several of my friends have this book - Fermented Vegetables by Shockey

https://www.amazon.com/Fermented-Veg...s=fermentation

Thank you!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by coronabarb

Several of my friends have this book - Fermented Vegetables by Shockey

https://www.amazon.com/Fermented-Veg...s=fermentation

I was at our local feed and hardware store for such things and a couple were looking for a fermenting book.
They couldn't find one nor could the sales person.
I pointed "look right there", This may have been the one.
But as far as I am concerned Sandor Katz wrote the Bible on fermenting for the modern age.
I dont have any of his books but have read many of his writings on line.

Worth

[imp]

Think I'll get the blackberries and maybe some raspberries, too, for jam. The price on the blackberries is really good and I like both black and raspberry jams.

Will check at the library for the book you spoke of, Barb, and check it out.

[imp]

Found an interesting video, some one called Sandor Katz? authored some books and does speaking engagements, but what was interesting to me was he is using those pickle pipes! Found a lot of good comments from people who have used them, so that just about settles it for me, instead of tying up a crock to ferment, plus the small batch ability works for me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR-83ms8L68

[imp]

I knew I should have gone to get those blackberries earlier, they sold out. Did get the raspberries though, so will make some jam from them.

[imp]

I wonder why, to me anyways, raspberries taste even better when cooked? These are sweet, but the taste is more intense when processed; maybe reducing the volume or the sugar I guess.

[mensplace]

Ordered an Instant Pot. Hope it is as good as advertised.

[dmforcier]

What is this now? A quick-growing marijuana kit?

[imp]

Originally Posted by mensplace

Ordered an Instant Pot. Hope it is as good as advertised.

Lots of good comments online about them, seems to be a love fest thing. Lot of recipes online too.

I don't have one though, LOL, so youll have to tell us how you like it.

Right now, using my big crock pot ( 6.5 quarts) to cook the raspberry jam. Gosh, my kitchen smells sooooooooooo good, just raspberry all over. Making me hungry, too. Love doing the jam in the crock pot, so easy to do the cooking stage.

Should have enough raspberry jam for quite awhile, put in just about 20 6 ounce packs. Just got done mashing the berries some more and tasted just a dab, made me wish for a good biscuit.