Prepare for Canning Season-10 Simple Steps

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Once the garden produces fresh, organic, homegrown vegetables, the canning season can quickly become overwhelming. Use these 10 simple tips to prepare for the canning season.

Whether you grow your own fresh vegetables or buy them from the local farmer’s market, the advantage of home canning is that you can preserve fruits and vegetables when they are at their peak of flavor and nutrition.  

By following just a few simple steps, you can make the overwhelming feelings of the canning season much less stressful.

Here in Tennessee, we have a really long growing season, and by the end of it, I find myself really tired, so I do all I can before the season begins to remove as much overwhelm as possible.

Any tips or strategies you can implement to prepare for canning season will help things go much smoother, no matter how much you plan on canning.

1. Deep Clean the Kitchen Well

I know your kitchen is regularly kept clean and organized, but once canning season begins, you may find your pantry in disarray or have tomato splatters on the wall. So, giving it a good cleaning beforehand will only give you peace of mind.

This includes countertops, cabinet doors, utensil drawers, the stove, as well as your canning and preserving food supply area. 

2. Set Realistic Goals for the Season

Know how much your family uses and how much you may need for holiday gifts and exchanges. For example, if you use whole canned tomatoes once a week, your goal would be to put up 52+ jars. But keep in mind that if you plan to give home-canned food as holiday gifts, you will need to increase this number.  

I suggest grabbing a copy of my eBook – The Canning Garden Workbook. It will help you decide how much you need to grow for your family.

A good tip or habit I have learned is to put up at least 2 extra runs, 14-18 more jars than you expect to need. Things happen.  You may need to help out a friend or neighbor, donate to the local food bank, or a number of things can happen.  So being prepared is always helpful.

3. Inventory Your Pantry

When I started home canning, I had no idea how much I needed. I knew what my family eats, such as dill pickles, beets, applesauce, green beans, etc., but I had never considered how much we use in a year.

I’d never been concerned with being sustainable at the time. I was used to running to the grocery store when we needed something.  So, it was a real challenge in the beginning.  But it has continued to get easier year to year.

Therefore, if you inventory your pantry and find you have 40 jars of canned carrots left from the 80 you canned last season, or your freezer is still full of frozen okra, strawberries, or peppers, then you may not need to preserve more. Keeping clear, accurate records in your homestead binder or canning journal will help. 

Looking to find safe storage time for your home-canned foods? The National Center For Home Food Preservation can provide all this.

4. Refresh Your Canning Skills

Don’t leave things to memory.  Each year when the season first begins, I’m always a bit rusty and have a bit of a time remembering what I did last season. 

So, reviewing my notes and reading over my lists from last season helps me get my rhythm going. 

5. Review Your Canning Recipes

Keep a list of safe canning books, recipes for home canning, and links in your canning binder for quick reference.  Make a list of ingredients you will need for the season and stock up on these. And don’t forget to check the dates on what you already have. 

• Pickling Spices
• Canning Salt
• Regular 5% Vinegar
• Organic Sugar
• Pectin
• Pamona Pectin
• Citric Acid
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Bottled Lemon Juice

I recommend buying in bulk. The cost is higher upfront, but the savings largely increase over time.

6. Inventory Canning Supplies

Take a good look and inventory your home canning supplies. Then, make a list of what supplies you will need for the season. 

• JARS – Do you still have enough jars for the season? Are they free from cracks, nicks, or chips? Organize them by size so you can easily keep count of what you may need.
• Canning Lids – Lehman’s is a good place to get these. They also sell them in bulk. Since lids are only for one-time use, it takes a lot.
• Canning Rings – These should be free from dents and rust.  You don’t have to have a lot of them. Canning bands are kept on the jars for 24 hours out of the canner and then removed for shelf storage.  They should not be stored on canning shelves with bands.  I can upwards of 50-60+ jars in my house in a day, so I tend to keep many on hand. 

Canning Tools

• Jar Lifter: Never go into canning season without a spare. I always keep two on hand. If the handle breaks on one, you have a backup. Trust me, if you do a lot of canning, it will happen sooner or later.
• Magnetic Lid Lifter – This one comes in a convenient pack of 4. Never too many.
• Stainless Steel Funnel – I recommend 2 of these as well. An additional one is always needed.
• Bubble Remover / Headspace Ruler
• Pots, Saucepans, and Stockpots

Canning Utensils

• Vegetable Peelers and Scrubbers – I love the grip on this one. It’s perfect for holding.
• Knives
• Long handled-spoons
• Black Sharpie Markers- for marking dates and contents

Some of these items may be hard to source or find with the present situation of many looking for food security.  Stores are having difficulty keeping inventory, so it’s better to order extra early rather than wait.

7. Inspect Canners For Potential Problems

There are two main types of canning – water bath canning and pressure canning. Each one has parts that should be inspected before the canning season begins. 

Beginning canners will need to invest in home canning equipment, but experienced ones will need to take inventory to determine what needs to be replaced.

Not 100% sure about how the canning parts work and what to look for? Go to my FREE Introduction to Canning Guide to learn in detail about canners.

Water Bath Canner

This large pot can hold up to 7 quarts at a time. Closely inspect the handles for cracks and weak spots.  A water bath canner is really heavy when full. Make sure to have no rust holes in the bottom. 

Also, look over the canning rack. Make sure the handles are sturdy and secure. You don’t want to lift a heavy canner off the eye and have a handle break. Not only will your jars break, but the water is boiling at 212 degrees, so don’t get it on you. 

I use this 21.5-qt granite ware canner.  We have well water, too, so my canner is really dirty looking inside.  This does not hinder the canning process at all.   These do have to be replaced every so often, so if you prefer, you can invest in stainless steel.  I’m old school and enjoy seeing the large black one sitting on my stove.  It reminds me of my childhood.

Pressure Canner

There are two main types of pressure canners – one that utilizes a gasket and one that does not.  I use a Presto canner with a gasket system.

If you use a canner with a gasket, inspect it well for cracks, tears, and dry rotting.  If you have any of these, the canner will not seal, and your food will not seal properly.  I recommend keeping an extra one, if not two, gaskets on hand. 

If your canner uses a gauge, it should be tested yearly before the canning season begins. Your local extension office should be able to do this for you.

8. Plan to Source Locally What you Can’t Grow

Not everyone has an area large enough to grow their own fresh vegetables.  We don’t have enough space to grow corn, so I get it from the local Amish farm or the farmer’s market. 

We also love watermelons and cantaloupes and don’t have space to grow these either.  

So before the canning season begins and you’ve done your inventory, add the fruits and vegetables you may not be able to grow.  Then, search the site Pick Your Own and click your state to see when these fresh foods are at their peak harvest for your area.  Or do a Google search. (ex. – TN expected harvest dates)

Make notes or plans in your canning journal to seek out these items during prime harvest season. If in doubt, go to your local farmers market and ask when these can be expected.  Everyone there is most likely eager to be helpful. 

mORE CANNING POSTS:

• How to Build Your Own Canning Shelves (DIY)
• How to Properly Sterilize Jars for Canning
• Water Bath Canning Problems and Solutions

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