Please realize, I do not take this lightly, nor must I take myself too seriously too. In the past three days, I have turned around and squared my gaze on two of my biggest fears. They were big and scary! Okay, all you Hard Core Survival folks, just click "back", because this stoopidity will bore you. I only post for the possible new-comer, who might need some encouragement. My ancestors canned their foods, my Granmother did, my Mother froze hers. I wanted to learn how to "can food". I was always too afraid of the process, afraid the canning thing would blow up and take me and kind "out" with the "crazed lid" flying around the kitchen. I woke up on Thursday morning, without any fore-planned intent, and said to myself " I am weary of this fear, I have to face it and either die by the "crazed lid", or get over it. Had some Irish potatoes, going to go bad, if I didn't do something, waste of food, right there. So, I kept reading and re-reading the instructions, did what they said. It wasn't perfect nor pretty. At one point, I ran and hid behind the doorway when the pressure cooker started making some interesting noises. I poked my head out to look. Point made? I did it, lid did not go "crazed". Will I eat what I canned? Pleazzzze, that "Leap of Faith" is somewhere down the road for me. 2nd Fear faced: I live in the woods, I have never fired a gun, own them, like tokens. Routed my DITH Husband out of the bed, early A.M., shamed him into taking me to local Firing Range. How could I have lived within two miles for twenty years, of such a place, with a totally different sphere? There were rotund "Grannies" shooting with more accurancy then some of the local police (Barney Fife), there were Children!! yes Children!! My inside heart screamed "Columbine" But then I came to my senses, and remembered that for as long as human kind has existed, they taught the young, the means to survival, lest the Father be killed, and the oldest son, had to take on the role of protector. I have learned I have faced my fears, and conquered them. Story of me and my DITH's accurate aims/not! are a story for another time. I am still laughing and a-quaking. Heaven's speed!

-- Nana (Looking at my fears@headon.com), November 13, 1999

Answers

Dear Nana,

I've been putting off the "canning experience" for a few months. Figured I'd get to it sooner or later. (Buy regular canned goods and "Can" grandma style next year. Long story short, did my first canning last week too. I too was scared of the process and "booming results of pressure cooker canning", but it all turned out ok.

Looking forward to more canning. Now I know what Momma meant when she said, "Aren't those jars of canned food pretty?"

God Bless and continued success with your work.

Tess (the gal learning Momma and Grandma's ways :)

-- Tess (preparingfortheworst@prayingforthebest.com), November 13, 1999.

Well done Nana. The full value is not just in the canning of the potatoes, but in mastering the fear: and for that its probably best that you're starting early. While some of us more long-term GI's may have addressed all the mundane fundamentals of preparation, yet that's not the same as holding one's hand ever so close to our own innermost PANIC buttons ......... In that sense you could be ahead of the game.

-- SH (squirrel@hunter.com), November 13, 1999.

Nancy --

Only way *to* face them. And good for you.

(For me it was a voyage of 'rediscovery' as I remembered why I used to enjoy doing certain things, and got to wondering how in the world I had left them so far behind.)

-- just another (another@engineer.com), November 13, 1999.

The rate of food poisoning in America is directly linked to the rate of Americans home canning. I will skip the idea of canning myself and I make it a practice never to eat any one elses. There have been times when people have given me a gift of their home canned, I always smile and thank them expressing appreciation, and then turn right around and throw it out unopened.

One of the reasons for the throw out is that I have seen one too many mothers in action at kid parties from all walks of life. They are slicing the cake and the frosting becomes thick on their fingers, they suck and lick their fingers, then return to slicing and serving the cake.

I have witnessed people baking cookies or cakes and they do the same. Thus, I never buy a cake at any community bake sale and I was a rare bird who wanted school parties and room mothers with their home baked treats banned.

I think your "fear" is wise inner caution. If you do ever open or use those potatoes you'll be very suspicious of them and I'm sure will boil them "just in case."

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 13, 1999.

Sorry, fellow person, I live only as as long as I shall live. No matter how much I jog, eat all the healthy most healthy foods, deemed by our society. I too, shall one day, depart this life. You want a head count of all the Family members I have seen "go". Get a grip, o your morality. There are those who fear death, I have learned not to fear it. because I have looked it in the face, with tears streeming down my face.

-- Nana (Nana@home.com), November 13, 1999.

Paula: You better hope Anita Evangelista doesn't see your comments about canning......she'll tell you all about how safe it is.

BTW, ever been to your local canning factory? Ever read "The Jungle"? Yes, I know, we have improved since then, but have you ever read about exactly how much insects and insect waste the FDA has decided is allowable to be in foods? Yep, it's in there! That's life!

BTW, I will just say, in case Anita doesn't stumble upon this thread that home canning is very safe when the directions are followed. What is there to be afraid of?

Are YOU a mom, Paula? My guess is no, could be wrong. If so, have you ever had to wipe off your kids nose with your own hand? Clean up vomit? An "accident"? Etc. Do you wash your hands 50 times a day?

I advocate hygiene, just as every sane person does. But you can't escape germs. Nana will NOT be boiling her potatoes. Sheesh, what an idea. She will open them, sniff them and visually inspect them, and they will be fine.

-- preparing (preparing@home.com), November 13, 1999.

Boiling them wouldn't help anyway,pay better attention.

-- Daryll (twincrk@hotmail.com), November 14, 1999.

Preparing,

Just a FYI - you might be interested to know that botulism is tasteless and odorless. Visual inspection doesn't help either. Boiling for 20 minutes (low acid foods) is the safe way as it destroys bot toxin. Check out foodsafety.org. It's the same info my county extension agent told me. Same as you'll read on the FDA canning site and in the Ball Blue Book.

If you've got any doubt - boil it.

-- 5r (fiver2k@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.

Actually, she should simmer those potatoes for 15-20 minutes after opening them. Potatoes, meats, and other low-acid foods can carry botulism, which has no taste or smell, and does not change the appearance of the food. Any low-acid food needs to be simmered to kill any posible botulism spores in the jar. Check in your canning book!

-- Ann M. (hismckids@aol.com), November 14, 1999.

Paula, I have not seen too many "Birthday Cupcakes Kill 16 at local Kindergarten" stories lately. Get a grip.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.

Paula,

Have you ever seen the kitchen of a restaurant? Do you have inside knowledge of how food processing plants *really* operate?

I do.

I also know how fastidious I am about food preparation, and how anal retentive I am when it comes to cleanliness when I home can foods.

You really don't know what you are talking about here. Most food poisoning is NOT as a result of eating home canned foods. It is in fact, usually caused by inadequate processes/unclean conditions in a commercial food preparation venue (whether a restaurant or food processing plant).

I'd like to see some substantive documentation to back up your claim.

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), November 14, 1999.

Nana,

Most essentially, brilliant post! The Canning War going on above me is informative, but misses the central point of your post (which had other interesting bits, too, like the kids at the range). You go, girl.

-- silver ion (ag3@interlog.com), November 14, 1999.