Over the next few weeks, children will be headed back to school for another year of classes. No more summer vacation. No more summer fun. No more summer produce. Truthfully, the latter may be more of a concern for adults than children.
Summer produce lovers are running out of time to enjoy favorites such as corn, field tomatoes or peaches directly from the farm. Luckily, you can preserve the freshness of summer into the winter months by freezing or canning food now.
Check out the resources below to get you started in the process, and stop by one of the state-operated farmers markets in Asheville, Colfax, Charlotte, Raleigh or Lumberton to enjoy the wonderful summer harvest while you still can.
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning: The definitive source for canning used in the N.C. State Fair home preservation competitions
- Home canning fruits and vegetables in North Carolina: A helpful guide for beginning canning created by the N.C. State Cooperative Extension
- Tomato canning with the Produce Lady: Brenda Sutton, the Produce Lady, offers step-by-step instructions on preserving tomatoes
- How to freeze corn: A video tutorial on freezing corn by Howcast
- Peach canning recipes: A collection of recipes you can use when canning summer peaches
These are just some of the resources available online. Hopefully, they will help you preserve summer for a few more months. What are some of your favorite websites, blogs or videos for canning? We’d love to hear from you. Leave us a comment below, send us a tweet on Twitter or post on our Facebook wall.