Jorjanne “Putting up” vegetables is most definitely a southern tradition; one that should be heralded and passed down, but that has slowly faded from many folks’ busy lives. It does take time and hard work to put up your own vegetables, and it can be a hot, sticky, messy affair, but it is so worth the effort. The reward comes in the winter when you pull a bag, can, or jar from a full freezer or pantry and enjoy the fruits (or vegetables, rather) of your labor!
Now, don’t worry - I am realistic about how much time and effort to put in to such endeavors. I know a few people who work harder in their gardens and their homes to put up so many vegetables than they do at their real jobs! Some even buy extra freezers and put in extra shelves in their pantry just to make room for all that they have put up! I am more of the mindset to put up what my family enjoys, what I can give away as gifts, or what I can’t buy at the grocery store. For example, I have learned that I can purchase frozen peas that my family loves just as much as those I have put up in the past, and they cost less than those peas I put up myself. Plus, shelling peas is one of my least favorite activities - probably second only to shucking corn.
Now, don’t worry - I am realistic about how much time and effort to put in to such endeavors. I know a few people who work harder in their gardens and their homes to put up so many vegetables than they do at their real jobs! Some even buy extra freezers and put in extra shelves in their pantry just to make room for all that they have put up! I am more of the mindset to put up what my family enjoys, what I can give away as gifts, or what I can’t buy at the grocery store. For example, I have learned that I can purchase frozen peas that my family loves just as much as those I have put up in the past, and they cost less than those peas I put up myself. Plus, shelling peas is one of my least favorite activities - probably second only to shucking corn.
Although shucking corn (pulling the husks and silks off the corn) is a messy job, to me it is worth the trouble. Sure, I can buy frozen corn at the grocery store, but it just isn’t as good as what I can put up. Usually, I purchase fresh corn from The CASE (Center of Agricultural Study and Excellence) Farm at our local high school, an experimental farm that is run by students and agricultural educators. They pick the corn for me, and students at the CASE Farm even help shuck sometimes!
After the corn is shucked, the real fun begins! The corn must be washed and silked, which is removing the fine “silks” that are caught between the kernels using a scrub brush under running water. I usually put up several bags of corn on the cob, since that is how everyone in my family likes to eat it. This is the easiest way to put it up, since you only have to blanch the ears of corn, then put them into freezer bags. This also takes up a lot of space in my freezer, so I cream most of the corn before freezing it. Creamed corn is the favorite of everyone except my younger son, so I just buy a can of whole kernel corn for him to eat.
Several years ago, I put up creamed corn with my mother-in-law at her home. Now, the process of creaming corn is just about one of the messiest jobs when it comes to putting up vegetables. You can imagine the piles of corn shucks all over her carport, since we shucked it outside. Then, cutting the kernels of corn off the cob shoots the starchy corn juice all over everyone and everything. After blanching the corn (we used her microwave after cutting it off the cob), we scooped the creamed corn into freezer bags. As careful as we were not to lose any of the precious corn, we still managed to spill it onto every counter in her kitchen. After working so hard all day, the last thing any of us wanted to do was clean the kitchen, but it had to be done.
Since then, I have discovered our county’s Canning Plant - and what a wonderful discovery it was! They have everything you need to put up just about anything you want: plenty of huge stainless steel sinks and tables, steam machines that blanch your vegetables in just a few minutes, all the canning equipment (including the cans!), and my personal favorite - corn cutters! Now many people have their own corn cutters, but the folks that run the canning plant have done one better. They have built boxes to hold the cutters over your pan, which is sooooo much easier than holding the cutter and the pan and the corn with only two hands while trying your best not to cut your finger off! And the best part of going to the canning plant is that when you’re finished, you just hose everything down and go back home to your nice, clean kitchen.
Several years ago, I put up creamed corn with my mother-in-law at her home. Now, the process of creaming corn is just about one of the messiest jobs when it comes to putting up vegetables. You can imagine the piles of corn shucks all over her carport, since we shucked it outside. Then, cutting the kernels of corn off the cob shoots the starchy corn juice all over everyone and everything. After blanching the corn (we used her microwave after cutting it off the cob), we scooped the creamed corn into freezer bags. As careful as we were not to lose any of the precious corn, we still managed to spill it onto every counter in her kitchen. After working so hard all day, the last thing any of us wanted to do was clean the kitchen, but it had to be done.
Since then, I have discovered our county’s Canning Plant - and what a wonderful discovery it was! They have everything you need to put up just about anything you want: plenty of huge stainless steel sinks and tables, steam machines that blanch your vegetables in just a few minutes, all the canning equipment (including the cans!), and my personal favorite - corn cutters! Now many people have their own corn cutters, but the folks that run the canning plant have done one better. They have built boxes to hold the cutters over your pan, which is sooooo much easier than holding the cutter and the pan and the corn with only two hands while trying your best not to cut your finger off! And the best part of going to the canning plant is that when you’re finished, you just hose everything down and go back home to your nice, clean kitchen.
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I highly recommend finding a local canning plant to put up your vegetables. Not only is it great that you don’t have to clean your own kitchen afterward, but the people who run the canning plant are very knowledgeable and helpful. You can also bring your own help. It’s a lot more fun to take some friends or family with you to share the work - and the veggies!
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