From your garden to your pantry, harvesting your vegetables is a beautiful process. Make sure no homegrown goods go to waste this year by preserving them to the best of your canning ability. 

Whether you’re pickling red onions or canning your grandma’s strawberry jam recipe, we want to ensure you have all the tools to do so. Read along to learn how you can prep for this canning season like a pro. 

First things first - Check to make sure your fruit and vegetable inventory matches your canning supply. Make sure you have your Granite Ware canner, jars, and all the tools you need to make every recipe on your list - and leave no blueberries behind! 

Clean and dry your tools before using them, and make sure they are in good condition. You don’t want any cracked jars, or broken lids when you have hot jam or sauce ready to be placed in the jar.  

Here is a list of all of our canning products for you to figure out just what you need: 

• Bubble Remover: Flexible, tapered silicone scraper releases trapped air along the sides and deep down in the corners of the jar. Accurately measures head-space with laser engraved ruler markings & dash; both functions are essential to ensure best canning outcomes.

• Jar Lifter: A vital tool for safely handling sterilized jars before canning begins, and removing hot jars from canning racks when the canning process concludes.

• Lid Lifter: Magnetic tool that transports sterilized lids from canner to jar as needed & dash; lids should never be touched by hand once sterilized and ready to use. 

• Jar Wrench: Tighten or remove lid bands in a cinch. Fits quart, pint, and half-pint lid sizes. The wrench is durable gauge wire for strength, and plastic coated for safety and non-slip performance.

• Funnel: Specially designed funnel fits standard and wide-mouth canning jars for easy, no-mess filling and clear color facilitates a better understanding of food movement.

• The Jar Rack makes lifting jars out easy and is collapsible to save space.

• Blancher with Drainer Insert:  7.5-quart capacity - the perfect size for preparing fruits and vegetables for canning or freezing. 

• Colander: 9.5-inch diameter and features multiple holes that are higher on the sides, plus sits on two feet for easy drainage.

Next up on the list of canning success - Don't forget the ingredients necessary to make your recipes as heartwarming as grandma intended. Much better to have all your ingredients ready and organized to can your heart out when the time is right. 

Here is a list of canning staples you just might need this season: 

• Pickling spice 

• Pickling vinegar

• Apple cider vinegar 

• Citric acid

• Flour

• Corn starch

• Salt

• Sweeteners

• Pectin

• Liquors

Last but not least - Find your canning squad. Maybe you prefer to can alone, but we know food is always shared better together. Canning is a big job, so ask around to your family and friends to see who wants to get involved. Makes for a great bonding activity and an even better delicious memory! We can’t wait to see what you come up with. Happy Canning!