Plan ahead for home canning
By NORMA FLANAGAN

If you are thinking about joining the trend in our communities to can food this summer, start by checking your equipment and supplies. Proper equipment in good condition is essential for safe, high quality home canned food.

A pressure canner is essential for canning low-acid vegetables, meats, fish, and poultry. Two basic types are available. One has a dial gauge to indicate the pressure inside the canner; the other has a metal weighted gauge. Dial gauges must be tested for accuracy before each canning season. For information on testing a dial gauge, call your county Extension Agent. Check the rubber gasket; it should be flexible and soft, not brittle, sticky or cracked. Also make sure any small pipes with openings are clean and open all the way through.

A boiling water canner is needed for canning other foods such as fruits, pickles, jellies and jams. The canner should be deep enough to allow at least one inch of water to boil over the tops of the jars. Both types of canners should have a rack in the bottom to keep jars off the bottom of the canner.

Inventory your jars and decide if you need to buy new jars this year. Inspect those you have for nicks, cracks or chips, especially around the top sealing edge. Nicks can prevent lids from sealing. Very old jars can weaken with age and use and break under pressure and heat. Consider investing in new jars if you need to, and watch for specials.

A must every canning season is new flat lids. Used lids should be thrown away. The screw bands are re-usable if they are not bent, dented or rusted.

A FINAL MUST is reliable, UP-TO-DATE canning instructions. Publications, and information are available at your county Extension office, or on the Extension Family and Consumers Sciences website, http://www.fcs.uga.edu/outreach/ coopex.

The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service also sells SO EASY TO PRESERVE, a comprehensive book with information on all types of home food preservation. Information about that book is also available at your county Extension office.

Be sure to look at the instructions for what you want to can before you are ready to prepare the food. You may need time to purchase some ingredients and small equipment needed to prepare food exactly as the directions indicate. Planning ahead can save you time, money, and frustration with home canning.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; Towns County Extension office, 706-896-2420; Union County Extension office, 706- 439-6030; Fannin County Extension office, 706-632- 3061.