Homegrown Happy Valley

While my Happy Valley friends watched the Nittany Lions handily defeat the Zips on Saturday, I took an alternative approach to the afternoon.  I canned.

I finally heard the call of the mountain of Roma tomatoes growing on my countertop.  So after driving to the Millheim Farmers’ Market to buy a bit more garlic and basil (stopping at Elk Creek Café for delicious brunch) I decided to go home and test my newly learned skill (I use the word “skill” loosely).

Three weeks ago some of my favorite fellow locavores and I spent an enchanting afternoon at Fiedler Farm participating in the GroundWork Farms “canning workshop.”  It was so much more than the name implied.  We covered freezing and drying techniques and shared a wonderful afternoon communing with nature and making new friends–and, of course, learning how to can.

Starting with the basics.

So armed with Ball jars, all the fixings for Cuizoo’s recipe for Slow Roasted Plum Tomato Sauce, and hard to find jar lifters (imagine giant forceps, finally located at Hosterman & Stover Hardware Store in Millheim)–more paraphernalia than my small kitchen could truly handle–I set to work.

I started chopping tomatoes and realized I needed some music.  With some angst-ridden tunes playing in the background I handily defeated my mountain of tomatoes and set to work on the onions, peppers and garlic. 

My roasting pan filled with goodness.

After nearly an hour, everything was finally chopped and in my giant roasting plan. (At the canning workshop it took half the time, but we canned in groups.) I washed and prepared my jars, lids and rings, and moved on to getting my hot water bath pots in order.

I won’t bore you with my movements during the hours of waiting and watching.  But when I set my hard earned, finished product on a towel to cool, the clicking sound that signals an air-tight seal was music to the ears.

The finished product.

For any of you who haven’t canned before, the five hours of hard work for 10 quarts of tomato sauce may seem like a mad mission.  But being able to serve my family homemade tomato sauce this winter and spring, and even sharing the bounty with friends and family, makes it worth it.  It makes me proud.

Fiedler Farm plans to start renting its summer kitchen by the day or half-day so groups can come learn the art of canning and experience the magic of that special place.  In fact, I may be going back again soon to work on another new venture … applesauce!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 4:01 pm and is filed under Eat Local Challenge, Farm, Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.