For this pre-mixed kosher dill pickle recipe, you will need a 22qt. water bath canner (Click Here to Rent a Canner), canning tool kit, a ladle, white vinegar, jars, unused canning mason jar lids, and the accompanying screw rings or bands. 

• Before you jump into canning pickles, get to know your canning tool kit.  READ MORE

Sterilize Lids 

• Before you prepare to can your preserves, you must get your lids prepared. In a pot or bowl, submerge the lids in hot, but not boiling water for at least five minutes to soften the gaskets. When done, carefully pour the hot water into the canning pot, turn the stove to HIGH heat, and bring the water to a boil. While heating, begin the next step. 

Prepare the Cucumbers and Brine 

• Selecting the right cucumber
  • We selected Boston Pickling Cucumber for this tutorial, an heirloom variety, that, as the name implies, is excellent for pickling. However, this variety is also excellent for salads. For this recipe you will need 9-11 lbs of cucumbers.
• Washing cucumber
  • There's no need to use soap or a produce wash. Use a clean vegetable brush to scrub firm produce. Dry produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.
• Cutting cucumbers
  • Cut 1/16-inch slice off blossom end and discard. Leave cucumbers whole, cut into spears or slice. For the tutorial we thin sliced all cucumbers. 
• Prepare the Brine (Makes 6-7 Quarts)
  • 3 ⅓ cups Mrs. Wages® Pickling & Canning Vinegar or other commercial white vinegar (5% acidity)
  • 7 ⅓ cups water
  • 1 pouch Mrs. Wages® Quick Process® Dill Pickle Mix 6.5 oz
  • Combine white distilled vinegar, water, and Mrs. Wages® Dill Pickles Mix into a large non-reactive saucepan. Do not use aluminum. Bring mixture just to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture dissolves then remove from heat.

Pack the Jars 

• Pack your thin-sliced cucumbers into the jars and pour in the brine leaving. Leave 1/2" headspace. The space is important to get a good seal.   

Remove Air Bubbles

• Using the clean bubble popper, run it around the interior periphery of the jar. This is called bubbling; it releases any trapped air in your jars. Trapped air could also compromise the seal. 

Clean the Rims 

• Use a clean paper towel dipped on white vinegar to wipe any brine or cucumber residue from the rims of the jars. Any matter left on the rim could compromise the seal of the lid, and cause spoilage.  

Add Lids

• Remove your lids from the hot water and set one on top of each of your filled jars using the magnetic lid lifter to keep the lids clean and sanitized. 

Put a Ring on it 

• Screw the rings onto your jars, but only until finger tight. In other words, turn them just until they give resistance, and then give a little more. If you screw the rings on too tightly, air cannot escape, and the lids may not seal properly. 

Add Jars to Canner 

• Using the canning tongs, lift each jar, keeping it vertical, and lower it directly into the boiling water. Once all the jars are in the pot, they should be submerged in about 1” of water. If necessary, add more boiling water to cover the jars. Bring the water to a full rolling boil and start your 15-minute timer. 

Remove Jars 

• After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. Using your canning tongs, carefully lift each jar vertically up and out of the pot. Make sure not to slosh the contents which could interfere with the seal of the lid.  

Cool Down 

• Place each jar on a heat resistant surface, cooling rack, or towel. Do not set jars directly on a counter or other cool surface as the temperature differential can shock the jar and cause breakage; also make sure the jars are not in a place with a lot of cold airflow. Allow the jars to sit for at least 12 hours undisturbed.  

Check Seals and Store 

• You should hear popping noises within a few seconds or minutes as the lids flex and seal. Once completely cooled, remove the rings as they are no longer necessary. You should be able to pick up the jar from the lid without the ring.  If any lids do not seal, reprocess using the same method, or store in the refrigerator to consume within 30 days. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to a year. 

  
Enjoy your pickles! 

Learning any new skill can be overwhelming, but having access to the right tools and knowing how to use them makes all the difference. Every canning recipe shared by the Quapaw Farmers Market is made with the same canning tools that are included in each rental kit. This blog explains how to use each tool so you will be prepared to preserve your first batch of food:  

• Jar Lifter 
  • Designed to safely remove any size canning jar from boiling water, keeping hands safely away from heat. Easy lifting vinyl coated grip clamps securely on jar tops, reducing the chance of breakage 
• Jar Wrench 
  • Opener utilizes durable, plated steel for a study grip that tightens lids effortlessly, ensuring your preserves and canned goods will stay fresh.  
• Wide-Mouth Funnel 
  • Extra-wide mouth funnel transfers large quantities of liquids or dry ingredients with fewer spills and mess. Perfect for canning! 
• 12-Inch Tongs 
  • Long tongs keep sterilized canning components sanitary before/during and after use. 
• Magnetic Lid Lifter 
  • Picks up one lid at a time, safely removing canning lids from hot canning water. It also helps to keep lids sterilized. 
• Bubble Popper 
  • To make sure air bubbles have not been trapped inside the jar, run a bubble popper around the edges of the jar, gently shifting the food so that any trapped air is released.  Convenient measure marks on one end for measuring the head space in your jars to avoid overfilling.   

Once you are familiar with common canning supplies, it is easy to get started with your first recipes. We suggest starting with pickles or sweet corn, but there are many great recipes available! Quapaw Farmers Market’s equipment rental program makes it easy and affordable to start canning today with just a $25.00 deposit (refunded when equipment is returned). Call 918-238-3168 or click here to book an equipment pick-up appointment. 

Have you ever thought about becoming a gardener but aren’t sure how to start or maintain a healthy garden that will provide for you and your family? You aren’t alone. A lot of beginner gardeners feel intimidated by upkeep and care because of lack of knowledge or budget. This blog includes several budget-friendly and free options that any home gardener can experiment with to maintain tomato plants.   
Is that blossom end rot destroying the bottom of your tomatoes? You can fix this calcium deficiency with a 4-lb bag calcium nitrate granules for less than $10 at your local hardware store, but you can also substitute eggshells as a free alternative. Instead of discarding those eggshells you have after making your breakfast, toss them into your garden soil to supply a great source of calcium and add ample nutrients to your soil to reduce blossom end rot.   

If you don’t regularly (or ever) fertilize your plants, they can develop a nitrogen deficiency. You may notice that the more mature leaves will begin to lose their color and transition to a light green or yellow color. Don’t panic, sprinkle your coffee grounds at the base of the plant each morning as a DIY fertilizer to add nitrogen back into the soil. Not a coffee drinker? There are a wide range of store-bought fertilizer options available for every budget.   
 
If your tomato leaves turning yellow and brown towards the bottom stem, tomato blight is likely the culprit. Blight is induced by water and soil splashing up onto the plant foliage. Baking soda and dish soap are both easily accessible and will kill the blight by altering the plant’s pH level. To remedy blight for free, you can regularly prune the bottom stem of excess limbs and suckers. This can also help increase the quality of your tomato harvest! Click here to watch a video from the University of Maryland’s Home and Garden Information Center that shows how to prune a tomato plant. 

For a free and natural remedy to control those pesky hornworms and cut worms, you can pick the worms directly off the plant and either remove them from your garden beds or treat your chickens with a healthy snack. If you’re short on time, you can also treat these with Dipel Dust or Diatomaceous Earth for less than $10 from the local hardware store.  
Aphids are tiny bugs that suck that feed on the fluid inside your tomato plant’s leaves and flowers. Neem oil is a natural and relatively inexpensive way (around $10 per bottle) to control aphids, but you can also tackle the pest by hand. Simply spray soapy water onto the affected plants or knock the aphids off into a bucket of soapy water, whichever you prefer. 
There are many different challenges that can come your way in your gardening adventure but there are also many different solutions no matter what your budget is. Be sure to “like” the Quapaw Farmers Market Facebook page for more helpful videos. Happy gardening! ​

Easy Steps to Pressure Canning Corn:
 

1. Harvest corn: Shuck the corn ears and pull the silks from the corn cobs.  

1. To remove the corn kernels from the cob, use a cutting board or a bundt pan. If using a bundt pan, place the cob in the middle holder, using a sharp knife, slice straight down along the sides of the cob. The kernels should easily come off and fall into the pan or on the cutting board. The bundt pan makes for easy collection of the kernels in one location versus the cutting board.  

1. Due to the high temperatures involved with pressure canning, the canning jars do not need to be sanitized beforehand; however, for peace of mind, you may want to sanitize the canning lids and bands. If sanitizing the lids, prepare them according to the manufacturer’s instructions.  

1. When cold/raw packing corn for canning, after removing the kernels from the cob, you can add the corn directly into the jars without the need for additional cooking preparation. Make sure to leave an inch of headspace near the top of the canning jars.  

1. Next, add one teaspoon of canning/pickling salt to each canning jar you are preparing. A good rule of thumb is ½ tsp per pint or 1 tsp per quart. 

1. Add boiling water to the jars leaving an inch of headspace near the top. The corn should be submerged but the jar should not be overflowing.  

1. You will want to wipe off the jar tops and edges to ensure a proper sealing. Leftover crumbs or excessive moisture can limit proper sealing techniques.  

1. Secure the lid bands to a light hand tighten 

1. For a 22 liter pressure canner, we added 2.5 quarts of water. Make sure you add the proper amount of water based on the size of your pressure canner. A general rule of thumb is to add 2-3 inches of water. 

1. Lay the pressure canner base in the bottom and place the prepared corn jars in the canner. Evenly space out your cans, so as not to cluster them.  Secure or lock the lid in place. Some pressure canners will not allow you to remove the lid once it is fully pressurized for safety precautions. Should you need to make adjustments, wait until your pressure canner is fully depressurized before removing the lid and other items.  

1. Allow some time for the pressure canner to heat. When the pressure canner starts to steam, allow it to steam for about 10 mins.  

1. After allowing it to steam, add the pressure valve to the canner and reduce the heat.  

1. Continue heating until the pressure valve starts moving (rattling/shaking). The valve should spin on most pressure canners.  

1. Once the valve has begun moving, allow the pressure canner to continue to heat. For corn the time is 50 minutes.  

1. After 50 minutes, turn off the heat and allow the canner to depressurize on its own. The pressure valve will drop back down to show that the canner has fully been depressurized, allowing you to remove the lid and canning jars inside.  

1. Use heat tongs  to safely remove the jars from the canner. Never hand grab the jars directly from the canner 

1. Allow the jars to completely cool before testing lid seals. Once cooled, the lids should not make a “pop” sound when pressed in the center of the lid.   

 
For additional information, visit one of these resources below: 

• For information about preparation methods- http://ccetompkins.org/resources/lets-preserve-sweet-corn-penn-state 
• For the procedures and helpful tables about hot pack & pack methods- https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_04/corn_kernel.html  ​