Tell us about you. All we know is your birthday is Dec.10 and you joined in Jan. 2008.

ccaggiano,
I'm with you. I never came in contact with a more helpful group and I too have asked a bunch of questions that I know are dumb and got multiple replies.

jude

> All we know is your birthday is Dec.10 and you joined in Jan. 2008.

And your tomatoes smell like cat pee. ;-p

If you're new to GardenWeb, you may not realize there is a place where members can post profiles, so some of us have some info there.

I am a transplanted big-city girl, early 40s, living for the past few years in a wonderful, funky Canadian small town on the shores of Lake Ontario with my husband, a big shaggy dog, three cats and a bunny. Both DH and I are self-employed and work at home (I'm a freelance editor), which is a lifestyle I love, but possibly also explains why an online community like this is so precious to me.

I started gardening (mostly veggies---really, why bother if you can't eat it?) while still in the city [Toronto], when DH was just BF and had a place with a yard [I had a basement apartment] about 6 years ago. Fell for heirloom tomatoes and discovered Gardenweb's Tomato Forum, and then found this forum when I started looking for ways to preserve them.

WOnderful, helpful folks here helped me learn how to can and I've hung around bothering them ever since.

Now my garden and kitchen are bigger and one of my fave things about my 100-year-old home is its PANTRY. Our region is becoming kind of a foodie hotspot---still has several family farms even as they're dying out around North America, and also boasts various niche farms (everything from organic veggies to goats to ostriches), artisanal cheesemakers, fruit orchards, and now a burgeoning wine culture.

We got married a year ago and served Annie's salsa at our rehearsal barbecue.

I'm a Canadian/American dual citizen (I get to vote in TWO elections this fall!)

I like reading, languages, theatre, and [surprise] food.

Zabby

OK, I'm here. I've was first registered in 2002 but was here clear back when you still had to pay to post, and before that even, while Spike still ran the place.

I live in a tiny little town in Northern Michigan and helped my disabled father run the family farm that I grew up on, as well as working 60+ hours for the local prosecuting attorney and raising a couple of kids as a single parent. I have two daughters and a granddaughter and grandson who are so much more fun than my children were, LOL.

Dad passed away in August, so I can stop trying to make sugar free and pectin free jams and jellies, and I'm in the process of trying to buy a piece of the farm so I can continue with my organic garden and grass fed organic beef.

I just remarried in May, so there have been a lot of changes in my life. I love to cook and canning is my hobby/addiction. My "pets" are now limited to The Dead Cat from H*ll, two horses and a couple of Hereford cows, since the death of my beloved WonderWeiner. My new husband has an old fat chihuahua, but we live 3 hours apart so Pancho is only here for visits.

And yes, I'm the original designer of Annie's Salsa, LOL. My single claim to fame, it appears!

Annie

Alrighty, I'll chime in.
I was also a member prior to IVillage taking over.(oops I forgot about Spike til you posted that Annie!)
I live in the smallest township in the smallest county of Pennsylvania. Never moved because I LOVE rural life! We are blessed here with a very large, excellent hospital, so we are culturally diversified and 3.5 hours from NYC.
My daughter and I are the 3rd and 4th generation to live on the family farm of 33.3 acres. The fields are rented to a farmer and I have gardens all over the property. We share this with a mixed chihuahua I rescued, the best mouser cat, Buddy, Wiggles the bunny and whatever wildlife can make it past the path of the cat.
Our family business was out of house catering, concession catering, institutional contracts and wholesale prepared salad and baked beans. We closed the doors when Dad couldn't work anymore. I donated alot of the equipment to clubs and now use 2 of the buildings to winter store for them. Then, a friend of my Dads asked me to help him in the tour business, been here for 11 years now.
I guess you could say I was born with a full spoon in my mouth, because I have always been involved in the food industry one way or another. I still hang out with the local niche certified organic farmers.
My screenname was born after I obtained my certification of Master Gardener from Penn State in early 90's. Busylizzies are the common name for Impatiens in England, and both sides of my family are from across the pond.

Lizzie

zabby - thanks for the tip on reading profiles - I read a lot today!! And I think it wasn't the tomatoes that smelled, but basil. I brought some in the house last night and I couldn't believe the smell it gave off!!

And yes - I asked about you and forgot to tell you about me. Duh!! I am a single mom of two (six and four). I live on Long Island. I work from home which is nice but I can easily get distracted during the day playing in the garden :-) This was my first year with a real garden. I built four 8 x 4 raised beds and two 4 x 4 beds for the kids. I also have an area under my dining room that I dug out last year, intending to plant flowers but that because a veggie bed. And this year, instead of planting annuals in the beds in front of the house, I threw some broccoli rabe and pea seeds in there. I had some extra seeds and couldn't fathom spending money on impatiens when I could grow something to eat!! I guess this thinking is in my blood - I later found out that my great grandfather didn't have a lawn in front of his house - he had a tomato forest!!

When planning the garden, I really thought I would grow enough food to store for the winter. I didn't realize how little some things produced. I came across this forum and was astounded by the amounts of food everyone was putting up and was somewhat disappointed by my garden. And then I discovered farmer's markets. I have tried several recipes from here and am really looking forward to trying more. The hard part is trying to get the kids to try new things. The garden did re-introduce them to a couple of veggies that they stopped eating when they were old enough to complain so I am happy about that.

The garden is starting to wind down but we are still enjoying fresh veggies every day. Just not enough to actually save. I learned a lot this year about gardening and canning and am looking forward to bigger harvest's next year!!

I live in a rural area of TN and grow a mixed garden of veggies. I also have several flower beds and two greenhouses. I freeze a few things but mostly can my harvest. I live with my husband and we're both retired with the kids married and gone. We just got back from a trip to NY to see relatives.

I live in central Indiana. Completed a Master gardener course in the early 70's. I was born back when the Bible was just a 2 page pamplet. I do all the canning for the family and I process a lot of venison for friends and myself. I have 2 large gardens (each 100 by 50). I am a landscape and mowing contractor.

I was a member also before Ivillage. I'm a physically limited greatgrandmother of 5 ( 2 girls, 3 boys) A few years ago the doctor told me I was done gardening, oops wrong thing to say. So we still grow tomatoes and peppers both mild and hot. Have conceded to grow totes and only some in the ground but I can't imagine not having a garden. We get a lot of what we don't grow from the local farmers market. I love Annie's salsa and finding new recipes to use the peppers.

I live in south rural south central Indiana on 21 acres we bought back in 1985. My mother always said I should have been raised on a farm because I loved gardening and canning so much. I became a Master Gardener then took the Advanced Master Gardener classes years ago at the Purdue University Extention in our county. I love to cook and preserve everything possible but haven't been able to do as much as I'd like to do. I enjoy watching all the wild life on our place, especially the 3 frolicing fawns that just love my Hostas. Just can't chase them off, but am not happy with the birds raiding my peppers and the opposums eating the insides out of my cantaloupe. The coyotes, rabbits, and foxes don't bother me much.

Lost my beloved pets this past year, 'Kota, my 100 lb. big baby German Shepherd and Dingo, my 65 lb. baby girl Australian Shepherd. Want another, but DH of 35 years wants to wait a while. We're both retired and he is a 100% disabled Vietnam Vet.

Both of us had grandparents and other ancestors that were farmers although DH never has been interested in it. He can't understand why you'd want to can, etc. when you can just go to the grocery and pick up canned goods. I've tried to set him straight, but....

We bought a 5th wheel the first of the year and plan to do a lot of travelling. I do plan to take my smaller canner and equipment with me without letting him know in advance. I love finding things at farmer's markets.

Love this site and all the wonderful people on it. Have used so many of the recipes from here and have tons more I want to try.

Annie, I'm sorry to hear your father passed away. We were travelling from Wisconsin to the Dakotas, Wyoming and Montana during August and didn't have access to WiFi most of the time so I missed hearing about it then.

I too have been around since before iVillage... once I even got scolded by Spike, but at least it wasn't off to Disney... and I can't even remember what transgression I committed. ;-D

I live with DH in the Central Valley of California, in the foothills just outside Clovis/Fresno. We have 20 acres, most of which belongs to the critters. I garden a little over an acre, mostly flowers and some fruit trees. I try to outsmart the gophers by planting the tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. in big troughs, and many other things in big pots. I don't get too much to can or freeze, but I still do some.

I started canning when my kids were little because of the huge amounts of salt and sugars in canned foods. Then we got a big freezer and that meant more that I could store. The kids are grown, married and have kids of their own; but the 6 grandkids love to come to Gramma's house and eat the good foods in the pantry and freezer.

I've always found the threads here interesting, even if I don't contribute as much as some. And, I continue to learn: last year I made fermented pepper sauce from instructions here. This year I am pickling peppers for the first time. One is never too old to learn.

Hi, I've been around Garden Web for a couple of years now and can't believe today is the first time I've dropped into this forum. I've just spent a few minutes reading various posts and recipes. Can't wait to try some of the recipes and get to know everyone here. In fact I have a basket of apples that I think are just waiting to be made into Apple Pie Jam.
I've been gardening for years and canning, freezing and drying too. I'm in zone 4 MN so my gardening season is about done. I have three kids, two married and one still in college. No grandkids yet, just a grand-puppy. I also have a German Shepherd and a Golden Retriever who love to help me in the garden. On a hot day they love the overgrown cucumbers to munch on while they lay in the shade.

I'm not a frequent poster, but I've been around a while, too--I even have a Gardenweb t-shirt that I still wear. :) I see a lot of Hoosiers here. I'm an Indiana native and Purdue grad who ended up in the East by way of graduate school. I started being interested in plants while in grad school on Long Island. I grew herbs and flower in pots on the patios of my various apartments through the years. When we moved to Rhode Island and bought a house, one of my first purchases was an upright freezer so I could take advantage of sales and cook ahead. That summer, I discovered a great blueberry farm. I froze about 30# of blueberries that summer and made a batch of jam with some--my first canning adventure. I listened to my mother (who made jellies and jam throughout my childhood without killing any of us) and used the open-kettle method. As I got more and more into vegetable gardening (after getting a plot at a local community garden), I started canning tomatoes in a BWB. I wanted to be able to can other things, so I bought a pressure canner. I was too afraid of messing up to use it for the first year after purchase, but then I got over myself--with the assistance of all the helpful folks here on the Harvest forum. :-D I currently live in Rhode Island with my husband, two boys (9 and 11), and 1 bad dog. Finally, I confess that despite my fervent wishes that Altrista would switch back to boxing their canning jars, my father would mightily regret it--because he is the main supplier of the shrink wrap they use to package it, and they're his biggest customer!! So, when you curse at the stupid jar packaging, tell yourself that at least you're helping to support my parents in their golden years (Dad will be 70 in a few days!) I get free jars when I manage to make it home by car (not often enough), so I HATE to have to buy them! That's all. Tonight I'm pressure cooking some chicken broth and plan to can it in the quart jars that I managed to find IN A BOX!! WHOO HOO!!! Sorry, Dad!

Hi Everyone, nice to meet cha! I'm a little old 69 year old wife, mother, grandmother and Great GrandMother. I too have been around forever, I mean forever...I started at the kitchen table and migrated to the other forums like the Farm Forum, Home stead Forum and so many more. We moved here to the Hill Country of Texas just 4 years ago this month. We have 5 acres a few miles out of town. I have a pretty decent garden space already and it is all inside a 6 foot fence that my dog patrols for me. My garden is all in raised boxes in the center of my yard and all around the edge of my fence. The critters are so thick here in the hill country that I actually had to put a plastic mesh on my regular wire because the deer just walked up to the fence and stuck their heads in as far as possible and chomped away. I love my garden and have been gardening my whole life. Some of our living situations didn't permit more than a few pots here or there and once in a previous life, veggies in the flower beds on a military base. I grow lots of veggies and have my freezer full and have even done lots of canning. I haven't been as productive as years before because I now have lung cancer and it has hampered gardening for this year...but I'm hoping it doesn't kill me so I can get back to living and gardening. My husband has been taking care of my tomatoes, and peppers and a few things like that...my plants on the deck but he is not a gardener and couldn't handle all of the garden so most of it has just dried up...well I've done some surgery and just started chemo so I am hoping I can have a garden next year.

I love gardening and I like nothing better than being out there dirty and nasty and up to my eyeballs in gardening stuff.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here are pictures of my beds early this spring...

Hosta where in MN? We're in the lower sw corner, Windom, between Mankato and Worthington. DH has a shade garden with lots of hostas too.

Nifty thread!

I live in Tacoma, WA and am a 45-year-old wife, mother and grandma to two (via my stepdaughter). My son, 19, is still at home but DH's kids are grown and gone. I am new this year to canning, and grew a lot (for me) of tomatoes that I am bringing in every day, as soon as the color breaks - I live in the city and there are LOTS of two-legged tomato-thieving varmints around. Thank goodness they finish ripening indoors!

I work from home, and started canning largely as a financial hedge for this winter, so we won't have to buy so much off-season food at higher prices at the same time as our utility costs soar. I also have two freezers that are full full full, lol! There are only three of us living here, but we are the hub of the family wheel and friends and family are constantly visiting.

My first year of canning has been fairly comprehensive - tons of stocks, meats, pinto and black beans, veggies, fruits, jams, pickled asparagus/beans/garlic - my new Presto 23qt pressure canner has been in constant use. Tomatoes are going in the freezer as they ripen, and I'll make and can sauce once they are all in. My new kitchen is constantly slobbed up these days, but when I go down to my basement pantry room and gaze at all those full shelves I experience a feeling of satisfaction that is unlike any I've felt before. It feels wonderful.

This forum has been the absolutely best resource I can imagine! Not only have you all so generously shared your knowledge, experience and recipes... you've given me confidence. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all!!!

Hey Y'all,

I wish I had some impressive credentials or accomplisments to share but my life is rather ordinary.. I am on the down side of 70 and live in E. Tennessee near the Smoky Mountains. My DH and I have 4 children, 4 grandchildren (lost a grandson in an accident 5 years ago) and we have 2 great grands.
DH is the gardener, having 2 raised beds 4' x 20' ea. and including this year we have had an overabundance of tomatoes, enough green beans to can several jars as well as sweet peppers and some cayenne. Cucumbers were a joke this year. Now that I have discovered Annie's salsa there will be no more begging people to take tomatoes and jalapenos will certainly be planted next season. I take care of the herb garden, the wildflowers and the perrenials, weeding, watering etc. I had not canned in about 20 years until I stumbled on this forum for which I'll be forever grateful. A nicer, more patient and helpful group could not be found.
My favorite pastime is traveling and my go button is always on although DH does not care to travel. I belong to a couple of garden groups that do like to travel and we take garden tour trips. Last year we had 10 days in Tuscany and it was wonderful.
I've only had a computer a short while and I'm as limited on it as I am on canning but I got it because of an interest in genealogy and look where it has led me.
Thank you all for the encouragement you have given and the knowledge you have shared.
Jude

vic, I'm near Hutchinson, where it's said the big woods meet the prairie. I'm more on the prairie portion. I've been in Windom a few times, but it's been 25 years or so.

Like several others, I was here at GW when Spike first started it up back in the 90's and was a regular participant for several years until it became a pay-to-post site. Returned off and on over the years, most recently about 2 years ago after iVillage bought the site.

Am 67 years old, married to the DW for 43 years now, and have 2 sons, 2 great D-I-L and 4 perfect grandkids who all live within 5 miles of the family homestead here on Bull Shoals Lake. The nearest town of any size is 30 miles away so we try to be as independent as possible.

We are all farm-raised 'kids' and were raised home canning. Wife and I both have taken several home preserving certification courses over the years to keep ourselves current. We farm some 40 acres of mixed pastures, ponds, greenhouses, gardens, trees, and tomato plants. When we aren't canning, drying, or smoking foods we are gardening, fishing, or baby sitting - not necessarily in that order. ;)

Every year we swear we are going to slow down but it hasn't happened yet and since neither of us likes to travel or twiddle our thumbs, it likely never will.

Dave

Howdy.

I'm a real newbie here and extremely unimpressive. My family lives in Herndon, VA -- that would be me, my hubby, the two greatest daughters in the history of the world (8 yr and 15 months) and my mom. And our cat-- who is actually a dog in his dreams. We have a little garden in the backyard and there is no way I can grow enough to make us self sufficient, but I do have fun trying new stuff. I found GardenWeb's harvest forum this past summer when someone gifted me with this huge zucchini and I had no idea what to do with it (canning, that is). I found a recipe for Zucchini Relish which my family and friends loved (thank you, thank you!), and I've made more of that as well as Annie's Salsa (another winner in my home). I think I'll be trying Apple Pie Jam next (just picked apples this past weekend). My mom has canned things for as long as I can remember and I am starting to branch out and do some new stuff, thanks to everyone here. And... here's the kicker... my friends are starting to ask if I can teach them how to do the same!

Marcy

I love reading about what everyone does and what their interests are.
I'm also in my early 40's and have been happily married for almost 21 years. I'm a Yankee at heart, born in NH and raised in Maine. All my family are still there. I went into the Air Force and was stationed in the PI for 3 years where I met my Midwestern DH and our oldest son was born on Clark AB. We moved back to KS from KY last year and it has been an adjustment. We have 2 sons, one of which is getting married next month...waaaa and whom I've not seen in almost a year. He stayed behind in KY to pursue his heart so I cannot wait to see him in 5 weeks. My younger son is a senior in HS and it has been a rough year for him without the companionship of his brother.
DH is in law enforcement and I'm an RN working at our local/rural hospital. My background and interest is critical care so it has been a learning curve for me. We have 10 acres and my first attempt at a garden here was not successful. I've gardened for about 11 or so years and it is my favorite hobby. We've got 2 dogs, 11 cats (although 4 are kittens and all are spoke for, YIPPEEEEEE), and chickens. Week after next we are getting a couple of piglets so I guess we can officially say we have a farm ;)

I love to can and I suspect it has something to do with a contained hoarding problem, LOL. I've frozen, dried and canned a lot of produce this year despite the fact that my garden didn't turn out so well. I canned neither tomatoes nor beans, which normally take up the majority of space on my shelves. I feel like I've come a long way with my canning and now have a system. Other than gardening and canning, I love to read and spend a lot of time with my pets. Lori

Hello,

It is really neat to read about everyone. I am feeling really young. I am 31, married and have 3 girls and 1 more on the way. I live in the country near Clay Center Kansas. I am an elementary teacher. This year I moved schools and moved up to Middle School Math. I grew up on a farm raising livestock (Cattle and Hogs) and crops. There was not enough $$$ on the farm to support more families, so I went my own direction. Now I am starting my own "farm" as my wife says. I have around an 1 acre garden. I grow alot of our produce for sale at 3 small farmers markets I attend. I started to make jellies to add to the produce that I sell. It also helps me use stuff that I don't sell or isn't perfect.

I work very hard at what I do and enjoy every minute of it. I don't have a tractor, (I wish I did) and I am expanding every year. Everything is done by hand, usually mine. I get the kids involved as much as possible. They are great at somethings, but not everything. Next year I am putting up two hoopbuildings,(12 by 45ft each) to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in. I want to capture the most $ for my labor. I have time in June and July, but once August roles around, it is back to school and I don't have that much time to spend in the garden. I am not into gardening for the $$, I am into it for good produce and flavor. I also love to grow things that people have never seen before. Black tomatoes, Lemon Cucumbers, Chocolate Bell peppers, Strange Squash, etc, etc, etc. I usually don't sell lots of these things, but they do keep bringing people back.

We have a small flock of chickens, started out as a 2nd grade chicken egg hatching project. Those chickens were some tough 'ol birds. We use alot of eggs and sell the rest at my market stand.

Future plans? To continue the garden and probably expand by another 1/4 acre. Maybe try using floating row covers for squash. I enjoy gardening more and more. I wish I could do it full time year around. Kansas weather doesn't allow that to happen! I want to expand my pepper jellies and sell online and to local shops and I wish I could win the lotto so I could do it all. It just isn't possible or is it?

I will still come back here and read about everyone and find new recipes to try. Thanks for the support and Keep up the good work!

Jay

I found this forum looking for canning recipes a few years ago. Wow--did I hit the jackpot too! I'm in my early 50's and started canning about 30 years ago to save money and eat better. Most of what I can is obtained from the local farmers and farmer's markets.

I am a systems analyst and use a good portion of my vacation days to do canning projects. My granddaughter loves canned green beans. I love the memories of her looking in my pantry for something to eat and instead of all the stuff I bought targeted for toddlers, she always pointed to a jar of green beans and would eat a full pint jar by herself! One day I was at her house and she asked me, "Grandma...did you bring some green beans?" Now my DD cans them by the bushel....

After raising two wonderful daughters, I got married a year ago. DH loves to garden and be in the kitchen. Prep time is now half of what it used to be! We were a good match from the start. This is the first year I didn't have to buy tomatoes for the Roasted Garlic Tomato Basil soup.

Oh my goodness...some new faces here!

Hi, I'm Kathy and I've been hanging around here since the late 90s when you had to pay for membership. I usually hang out at the Cooking Forum, but this is my next favorite spot! I started canning about 4 years ago after reading some of the wonderful stuff going on right here in this forum! I studied everything I could get my hands on, asked a ton of questions, and dove right in!

I'm in my late 30's and live in Florida right outside of Orlando. I was recently married too...a little over a year ago, so it's just me and DH. I work for the government during the day, helping to develop training for the Marines, Navy, and Army.

I would LOVE to have a farm someday and be able to grow all the food I have to buy now, but that will have to wait.

I turned 45 this year and am happily married to my DH of 10 years. We have 4 kids between us and a wonderful Son in Law. 21-yr.-old daughter moved back home...temporarily...in January. LOL.

We live on 12 acres in the Willamette valley in Oregon. Long, long growing season and very mild winters. I could care less about flowers for the most part, but love to grow anything I can eat!! I have a 40 x 50 garden area (fenced with and 8-foot fence for deer) with an odd variety of raised "beds". Whatever can be recycled, re-used, whatever! We have pygmy goats and now (new this year) calves. One will be beef next fall and 2 will be bred to start raising 'new beef'. I have 22 hens that provide us with more eggs than we can eat. That will be reduced by about 10 next month when we butcher the older 'girls'.
Two cats round out the animals here.

My mom canned and froze produce as did my maternal grandmother (they had a 1/2 acre garden...for 2 people).
We raised beef when I was growing up, so I'm a bit spoiled in that department!! I lived 'in town' for many years, but moved back to the country 10 years ago and have never looked back. We are trying to become more and more self-sustaining.

Oh, yeah, I also work outside the home doing documentation work for a scanner manufacturer (look for Spectra-Physics, PSC or Datalogic on the grocery scanner/scale next time you're at the store). I've been with the same company for almost 21 years, through all the name changes!! Although I like what I do, love the people and have good benefits, I really want to be home planting, farming, canning, garden, quilting, cooking or reading!! Darn job!

I discovered GW in 2005 and have been here since then. I certainly take more than I give here and I'm grateful for the generosity of so many (not naming names for fear I'll miss someone!! LOL).

Deanna

I am a grower and nurseryman for the last twenty years. Even though my work means I grow ornamentals and flowers, when I am done with a day's work, then I go out to my vegetable gardens, bramble patches and fruit trees. My mother was raised by her g'parents in a rural quaker community, and monkey see-monkey do. I started canning the year I raised my first garden.

My in-laws were farmers, as well.........and there wasn't much they ever bought in the way of foodstuff with the exception of coffee and salt. I'm married to a retired butcher and have flock of fowl, a small orchard, brambles, and grape vines. In my younger days, I lived in the city, and still had a garden. No back yard, but a garden. LOL.

My son and daughter both were farmers, son still has his farm, daughter moved into landscaping.....but all of us know how to butcher, can, and grow and do.

We love to eat, I love to cook, and my food production keeps us eating fresh, healthy and organic. Over the years, I suspect I have preserved just about everything one can......but I decided I needed to "RELEARN" my methodology, to keep up with new food safety standards. I love this forum and check it daily for helpful hints, good advice, the fellowship of fellow 'food groupies', and of course this year found Annie's Salsa!

I started to learn about gardening in Feb of '08. My main interest in the garden is for food production. I like plants and flowers, but don't have the time, energy, space and finances to do it all. So I concentrate on food.

I am growing food because:

Food quality in the store is low.

Food being sold is unhealthy and devoid of nutrition.

Food costs are getting out of sight.

Food is or will be scare in the future as we become post carbon society due to peak oil and peak natural gas...as well as issues of peak water, overpopulation and global warming.

I am not quite 40 and live in the northern part of RI. I have been married 7 years and have 2 kids (almost 4 and 18 months).
When I was growing up, I always wanted a vegetable garden, but my father wouldn't have me ruining his suburban lawn. When my husband and I bought our house (in January), spring came and this overgrown brick-bordered patch appeared in the backyard. It turns out the family who owned tis house for 35 years before us gardened the whole time.
I have learned alot in the past four years and was thrilled to find the veggie forum on this site. They've been very patient answering my questions.
I started canning this summer (after getting over feeling like a chicken) and have found all of you invaluable (both your knowledge and support).
My husband and I have always been committed to local eating (we fill up our deep freeze every January with beef and pork from a local farm) and feel it's very important our kids know WHERE their food comes from. I'm so happy my son knows what it's like to plant seeds and wait and watch them grow and turn into food. And at 4 he can already tell the difference between the berries we pick (and freeze and now turn into jam) all summer and those awful tasteless things for sale in the supermarkets all year.

My gosh - I can't believe this post is still going. I haven't logged on in several days and didn't expect this to be in the first few posts. Glad we are all taking this a step further and learning about each other!!!

Hi! I've been lurking for a while now and since I have finally taken the "plunge" and been trying my hand at canning, I thought I would finally introduce myself.
I am 31 and live in Auburn, Washington - I've been married two years, no children yet, but two crazy boxer dogs. This has been our first year in our first house, and I'm happy that putting in the garden was our number one priority last winter.
We have have about 400-500 square feet fenced off from the dogs where we have our raised beds and our raspberry, blueberry and strawberries patches. We also have 5 fruit trees (grafted pear, grafted plum, nectarine, peach, and grafted cherry) that we planted last spring, but probably won't start producing for a while. We have lots of wild blackberries all along our property line, so we were able to put up some yummy blackberry jam this year.
I am have a major obsessive personality, so my vegetable gardening obsession has turned into a vegetable and flower gardening obsession and now a vegetable-flower-canning/preserving obsession. What's next?!

I live in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada!!! That's at the very tip of Vancouver Island on the west coast. I've lived in the same housing co-operative for 25 years now. When we moved here it was a sleepy, dusty forgotten area of the city. Now I am surrounded on all sides by multi-million dollar condos, offices, etc in various stages of construction. I can exit either of my doors, walk 50 feet and there they are. Dynamiting, dust and constant noise!! In the back of my row of townhouses we share a very narrow strip of backyard that my husband, my boarder and myself are in the process of converting into vege and flower beds and soon chickens. The entrance to our row was an overgrown mess and I am gradually making it so beautiful with wildflowers, driftwood, white stones from the ocean etc. I have also started working my way along the boulevard, ripping out weeds and ivy and planting flowers. I guess it's saved my sanity creating something beautiful out of years of neglect. It's very hard to cope with the construction especially since I yearn to live in the country but that's the reality of living in Victoria, which is one of the most desirable places to live in Canada. We get very little sunshine in our backyard because the condo next door is, again, about 50 feet away but we have managed to grown potatos, lettuce, peas, tomatos and beets. It's communal so we keep a bit for ourself and give most of the rest away. Unfortunately our co-op is past leaky and will cost about 8 million dollars to fix so it has to be torn down and replaced if we can get the funding. In the meantime I garden and landscape my heart out and try not to worry. This site means a great deal to me in the short space of time I have been a member. The canners here have been so helpful and so quick to answer questions. I am now canning in a safe way thanks to you all. I love canning with a passion even though I have to buy most of my fruits and vegetables. It's so relaxing and rewarding. My other two fav hobbies are button collecting - I bought 500 pounds on Cragislist last year and sea glass collecting like my name!! As I said in my "gross stories" thread I have had many adventures beachcombing but I'd trade it all for a tiny piece of land and a cottage in the country. Lol to you all!!