Tips for using the dry canner

We have a dry canner in our ward building now. (I am the one to call if you want to use it.) It weighs about 60 pounds, so be aware of that. One woman cannot lift it alone. When you get it, the two sticks will be screwed into the base, as shown in this picture.

Sticks screwed into the base, for transporting and storing.

You need to unscrew them both, and screw them into the holes at the top of the machine before using it.

Sticks in proper position for canning.

Oxygen Absorbers

I'm trying to put loads of "water storage and water filtration" type articles on my blog this month, because that is the goal of our bishop's challenge this month.

However, our ward is also supposed to be continuing to buy food for our 3 month's supply and our long term storage.

I did a Relief Society display last night about dry canning, and wanted to give this link for some really good information on Oxygen Absorbers.  It is posted on FoodStorageMadeEasy.net.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2012/04/30/oxygen-absorbers/

"Why would I want to use the dry canner instead of going to the cannery?"

You might ask “Why would I want to use the dry pack canner?”

IT MAY NOT BE CONVENIENT FOR YOU TO CAN AT THE CANNERY

You might have small children or a busy life, where you cannot go to the Greensboro cannery and stay for several hours canning your food there.  If you can buy the food in bulk at either the cannery or Sam’s or Costco, then you would be able to borrow the dry pack canner and package all the food at your own home on your own schedule.

YOU MAY WANT TO CAN SOMETHING THAT THE CANNERY DOESN’T CARRY.

The cannery only has a limited list of commodities to buy:  Three types of beans, powdered milk, white rice, white sugar, two kinds of wheat, dehydrated apple slices, carrots, macaroni and spaghetti, 2 kinds of oats, dry onions, and potato flakes.  If you want to get something different, an exotic kind of rice or grain, a different type of pasta, something the cannery doesn’t stock, then you could can it at your house.

YOU MIGHT BE IN A HURRY

If you read enough of my posts, you might be getting an idea that time is getting short and we really need to get our food storage sooner, not later. (Hint, hint.)  However, when I talked to Sister Mangum this week, the first opening she has for someone to go can at the cannery is APRIL 16.  She said that if I was just picking up empty cans and/or bulk food (in big bags), I could come get them at a time when others are already scheduled.

New Dry Pack Canner for the Morrisville Building

The Morrisville Building has received its Dry Pack Canner!   Appointments to use it should be made through me.

Now that we have our own canner, you will be able to can all sorts of dry commodities, such as wheat, flour, sugar, powdered milk, macaroni, rice, oats, etc. in the comfort of your own home or garage.  

But first, you have to obtain some empty cans and lids.

I just spoke to Sister Mangum, who is in charge of the Greensboro Family Home Storage Center (or “cannery”).  That is where you will have to go to buy the empty cans and lids.

http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,7550-1-4066-1,00.html

We can buy the empty #10 cans for $0.75 each, and the metal lids for $0.15 each.  A plastic lid is $0.10.

You will also want to buy one Oxygen Absorber to put inside each can.  They are $0.10 each.  All dry canned food items must contain an oxygen absorber so that creepy crawlies don’t hatch out in the food and start to reproduce.  The oxygen absorber makes it so that IF a bug hatches, it will immediately die from lack of oxygen.

The ONLY EXCEPTION is white sugar.  Do not add oxygen absorbers to white sugar, it will turn into a solid brick.  There are no bug problems with sugar, so it is fine to just seal it inside the can without treating it.

(Canning at our church building is strictly forbidden, for insurance reasons.  I think the Church does not want to be held liable for any food safety.  I cannot even do any dry canning demonstrations in the building.)

We're getting a canner!

Our ward building will be receiving a canner any day now!  This is good news, because now we will be able to check it out and use it in our homes to do dry canning of items like rice, sugar, macaroni, wheat, etc. You will just have to obtain empty cans and lids from the cannery in Greensboro, and your food items.  It is very easy to operate one of these dry canners, I've used one several times.

More information to come.