It's gardening time...memory of a "first"

 Let me tell you a little story about my first canning experience.

We had moved to the mini-farm and raised a large garden.

I had a bumper crop of green beans and proudly

gathered them, washed and snapped them. 

And then I put them into my sterilized canning jars and canned

them the old fashioned water bath way.  It took forever.  I 

canned about 3 batches one day which would be 21 jars.

After I got all my 21 jars cooled, I took them out to the

little room in the back of the house that housed my laundry 

and where there were 3 nice shelves above the washer that I

just knew would be a good place to store the green beans.  I

lined them up nicely on the shelf and noticed that I'd have room

for many more.  After a backward glance admiring my handiwork, I

went back into the kitchen to clean up my canning mess.  All of a sudden

came this humongous crashing sound.  I knew the children were playing

outside and glanced out the window to make sure they were okay. 

Then I went into the laundry room.  The shelves had somehow fallen 

away from the wall and I saw all my just newly placed jars

 of green beans on the floor broken.  Every. One. Of. Them.

Needless to say, I felt like crying and swearing off canning forever.

But I didn't do either.  I haven't canned in many years, but

I'll never forget the very first time! 

Have you ever had a canning disaster?  Do you can or

freeze vegetables?  Hope your first experience went better than mine!

Until next time...