We have had mixed success in our garden so far. We knew the garden would be a learning experience but it doesn’t make failed veggies any less depressing! One real success has been pole beans. We got a pretty good bunch of those. I was really anxious to try to can them. I have never canned so this (as many things I do) was a big experiment. I chose a very simple pickling recipe here and then hit Wal-Mart for the supplies. Unfortunately, I should have done a bit more research about my glass-top stove and canning before I invested. Large canning pots will not work on a glass-top stove – they just don’t get hot enough. Luckily we had a smaller pot handy that I switched my jars to pre-boil. Crisis averted, I was able to get canning.
There are a few steps to this whole thing but once you get going it doesn’t seem so daunting. The tough thing is that we have to wait 2 to 3 weeks for the beans to pickle before we can try them. My fingers are crossed!
is a really great book. Zakka is a Japanese term for “sundries” but it has come to be associated with handmade things that are useful and pleasing. The author and designer, 
Follow The Studio & Make Life Creative!