I've never tried this, but a friend regularly makes canned beans. Like black beans or pintos. He likes to be able to come home from work and eat beans without having to soak and cook up the big pot each time. He cans them as just plain cooked beans, not flavored with garlic/onion/chiles/etc. I bet there is some kind of canning that is good for every time of year.

Great! Thanks for responding! Does anyone know of any canneries or kitchens we can possibly hold our first canning event? I have a pressure cooker, and canning supplies. I haven't used them yet, I'm scared it may blow up on me
I am working on creating a facebook page, I will share the link once it's finished. I also know of a couple of organic food wholesalers, maybe we can form a buyers club also. One of the wholesalers is http://www.frankferd.com

check out Canning Across America:

canningacrossamerica.com

Awesome idea!!! I would love to do this.

Anonymous wrote:unless you are dirt poor this is a dumb idea

?
I take it then that only the dirt poor eat really good food
You actually have to taste it to know the difference

But I now take comfort knowing that the wealthy are reduced to store bought canned vegetables, fast food, and fancy restaurants that serve canned vegetables

Nothing beats home cooked, stored veggies.
I already started growing my herbs. I just cannot imagine a roast without fresh herbs.

I was PP saying the time to do this is in Aug or Sept, but the PP who said you can do frozen now is right, of course. It is a nice time to do fancy canned stuff like nice jellies from frozen fruit. Also can do marmalades with winter citrus.

For the "this is dumb" poster above, it is called a HOBBY. It is for FUN and because it TASTES GOOD. And because it is really nice to pick your own raspberries from your garden and then have them in your PB&J in February, you know?

unless you are dirt poor this is a dumb idea

I can fruit and just want to add that you don't have to wait until summer. In fact, I consider January/February the best time to can, since it involves the stove going at full blast for a long time.
You can pick fruit in summer and freeze, or buy frozen fruit, which works well.
For other things you do have to be more seasonal, of course. But you can try a small batch of fruit preserves now.

It sounds fun, please keep me posted if you put something together. I just started canning this past summer. I really enjoy it and I made some great Christmas gifts.

Here is my favorite canning blog: http://www.foodinjars.com/ Marisa, the blogger, has a book coming out in May and has posted about having a canning class (for a fee) in the DC and Baltimore areas.

I have gotten some great recipes from http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/ (a food blog, not necessarily canning) and from the book Put Em' Up. http://www.amazon.com/Put-em-Sherri-Brooks-Vinton/dp/1603425462/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330018773&sr=8-1

I throw a canning party every year, but you need to do it in August or September! It takes all day, really, if you want to can enough for everyone to take home. And keep the "party" small. You might be able to have two canning kettles going at once, and it all just takes time, so I'd say 4 "partiers" is about right.

Wrong time of year for it. The best time is when whatever you want to can or preserve is in season. I do my canning from late May through August or September.

That said, you can definitely start learning techniques, gathering equipment, and browsing recipes. My canning "bible" is the USDA canning guide: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/publications_usda.html

It has all the info you need on safe home canning, plus some basic recipes.

I'm not sure how I will go about it. I'm looking for some people so we can put some ideas together.

What is it? Do you invite people over to can and then divvy up the canned goods?

I am looking to start a canning party. I am looking for ways to live more self sufficient. I am a "whole foods mom" and I am looking for like-minded moms. I am new to canning, and I would love to learn more.