Question
Hi,  I have never successfully canned or froze any of my garden vegetables.  I want to put up my extra squash, tomatoes, okra, and cucumbers this year.  What would be the best way to put up these vegetables without spending a lot of money on equipment?

Answer
Dear Jeff,
Freezing is just a matter of proper blanching of the veges and tightly sealing the containers.  Most cookbooks have a chapter on that, and if not, a good "old" cook book from a used book store would be the way to go.  I'm trying to get some preserving recipes up on our website, but I don't have it done yet.  As far as canning goes.  Tomatoes have enough acid that a hot water bath works for the canning process with them.  Those instructions would also be in an old cook book.  I make pickles and relishes out of cucumbers, so the vinegar and salt serve as the preservatives in the canning.
My recommendation to you would be to do a bit of homework before the canning season starts and find some jars and a big stainless steel pot.  Even brand new, that can be obtained for less than $50.00 and I find jars all the time at thrift stores, which is probably a good place to find an old cook book as well.  I freeze most of my squash and okra, because it tastes more like fresh, but I do can some of my okra in a pickling solution with a jalapeno pepper, and have found my "hot pickled okra" to be a big hit.  Keep in touch and as the season gets closer, I'd be happy to share recipes you might be interested in.
Kind Regards,
Kindred
www.eingedi.us