Vacuum Sealing

We've been out of town for my brother's wedding and the summer has been a little crazy, so I haven't posted in awhile. Right before we left I used some of our budgeted "emergency preparedness" money and got a FoodSaver vacuum sealer. I found a fairly inexpensive one on amazon and am super happy! My 4-year-old son and I have had lots of fun sealing up jars of nuts, raisins, grains, etc. This vacuum seal thing is going to be great in helping me cut back on my plastic bag useage. Now I'm going to have to get some more glass mason jars!

We've also had a few trips to Larriland Farms to pick our own cherries and raspberries. I had to stick everything in the freezer because I couldn't mentally deal with canning that much fruit. (I picked waaaaaay too many cherries!) I finally got around to canning half the cherries as cherry pie filling. I was forced into it really, because I needed the freezer space. :-) Next I need to can my raspberries into jam, because I can't live without my raspberry jam! And then at the farmer's market yesterday they had a big box of tomato seconds (imperfect ones) for $10 and I couldn't refuse! I'm going to skin and can these as diced tomatoes and I'm going to do that sometime today or tomorrow.... (yeah right!) Here's hoping anyway, because I seriously do not have any freezer space. Man, it's hard canning stuff all by your lonesome. Where's the group of women that come by and can stuff all day together?? Please come to my rescue, ladies! haha!