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We're looking at the fruits and the vegetables and of course all the jams and jellies and so forth.
We're looking for the quality
And we also look at the pack, then we look at the cleanliness of the container and also the seal
When we're looking at the quality, we're looking at the color of it, we're looking at the appearence
and we're looking a the pack, we're looking at the uniformity
of the size and shape of the fruit or vegetable in the jar.
And also we're looking at the proportion of solids to liquid
and if the liquid covers the food.
And then when it comes to pickles, we want them to be uniform and how they're packed in the jar.
With the jelly and jams and preservatives, we're looking at the clearness and the sparkle
We also want to look at the texture, if it's too soft or too firm,
Well, I've been enterend in the fair for fifty years,
but not necessarily in canning, I started off with crochet.
and I really don't remember the year I started canning, but it's been a long time.
When I was a child I had to help my mother, because we lived in the country
on the farm and we had to raise quite everything we ate
so, naturally, I came from a large family and we had to help mom.
with the canning and things.
Then when I got married, we had a right big yard and we decided to have a little garden in the backyard.
So we just planted vegetables and when we had a surplus, I, we'd can.
I've got 48 ribbons all together, but I don't remember how many blue ribbons and how many red ribbons.
Most of them weren't red. (How'd you do this year?) I did well.
I started entering the fair, first by entering two cakes, and both of them won.
And then I got kind of hooked and I just started reading the directions for jams and jellies.
I found out my fruit floated, (Laughter) but my jelly was sparkly!
So, I started entering jelly and used it as a learning experience.
I just kind of learned by myself.
It's no secret. (Laughter) I just do the best I can and hope the judges like the product.
You run a knife down it, in three or four places around the jar and the bubbles will come right up.
Sounds like you all are doing the right things!
Well, as you see, I slice them, and just cook them.
Not real done, just cook them until they're sort of soft, and I pack them in the jar.
A teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of salt, I put that in everything that I can.
They say it preserves the flavor, and then I proccess them in a pressure cooker,
a few at a time, and then depending on what vegetable you can and how long you have to proccess it.
Well, in jelly, most of the time, it's only lemon juice.
That's it, to give it the flavor. You've got to find the fruit,
and you either have to chop, or core, peel
but most of the time you have to cook and simmer and you have to drain it,
through a cheese clot, and that's kind of a long process
I put my juice in the refrigerator after it's drained,
so that the sediment will go to the bottom.
And then I strain again the next morning only the top,
because I want a clear, sparkly jelly! (Laughter)