We harvested our cabbage yesterday. It wasn’t our best crop of cabbage, but it was better than we thought it was going to be so we were pleased with it.

Several heads of cabbage were lost to slug damage. I hope to remedy that next year. The weed barrier we use underneath the cabbage is wonderful for preventing weeds inside the row cover, but it gives slugs and snails a good place to congregate.

As soon as Matt pulled up the cabbage I started in making kraut. All the kraut from last year was eat up a good while back so we’re looking forward to this year’s batch.

For several years I’ve been making my kraut in the jar like Granny did. You can see how Granny and Pap make kraut here.

I have canning jars that I inherited from family and friends. I also have canning jars I’ve bought over the years Matt and I have been married.

As I was filling an old jar with chopped cabbage I started thinking about how many times I might have filled it with food over the years.

In the past it might have held green beans, tomatoes, cabbage, pickles, grape juice, blackberry juice, tomato juice or potatoes from our garden. It might also have held deer meat. Since the jar is quite old it was likely used by someone before me. No telling what food it held to feed their family.

I have a great fondness for the canning jars that sit on my canning shelves and I’m thankful for the nourishment they hold.

Tipper

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