June, 2025 - Tailspin Farms

June 22, 2025July 12, 2025

Canning Potatoes

How many pounds of potatoes does your family go through in a year? Probably more than you think! Canning potatoes gives you a great quick fix item from your pantry. You can use canned potatoes in so many ways! Try adding them to soups, stews, and casseroles. And don’t forget about mashed potatoes! I have to say when you are trying to figure out what to fix for dinner canned potatoes is a time saver.

Canning Potatoes

For 7 quart jars you’ll need about 20 pounds.. That is an average of 2.5 to 3 pounds per quart. This will vary according to the size of your potato and how much peeling you do.

Supplies and Ingredients

Pressure Canner
Canning jars
Canning lids and rings
Jar lifter and canning funnel
Large bowl
Potato peeler
Sharp knife

Ingredients

Potatoes – about 20 pounds will do 7 quarts
Canning salt – optional
Sea salt –

Prepare your jars and lids and keep them hot until needed. Check the air vent and overlock on the canner lid to make sure they are not blocked.

Preparing the Potatoes

Wash and peel your potatoes. Cut into pieces between 1-2 inch cubes.

Fill a large bowl with cool water and stir in 2 teaspoons of sea salt. Stir it up until it dissolves. This will keep the potatoes from turning brown as you cut them up. This will also rinse away some of the starch. When you are done peeling and cutting, drain, and I like to rinse again. The more you rinse the less starchy your jars will be.

If you have small potatoes that are 1 to 1½ inches in diameter you can leave those whole. Larger potatoes need to be cut into ½ to 1-inch cubes. As you cut them, put them into the salt water. If you have time, leave them in the water for 20 to 30 minutes, changing out the water about halfway through. After the potatoes have soaked in the salt water, get the tea kettle going for the hot to pour over the jarred potatoes.

Drain the potatoes in a colander. Pack the potatoes into the hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Now add the boiling water leaving 1 inch of headspace.

Add canning salt, if desired, using ½ teaspoon in pints, ¾ teaspoon in 1½ pints and 1 teaspoon in quarts. Using a bubble popper or thin knife, run it around the inside of the jar to release any trapped air. Top off with boiling water if needed.

Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean dry cloth or paper towel to make sure it’s clean.

With your lid lifter, pull out the lids and put them on the jars. Screw the rings on finger tight.

Now take that water the lids and rings were in and pour that into the canner, adding a splash of white vinegar if you have hard water.

Processing Potatoes

Ok. Now that the lids are on, it’s time to put the jars into the canner. Put the lid on and seal it and turn the heat to high.

Allow the canner to vent for the specified length of time for your canner.

Now put the regulator on the air vent and bring it up to pressure.

Once it has reached the required pressure, start your timer.

Processing Times

Pints – process for 35 minutes
Quarts – process for 40 minutes

Be sure to use the pressure according to your altitude see the chart below. For more information, see this altitude adjustments page.

When the processing time is up, turn off the heat and allow the pressure to return to zero.

Once the pressure is zero, remove the regulator and wait another 5 to 10 minutes before unsealing the lid.

Make sure the lid is facing away from you when you open the canner.

After processing, remove the jars from the canner and allow them to sit undisturbed for a minimum of 12 hours.

After 12 hours, check the seals, wash and label the jars, and put them away.

Canning potatoes at home gives you a lot of bang for your buck!

Especially if you grow your own.

But you can also save big by stocking up when potatoes are on sale in November and December.

Stored properly, canned potatoes will last a minimum of 2 years.

Must You Really Peel for Canning?

Canning potatoes with skins on is not recommended. Potatoes need to be peeled for canning. It is a safety issue, not just a quality issue. Peels will naturally carry more bacteria that is found in the dirt. Scrub as you like. You’ll still get a cleaner product if you peel.

Yes, you really must peel. The reason is that the spores that can cause issues with botulism are found in the soil. Since the potato grows directly in the soil, there is a higher chance that botulism may be a risk. This is the same with all root crops.

How to Reduce Starchiness in Home Canned Potatoes

Rinse, rinse, and rinse again to reduce starchy, cloudy water. Adding clean, fresh water will reduce the amount of starch in the jars. That high starch content is unappealing but not dangerous.

One thing I noticed with my last batch of potatoes. As the jars set on your shelf… the water gets more starchy with time. This is normal and doesn’t hurt a thing. So don’t be surprised by the unappealing look.

Some links may be affiliated. By purchasing an item from an affiliate link, I receive a small commission – but you are not charged more or less by clicking or purchasing through the link. Thank you for supporting me!

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Tailspin Farms

June 22, 2025July 2, 2025

CANNING DRY BEANS WITHOUT SOAKING

Pressure canning dry beans is an excellent way to preserve nutritious ingredients that can be used in a variety of recipes. However, many people avoid this process because it often involves soaking the beans overnight, which can be time-consuming and inconvenient. Fortunately, there is a simple solution: the easy no soak method. This approach saves both time and effort while still producing delicious, canned beans that are ready to use whenever you need them.

My mom taught me how to can dry beans this way over sixty years ago. Since I started my own family, I have used this method of canning dry beans.

Disclaimer: Canning dried beans without soaking is referred to as rebel canning meaning this method is not approved by the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Canning dried beans USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) is not recommended. You will not find this exact recipe in a Ball canning book or any other canning book. Recipes approved by the National Center for Home Food Preservation require you to either cook the beans first or soak them for an extended period of time. For further safety, you can check the USDA guidelines on how to can dried beans.

Canning pinto beans dry can be done safely if you follow all safety precautions. For this recipe I am pressure canning pinto beans but you can use any dry bean you want. You can use kidney beans, navy beans, great northern beans, black beans or any other dried beans.

Equipment

Pressure canner – You must use a pressure canner when canning beans. Since beans are a low-acidic food you cannot use a water bath canner or a pressure cooker when canning dried beans.
Funnel – A funnel will make adding the beans into the jars much easier especially if you’re not using a wide mouth jar. It is recommended to use stainless steel anytime you are canning.
Debubbler – A debubbler will help to remove any air pockets the beans may create. If you do not have a debubbler a butter knife also works great.
Magnetic lid wand – This will help keep your lids sterile when applying them to your jars.
Stockpot – A stockpot is needed to boil hot water to pour over the beans. It is recommended to use a stainless steel pot as with any canning.
Jars – For this recipe pint or quart jars work best. Wide mouth jars work great but as long as you have a funnel you can use regular mouth.
Lids – Lids need to be new unused canning lids.
Rings – The rings can be used as long as they do not show signs of rust.

Ingredients

Dry beans – You do not have to use pinto beans. This recipe works for any dry beans.
Salt – As with any canning recipe you will need to use canning salt. Not traditional salt.
Water – Hot water.

Vinegar – You won’t be using vinegar in the recipe. It will be used to wipe the rims of your jars to remove any oil or debris.

Depending on what size jars you are using you will need to adjust the recipe accordingly. For pint jars you will add 1/2 a cup of dry beans. For quart jars you will add 1 cup of dry beans. Pint jars you will add 1/2 a teaspoon of salt to each jar. Quarts you will add 1 teaspoon of salt to each jar.

Step 1: Choose Your Beans

Select high-quality, fresh dry beans from a trusted source. Measure out the amount of beans you need based on your jar size and add them to a strainer. For quarts you will need 1 cup of beans for every quart jar. For pints you will need 1/2 a cup of beans for every pint jar.

Step 2: Prepare the Jars and lids.

Wash your jars, lids, and bands in hot soapy water, then rinse them well. Add your canning lids to a pot of water and let boil.

Step 3: Boil water

In a large stock pot or tea kettle add hot water and bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling set it aside.

Step 4: Prep canner

Add water to your pressure canner up to the bottom fill line or approximately 3 quarts of water. Turn the burner on to begin heating the water.

Step 5: Fill the Jars

Using a scoop, transfer the washed beans into your canning jars. For quarts add 1 cup of beans and for pints add 1/2 a cup of beans. (It is going to look like a lot of empty space in the jar but DO NOT add more beans than the recipe calls for. The beans are going to expand as they cook and soak up the liquid. If you have too many beans in a jar it will cause it to burst.) Add salt (this is optional) 1 teaspoon for quarts and 1/2 a teaspoon for pints. Pour the boiling hot water over the dry beans. Leave 1 inch headspace.

Step 6: Add lids and rings

Add vinegar to a rag or paper towel and wipe the ring of each jar to remove any oil, food, or debris. Using the magnetic lid wand place your clean unused lids onto each jar and add a ring. Don’t over tighten the rings but ensure they are on finger tight.

If any of your beans float look them over thoroughly to ensure nothing is wrong with them. If you see a bad bean remove it.

Step 7: Process

Add your jars into heated water in your canner. Place your lid on and ensure it is locked. Turn up the heat on your stove. Once you see a steady stream of steam coming from the vent start the timer for 10 minutes. Dry beans need to process at 10 pounds of pressure. Allow it to vent for 10 minutes and then place your weighted gauge on the canner. (If you’re using a dial gauge canner add your pressure regulator.) Once the weighted gauge begins to rock start your timer for 90 minutes if you’re processing quarts or 75 minutes for pints.

Step 8: Remove jars

After the allotted processing time turn the burner off. Do not do anything to the canner. Allow the canner to cool naturally until the air vent has gone back down. Once the air vent goes back down remove the pressure regulator or weight whichever your canner has. Allow the canner to set for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes open your canner and using the jar lifter remove the jars from the canner.

In conclusion, canning dry beans without soaking is easy and straightforward. Just remember always follow safe home-canning practices, including proper jar preparation and processing time. With these simple steps, you can have delicious and nutritious beans ready to eat at any time!

Have questions? Please ask below on this post. And I’d love to see pictures of your canning projects!

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Tailspin Farms

June 22, 2025June 27, 2025

HOW TO MAKE SWEET TEA

I grew up on sweet tea at every meal… I can’t remember ever drinking milk at a meal other than breakfast. Never would you open a southern refrigerator and not find a pitcher of sweet tea! I’m not sure how old I was before I realized tea wasn’t always served sweet.

Growing up in South Texas we drank sweet tea all day long, every day.

Sweet tea has been a staple since time began in our family. Even today we kept a pitcher of sweet tea in the refrigerator. We love sweet tea!

When friends and family members come over, they always know there is a pitcher of sweet tea in the refrigerator.

Iced black tea with orange and lemon slices served in mason jars. Close-up

Drinking sweet tea without ice is a “no-no” in south Texas! Sweet tea just doesn’t taste right unless it is chilled with ice. Lukewarm tea is horrible.

If you’re from the South, you probably are wondering why we even need a “recipe” for sweet tea! But guess what, not everyone knows how to make the perfect sweet tea. So I thought I would share how I make sweet tea.

Sweet tea isn’t just a process of stirring a spoonful of sugar into a cold glass of tea. Instead, it is typically made by adding sugar to a quick-brewed black tea while the tea is still hot. Sweet tea is always served ice-cold, and sometimes flavored with lemon.

I have a small saucepan that I have used for years to brew only tea in. The saucepan always sits on the stove… just waiting for the next time I make tea. Then I pour the brewed tea into a gallon pitcher with sugar and stir in. Add cold tap water to fill the pitch and refrigerate.

Basic Ingredients

8 small tea bags (or 2 Family size)
1 gallon water
1 cup sugar
Lemon slices (optional

Fill the saucepan with water and tea bags (pull paper tabs off tea bags). Bring to a boil. Turn off heat and strain tea into 1 gallon pitcher with sugar. The hot tea will dissolve the sugar. Add cold tap water till the pitcher is full and stir. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Here is a video I made a few years back on making sweet tea.

Let us know how you like your sweet tea or if you like our recipe.

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Tailspin Farms

June 12, 2025June 22, 2025

BANANA BREAD

This quick and easy banana bread recipe taste delicious and is just like grandma’s old fashioned classic banana bread. I have made this recipe for years. The recipe has been passed down for generations in my family.

It takes only 10 minutes or so to make this moist banana bread before putting it in the oven. In addition, this recipe only uses simple ingredients such as flour, eggs, sugar and of course, RIPE bananas.

The key to great banana bread is RIPE bananas! Not green bananas. Not even perfectly yellow bananas. The best bananas (for banana bread) are those bananas that are soft and have lots of small black and brown spots on the yellow banana peel. Unripe green or yellow bananas have too much starch and are not very flavorful. In contrast, ripe bananas are sweeter, softer and have much more delicious banana flavor. Therefore, the best tasting banana breads are made with ripe bananas!!

As you probably know, banana bread is a type of “quick Bread.” Quick breads use baking soda and / or baking powder to rise versus using yeast. Because quick breads rely on baking soda/powder, they rise more quickly than yeast breads. Most banana breads need only 65-70 minutes or so in the oven before they have risen and are fully cooked. Therefore, great tasting and most banana breads are easy and relatively quick to make! They are a perfect dessert or lunch snack.

loaf of banana bread

bread dough ready for oven

No Caption

Poured the dough into the 2 bread pans

Mixture ready to pour in pan

Pans greased and floured

added flour to pans

Greased pans

Greased pan

Mixed all ingrediants with a hand mixer

Added Milk to mixture

Measuring milk

I used Just Egg” plant-based egg

Adding flour

Adding baking powder

Mixing

Adding soda

Mixed banana and dry ingredients

Mixing

Adding salt

Mashed bananas

Mashing the ripe bananas.

FYI – This banana bread recipe takes me about 10-15 minutes to prepare and clean up. Please be aware that this is an oven-baked banana bread recipe. It is not made with a bread machine.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 eggs or “Just Egg” plant-based egg
1 cup mashed bananas
1/2 cup shortening
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon yeast
1 Tablespoon vinegar plus 1/2 cup of milk

Sift together flour, soda, yeast and salt. cream shortening and sugar into dry ingredients. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until fluffy. Add bananas to mixture. Bake in greased and floured loaf pans at 350 degrees until done.

Equipment needed

Measuring cup and spoons
Measuring cup and spoons
Mixing bowl,
9×5 inch metal bread pan
Oven mitts
Silicon spatula

My family loves this banana bread. They enjoy putting butter on it while it’s still warm. Hope you enjoy this banana bread as much as we do.

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Tailspin Farms

June 4, 2025June 15, 2025

GREEN TOMATO WORMS

I was in our garden and there it was a big green tomato worm! It aet a whole bell pepper. Now the fight was on. In one week, I found about 30 of them dang green worms.

One of my most despised pests is the Tomato Hornworm. Tomato Hornworms are really big green alien-like caterpillars that can munch through and devastate your vegetable garden. The tomato hornworm is a large green caterpillar with a horn-like tail that does tremendous damage to tomato plants. The hornworms have distinctive creamy-white V-shaped stripes along their sides. growing up to 4 or 5 inches in length, known for their voracious appetite. These common garden pests can cause severe damage in vegetable gardens, particularly in midsummer. However, the destructive caterpillars can be challenging to spot on tomato plants because their green color blends in with tomato foliage.

Most of the time I spot the signs of a hornworm before I see the actual caterpillar. The first things you will notice about a hornworms presence is denuded branches and fruits with huge sections eaten out of them. Hornworms love to eat foliage and since they are such large caterpillars, they have a big appetite which means they poop all over! So, watch for bits of black slimy frass (droppings) on the lower leaves or on the ground.

Getting rid of tomato hornworms for good isn’t easy. It takes patience and vigilance to spot the giant fat green worm-like insects. Usually, handpicking the worms and dropping them in soapy water is the most effective way to eradicate them. However, there are several ways to prevent tomato hornworms or control their numbers.

Tomato hornworms can deprive a plant of its leaves leaving them stripped of foliage and vulnerable to sunburn. In severe infestations, they may also feed on the green fruit of tomato plants, causing direct harm to the crop. They also feed on other plants in the Solanaceae family, including peppers, potatoes, and eggplants.

Tomato hornworms undergo complete metamorphosis, transitioning from egg to larva (caterpillar) to pupa and, finally, to an adult sphinx moth. After feeding and growing as caterpillars, they burrow into the soil to pupate and eventually emerge as moths.

Tomato hornworms develop into large, robust moths known as “tomato hornworm moths” or “five-spotted hawkmoths” (Manduca quinquemaculata). These moths are brown heavy-bodied insects with a wingspan of around 4 to 5 inches. They and feature distinctive yellow spots on the sides of the abdomen.

Natural predators of tomato hornworms include various birds, such as sparrows and finches, as well as beneficial insects like parasitoid wasps, which lay their eggs on the caterpillars.

Tomato hornworms leave behind dark droppings, known as “frass.” You may find these droppings on leaves or the ground near where they are feeding.

Tomato hornworms can be challenging to identify on plants because they blend in well with their environment. However, if you spot one under the leaves or crawling on the stems, you can safely remove the caterpillar by hand. Tomato hornworms are harmless and won’t sting you, despite their stinger-like tail, and they are not venomous to humans

One of the first signs of a tomato hornworm infestation is extensive defoliation. The caterpillars can quickly strip tomato plants of their foliage, leaving behind denuded stems and branches. This defoliation not only impacts the plant’s ability to photosynthesize but also makes the fruit more vulnerable to sunburn.

As they feed, tomato hornworms often leave telltale signs behind. You might notice bare stems and branches where the caterpillars have feasted. Also, they typically excrete large amounts of dark droppings called “frass,” which can be another indicator of their presence.

In severe infestations, tomato hornworms can also feed on the green fruit of tomato plants, causing direct damage to the crop. Their chewing results in irregular holes or scars on the surface of tomatoes.

Tomato hornworms are not exclusively tomato-eaters. They also feed on other plants in the Solanaceae family, which includes peppers, potatoes, and eggplants. So, if you grow any of these hornworm hosts nearby, you might find these caterpillars on them as well.

The tomato hornworm life cycle consists of four phases — egg, caterpillar (larva), pupa, and adult moth. The eggs hatch about seven days after the female lays them. From when the caterpillars hatch until they are full grown it takes around four weeks, and the adult moths live for 10 to 30 days.

During the larval stage, tomato hornworms generally stay on the same plant, devouring the leaves thanks to their voracious appetite. Through most of the larval stages, the tomato hornworm retains its identifying features — creamy white V-markings and a black horn tail.

The third stage of the tomato hornworm life cycle is when it goes underground to pupate. The pupa is a large, reddish-brown segmented cigar-like object with a loop at one end.

As their name suggests, the tomato hornworm favors tomato plants and can quickly devour entire leaves, small stems, and even parts of the immature fruit. When these destructive garden pests attack the fruit, they leave large scars on tomatoes.

However, these ravenous caterpillars will also gorge on eggplant, potato, tobacco, and pepper leaves — all plants from the nightshade family Solanaceae.

However, it’s good to note that tomato hornworms are not dangerous to humans. You can safely pick the worms up without fear of being stung. Additionally, despite their insatiable appetite, the green hornworms won’t bite humans, and their black tail isn’t a stinger. Therefore, physically removing them is the best way to prevent damage.

Have you found any green tomato worms in your garden?

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace

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Tailspin Farms

June 1, 2025June 1, 2025

HELLO JUNE 2025

HELLO JUNE 2025

As we step into the month of June, we greet it with open arms and hearts filled with positivity. June arrives like a breath of fresh air, bringing with it a sense of renewal and opportunity.

It’s a time to shed the remnants of the past and embrace the present moment with optimism and enthusiasm. With each sunrise, June offers us a chance to start anew, to set our intentions, and to pursue our dreams.

Let us welcome June with positivity and inspiration, ready to embrace the possibilities that lie ahead. it’s a season of blooming flowers, vibrant colors, and endless possibilities.

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace

Tailspin Farms