From Garden to Pressure Canned Pickled Carrots

I planted a 30 foot by 3 foot raised bed of carrots. I am harvesting the carrots and have to get them out of the ground before the ground freezes. I plant the seeds around June 1st. We are getting below freezing temperatures at night for a week so he clock is ticking!

I use 4 mil plastic cover over the bed at night to keep the frost out and retain heat in the soil. I didn't water the carrots a lot this summer. The bed acts like a refrigerator until I am ready to pick them. The bed is 12 inches deep. I use 2 layers of 2X6 inch planks to form the bed.  I also cover the bed with deer fencing to keep squirrels, possum, and raccoons out of the bed.

Carrot ready for harvest:

Typical carrot:

Carrots ready to be processed;

The carrots are cleaned, washed, greens removed, ends cut, and outer skin shaved. All carrot waste is put into my indoor worm composting bins. They are in my office. They make great foot rests.

I use of-the-shelf  Mrs. Wages Pickle juice pack to mass produce the pickled carrots. I usually buy the packs at a deep discount when they are on sale after the normal canned goods season.  I will, in the future, make-up some recipes but my priority is to get the crop out of the ground and into the jars for now. It's an availability thing.

Mixing the batch. One packet makes enough for 4 jars.

Carrots, sliced and going into the jar:

Here is a batch ready to be canned.  I use an All American canner. I can make 4 jars at a time. You will buy one for life. Just follow the instructions in the booklet. I also use the Ball Canning Handbook. FOLLOW SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS.

Always make sure the canner rests on the burner, not on the edge of the stove. This will help prevent heat transfer to the stove surface. You can get burned and damage your stove !!!!

I always wear these during the canning operation. SAFETY FIRST !!!

After processing. So many carrots, so little time. I will post a picture of all of the jars later.