Started this morning, harvesting, blanching, peeling, chopping,
measuring & mixing ingredients for a big batch of salsa.
It's bubbling away right now in a big stainless steel pot on the
stove.
At least we don't have to stand there stirring. I got tired of that
job many years ago and built an auto stirrer. BBQ rotisserie motor
with some S/S shaft, paddle made out of a HDPE cutting board, all
mounted on a maple frame that fits the pot handles. Works like a
charm.
http://tinypic.com/r/qpm7t5/6
When we finish much later tonight we should have about twenty six
500ml jars, all processed and labeled.

Ross.
Southern Ontario, Canada

On 8/25/2012 4:37 PM, Ross@home wrote:
> Started this morning, harvesting, blanching, peeling, chopping,
> measuring & mixing ingredients for a big batch of salsa.
> It's bubbling away right now in a big stainless steel pot on the
> stove.
> At least we don't have to stand there stirring. I got tired of that
> job many years ago and built an auto stirrer. BBQ rotisserie motor
> with some S/S shaft, paddle made out of a HDPE cutting board, all
> mounted on a maple frame that fits the pot handles. Works like a
> charm.
> http://tinypic.com/r/qpm7t5/6
> When we finish much later tonight we should have about twenty six
> 500ml jars, all processed and labeled.
>
> Ross.
> Southern Ontario, Canada
>
Drat! I just threw out an unused BBQ pit rotisserie rig last week. Hope
you don't mind Ross, I copied your picture and saved it. Once I'm moved
I do believe I will build one. I have a nice piece of medium weight
stainless steel that would make an excellent paddle and most thrift
shops have rotisserie motors laying around. Sure beats standing there
stirring until you fall over.

George, watching tropical storm Isaac

On Sat, 25 Aug 2012 19:16:11 -0500, George Shirley
> wrote:

>On 8/25/2012 4:37 PM, Ross@home wrote:
>> Started this morning, harvesting, blanching, peeling, chopping,
>> measuring & mixing ingredients for a big batch of salsa.
>> It's bubbling away right now in a big stainless steel pot on the
>> stove.
>> At least we don't have to stand there stirring. I got tired of that
>> job many years ago and built an auto stirrer. BBQ rotisserie motor
>> with some S/S shaft, paddle made out of a HDPE cutting board, all
>> mounted on a maple frame that fits the pot handles. Works like a
>> charm.
>> http://tinypic.com/r/qpm7t5/6
>> When we finish much later tonight we should have about twenty six
>> 500ml jars, all processed and labeled.
>>
>> Ross.
>> Southern Ontario, Canada
>>
>Drat! I just threw out an unused BBQ pit rotisserie rig last week. Hope
>you don't mind Ross, I copied your picture and saved it. Once I'm moved
>I do believe I will build one. I have a nice piece of medium weight
>stainless steel that would make an excellent paddle and most thrift
>shops have rotisserie motors laying around. Sure beats standing there
>stirring until you fall over.
>
>George, watching tropical storm Isaac


Sure does beat the standing and stirring routine.
I sent you a few more photos showing more of the construction details
on the one I built.
Hope Isaac doesn't do you any harm.
I just took the last salsa load out of the canner. Came to a total of
twenty eight 500ml jars BWB'd with almost another full one for the
fridge.
Labels are printed but, they can wait until tomorrow.
It is now 10:50pm, disregarding the cost of material, and if we were
paid at Ontario's minimum wage of $10.25/hr for the two of us, that's
$8.50 a jar. If we took into account the time spent in the garden that
would probably jump to $85.00 a jar. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Ross.
Southern Ontario, Canada

Ross@home wrote:
....
> It is now 10:50pm, disregarding the cost of material, and if we were
> paid at Ontario's minimum wage of $10.25/hr for the two of us, that's
> $8.50 a jar. If we took into account the time spent in the garden that
> would probably jump to $85.00 a jar. Wouldn't have it any other way.

agreed.

there's a lot of satisfaction in opening a jar
of homemade goodies and knowing what is in there.

once the jars, bands and equipment are used for
a few years the expenses are quite low as long as
we don't get into a lot of extra ingredients.

time, well we got that...


songbird