Hello all,

Newbie here, but I have a tough skin so flail away if you think it
necessary.

I got a good deal on a box of peaches and divvied them up for frozen
pies, butters, and parts 'n pieces. The parts 'n pieces are actually
one-sixth slices.
I read -- well, tried to anyway -- some of the R.F.P. FAQ. I think I
know my problem, but I'd like some thoughts from the community at large.
First, I've used the cold pack system for a number of years. I like the
consistency of the finished product and the shelf life is great. The hot
pack seems, at least to me, extra effort in an already tedious process.
Especially canning 15 pints as I've just finished doing.
Here's the problem... No matter how careful I am filling in the voids
with fruit and eliminating any air pockets, when the jars are cooled, set,
and removed from the pressure canner, the fruit has shrunk. The volume of
the fruit has decreased by about 20%.
The jars are not leaking. The headspace is the same as when it was
packed.
I caught a hint in the FAQ that my problem may be cold-pack versus
hot-pack.
Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

Regards,

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer and Photographer