Select ripe firm fruits such as grapes, berries of all kinds, cherries, etc. Clean the fruit of any trash such as leaves, small sticks, insects, etc., and then wash it in safe water. Heat the fruit slowly to a simmering temperature without water. Simmer it until the fruit is soft. Strain the juice through clean cheesecloth or other thinly woven cloth which has been boiled for 10 minutes. Add sugar if desired-1 cup to a gallon of juice. Reheat juice to boiling.

Wash the bottles and caps with soap in clean hot water and rinse them well. Then put the washed bottles and caps in a container, cover them with hot water and boil them for 2 to 3 minutes. Fill the hot bottles with hot juice to within 2 inches of the top. Place the cap on and seal the bottle with a mechanical bottle capper. Place the filled bottles in a container of boiling water so that water covers the bottles. Keep the water boiling 5 minutes. Remove the bottles, cool them, and store them in a dark, cool place.

Prepare fruit purees by running washed fruits through a sieve or food mill. Heat the puree to boiling. Add sugar to taste. Fill hot bottles with hot puree to within 3 inches of the top. Place the caps on and seal the bottles. Process them in boiling water that comes over the top of the bottles for 10 minutes.

Vegetables preserved by salting or brining are very popular in some areas. People like their flavor. Sauerkraut, made by salting cabbage, is well known and widely used in many countries.

Salting or brining may be a practical method of preserving vegetables in your area and one which you will want to recommend. The process is not difficult. It is inexpensive and requires little equipment. The vegetables preserved in this way retain a fair amount of vitamins and most of their other food values. Vegetables properly preserved with salt or salt and vinegar will keep for many months in a cool climate. They will keep a much shorter time in a warm climate unless they can be sealed and heat processed when the brining is finished.

For any method of preserving vegetables to be practical there should be a surplus, more vegetables than the family can eat when they are in season. Remember, in areas where there is a year-round growing season, having a continuous supply of fresh vegetables in the family garden is better than preserving.

Before trying to teach salting or brining, study any methods of preserving vegetables already being used in your area. Are people now salting or brining vegetables? If so, are they successful? Is the product of good quality? Do families like vegetables preserved this way? Do they fit into their food patterns? Do some methods give better results than others ? Do families grow enough vegetables to have a surplus for preserving? Can they get the salt? In some countries salt is expensive. Do they have large containers suitable for salting? Could you yourself try two or three vegetables, using the different methods of salting and brining, before you try to show how they are done? You will want to be thoroughly familiar with these methods and the results before you start teaching them to others.

1. Containers such as crocks, glazed pots, or kegs or pails of hard wood. If containers of soft wood are used, the food will likely have the taste and odor of the wood.

2. Cover-may be a solid lid made from hard wood, a latticed wood cover, or a heavy plate-whatever cover is used must fit inside the container so that it can be weighted down to keep the vegetables under the brine.

3. Weight-can be a clean stone or brick which should be covered with melted wax, or a glass jar filled with water.

4. Clean white cloth or clean leaves such as cabbage.

5. Wooden spoons, a sharp knife, and measuring cup.

6. Pure salt and household vinegar.

7. Scales for weighing (when possible).

Three methods of salt preservation are described in this handbook. Certain vegetables like peas, corn, and lima beans contain considerable starch. They require more salt than vegetables like cabbage or turnips. Adding vinegar to the brine for some vegetables insures a better product.

Several different vegetables are listed under each method. This does not mean that those vegetables would be mixed together for salting or brining. Each would be processed separately. For a few vegetables there is a choice of methods.

For fuller instructions and additional information on salting and brining, you may wish to refer to Homemaking Around the World.

Observe these precautions for good results:

1. Follow directions carefully.

2. Weigh salt and vegetables if scales are available. If not, measure both salt and vegetables as accurately as possible.

3. Use clean, fine salt.

4. Use only clean, safe water for washing vegetables and making brine.

5. Be sure containers and all equipment are thoroughly clean.

6. See that brine covers the vegetables at all times to prevent the top layer from spoiling.

7. Keep the top of the brine free from scum and insects.

8. Boil all salted or brined vegetables except those pickled in vinegar for 15 minutes before eating to prevent any danger from botulism.

Vegetables for which this method is recommended: cabbage, turnips, rutabagas, and tender snap beans.

Preparing: Wash all vegetables thoroughly in safe water. If you are using cabbage, remove the outer leaves and core, and then shred the rest with a sharp knife or cut with a cabbage cutter. If using snap beans, cut off the ends and break the rest into short lengths. Scald the beans in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool them quickly. If using turnips or rutabagas, trim them well and shred or slice thinly.

Salting and Packing: For each 10 lbs. of cabbage, turnips, or rutabagas, allow ¼-lb. or ¾-cup of salt. Mix the salt well with the shredded vegetable. For each 10 lbs. of snap beans, allow ½-lb or 1-½ cups of salt and 8 ozs. or 15 tablespoons of vinegar. Mix the salt thoroughly into the beans, then add the vinegar and mix again.

Pack the vegetable firmly into the container. Lay a clean white cloth or clean leaves over the top of the mixture to completely cover it. Then place a fitted cover of hard wood or a thick plate over the cloth or leaves, and weight it down with a stone or other suitable weight. Tie another clean cloth over the top of the container to keep insects out. Set the container in the coolest place possible.

In a short time water will be drawn from the vegetable by the salt. It will form a brine that will rise above the cover. Every day or so take a look at the brining process. When the brine begins to get low, more will need to be added. It is very important to keep the vegetable well covered with brine at all times, otherwise the top layer will spoil. Make more brine by dissolving 1 tablespoon salt to 1 quart of safe water.

The salted vegetable will soon start bubbling. This means fermentation has started. Soon a white scum will form on top. This should be removed every day so. Lift off the weights and the cover of cloth and leaves. Carefully remove the scum with a spoon or cup so that it does not get mixed with the brine. Wash the cloth or leaves and the weights in safe water, add more brine if needed, and weight the vegetable down again. It will take about 2 weeks for the bubbling to stop. Then it is likely the fermentation is over. The vegetable then is cured and can be used.

It should be cooked for 15 minutes before eating. To keep cured vegetables for a longer time, repack them into smaller containers that can be sealed. These then are heat processed in a boiling water bath 25 minutes for pint containers and 30 minutes for quarts. If it is not possible to heat process the cured vegetables, keep the container in as cool a place as possible, and keep the scum removed until the product is entirely used up. Remember if the weather is warm, a cured vegetable may only keep a short time unless it is heat processed.

Vegetables: Corn, shelled peas, shelled lima beans, celery, okra.

Preparing: Select fresh tender vegetables of good quality. If you are using corn, remove the husks and silks. Boil it 10 minutes to set the milk. Cut the kernels from the cob, but not too close. If using peas or lima beans, shell and scald them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool them quickly. If using celery or okra, wash the vegetables in safe water. Cut them crosswise into short lengths. Scald celery in boiling water for 5 minutes and cool it quickly.

Salting and Packing: Use 1 lb. or 3 cups of salt for each 5 lbs. of vegetables. Mix the vegetable well with salt. Pack it firmly into the container, cover with a clean cloth or clean leaves, and weight down following the directions in Method I. Be sure to watch the process and keep the brine over the top of the vegetable. To make additional brine for these vegetables, use 7/8-cup of salt to 1 quart of safe water.

Fermentation may continue with these vegetables for a month. Repacking and processing in hot water is not necessary because of the heavy salting. These vegetables will be quite salty when finished and will likely need to be drained and soaked in water overnight before cooking. However, the salted vegetable might be added directly to unsalted soup stock without soaking. Use ¼-lb. of salted vegetable to 2 qts. of soup. All these vegetables should be cooked at least 15 minutes before eating.

Vegetables: Beets, carrots, cauliflower, snap beans, turnips, beet tops, mustard greens, and turnip greens. Note that snap beans and turnips can also be preserved by Method I.

Preparing: Select tender good quality vegetables. Wash well in safe water. If you are using carrots or beets, trim the tops. Leave the carrots whole without slicing or cutting. Snap beans can be cut into pieces or left whole. Scald them in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool them quickly. Cauliflower should be cut in pieces. Greens must be washed several times to remove grit.

Brining and Packing: Pack the vegetables firmly in clean containers. Cover them with a clean cloth or leaves and weight down as outlined in Method I Then pour over them a brine made by dissolving ¾-cup of salt in 1 gallon of safe water and 1 cup of vinegar. Be sure the brine comes up over the weighted cover. Store the containers in a cool place. Watch and remove scum as it forms. Add more brine when needed.

The fermentation period is about 10 days or 2 weeks. Vegetables preserved this way will keep longer if they can be repacked in smaller containers, sealed, and processed in boiling water as outlined in Method I.

Before cooking for table use they need only to be rinsed with water. They will not need soaking.