Kristen,

I started canning last year. I made jams (I was so shocked how easy these are to make)  and some homemade tomato salsa and canned them in a water bath canner and gave them away as Christmas gifts last year. The people at work I gave them to raved about them and it was very simple to do; the jam is actually easier than the salsa, because fresh salsa takes a lot of slicing and dicing but I invested in a food processor and it saves some time. THIS year I canned my first couple of cans of green beans. I will be canning more. If you are going to can veggies like greens or carrots or beans, you have to invest in a pressure canner, but you have to gauge the eventual payoff of the investment. YOUR canned green beans will still taste and I think will be healthier eating than the over-processed canned veggies you get at the grocery store. I have Ball's Bluebook guide to canning in both hard copy and electronic form (cell phone kindle app) - there are a TON of canning recipes for all kinds of things. Also, my pressure canner also came with a little recipe book and the canning instructions. Most places (Walmart, Kmart I think, and grocery stores) sell canning kits and canning supplies like the jars and lids,canning salt and pectin, etc. The longest part of the entire process is the time the jars are in the canner, and you don't have to hover over it or anything, just periodically check the gauge to keep it at the right pressure. Go to www.pickyourown.org, there is good information there about canning. If you are considering it, chances are once you have done it a couple of times and see how easy it is, you'll be hooked!

I was a first time canner (water bath) last year ... and while it may seem daunting ... the hardest part for me was the prep.  I canned tomatoes, salsa & pear honey (I think I peeled pears for hours).  There are some good resources on line to help you with simple recipes and what you can & can't "can".   This year I'm investing in a Victorio strainer to help with my tomato prep. 

On another link I gave some summery of the books i use. Canning is fun I always experiment and have a great time making something unique. If you keep suff clean and processed properly you cant go wrong. (I have jam from 2009 that is still good, and tastes fine, there was a lot of it and some got pushed in the back lol) If the jam/jelly doesn't set use it on ice cream or pancakes as a syrup. Its a blast and so much fun to do with a friend or partner :)

We started canning with a hot water canner 3 years ago, and we have really enjoyed all the fruits and vegetables that we have preserved.  We make pickles of all types, tomato sauce, apple juice, grape juice, pear juice and jam, jelly and butter of many flavors.  We have alot of asthma and allergies in our family, and it seems that alot of the chemicals they use to preserve food bothers us, actually makes us sick.  Home canning allows us to know what we are eating and keeps us healthier.  It was amazing how quickly the kids decided they liked the home preserved foods over the store bought foods.  They especially love the juices and the apple butter.  Apple butter has actually become a favorite for many friends and relatives, too.       When we started, there was some confusion on exactly "how to can" .  I have quite a few recipe books, but many assumed you knew how to can, so the instructions were quite general.  Finally, I was given a copy of the "Ball Blue Book of Preserving".  This is a very good starter book.  It gives good instructions, and it is updated with the current "Safety Measures", which have changed over time.  Once you have a good understanding of "how to can", the possibilities become endless, there are recipes in every cook book, and also on the internet.  It really is a fun experience, and makes you truly appreciate the work of our grandmothers and the pioneers of this process.  It is a very rewarding feeling to eat the food that you have preserved.  This year will be an exciting one, as we now have a pressure canner and we are planning to can Green Beans, carrots and anything else we can.  It will be exciting!