still preserving in Michigan

18 years ago

Does anyone else out there still can his/her own produce? I just "put up" (what a wonderful old-fashioned term) a bushel of peaches from the farm market and 10 quarts of tomato juice from my own garden.

I find it very satisfying to have shelves full of home-canned goods. I like knowing where the food came from and how it was grown - but most people seem to see it as just too much work.

How do you respond to people who see home-preserving as a waste of time and money (and don't hesitate to tell you so....)?

Comments (5)

baskettinaa
18 years ago
Julianna,
I do still can. Actually, I started only 5yrs ago. A few people find me a bit odd, until they taste my salsa! Then, they are eager to find out when I'll be canning again. :-)

Like you, I enjoy knowing that I'm helping to minimize the amount of 'junk' or processed foods in my family's diet.

Also, I let people know that it's truly worth it to me. I'm a full-time business woman who travels alot, but who MAKES the time to can. :-)
username_5
18 years ago
I still can tomatos and pickle things like beans, onions, garlic and eggs (ok, I didn't grow the eggs). Other than that I don't do much canning, lots of freezing though. I think freezing preserves the freshness and crispness better for many things than canning.
Peach_Fuzz
18 years ago
I love to can. I make pickles, jellies and jams, and am waiting for enough tomatoes get ripe to make chili sauce. Some people do find it odd that I take all the time to can, but when they taste the difference between commercial jam and homeade, they understand.
diggerb2
18 years ago
I used to do a lot more preserving when my kids were younger and i worked a 3-11 shift-- so i had my days free
to putter and do stuff like that. I used to go pick the fruit, make the jelly & jam and put up pickles. I would make 12 jars of 12 flavored jams and 12 jars of 3 types of picles to send out as holiday gifts (kind of a jam of the month). Nothing tastes better. But now I work 6 am-3 and just don't get the time. But i still put up some goodies. Usually I pick apples and make sauce to freeze. Or i make pies to feeze-- it's nice just to pop one into the oven and have home-made fresh baked for dessert. Usually i do those little gourmet
delights that are expensive and take tons of time to make.
roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, pesto etc. just have around to use.
but yes making your own just can't be beat
diggerb
jschmenk81
18 years ago
I just started canning this year at 23 years old, and I love it, but many people think its pretty strange because not many people can, especially people my age. But I think home canned food just tastes so good. I think that if the people who think its a waste of time taste the quality of home canned gooddies they would shut up and probably want you to make more for them. My husband thought it was weird when I wanted to start canning, but definitely appreciates the jam I've made.