Tomorrow is the official first day of Fall! Things have been particularly autumnal around Calgary lately, most notably in the crisp weather we've been having. So as summer dresses and bathing suits are stored away and mittens and heavy jackets come back out, many Calgarian's are hurrying to get their homes and lives winterized.
One area of the home that needs to be winterized is the garden! Rather than simply closing up shop, take a moment to do one final harvest! You may be worried that the food your harvest will go bad before it is consumed. If so, we highly recommend canning whatever is leftover so that you can have fresh, home-grown food even in the middle of winter. Not everything is good canned, but many things seem to get even better once canned to savor later. Our favorite? British Columbia peaches and cucumbers turned into pickles.
If you decide to try canning, remember this: your first time will be a trial run. Do not expect perfection and no not bite off more than you can chew. If you know someone who is a seasoned canner, ask them to join you! The more hands-on teaching you can receive, the better. Lean on the support of others and know that it is not as simple as throwing some fruit in a mason jar and calling it a day.
Do your research. Look up different canning recipes that will use the ingredients you already have, or ingredients you can still get at minimal cost because they are in season. Pinterest is a great resource for canning recipes, so we highly recommend you spend some time going through the top pinned ideas.
If you do not have a seasoned canner in your life, find one on YouTube! There are literally hundreds of videos on canning which go through each step in up-close detail. You can pause the video, rewind if you get confused and save it for later.
What are the benefits of canning?
- Fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy during the cold, barren winter.
- FREE fresh fruits and vegetables to enjoy during the cold, barren winter when such items are expensive luxuries.
- You will learn a new skill that allows you to be self reliant when it comes to what you consume.
- You will have a stockpile of canned goods incase of an emergency.
Have fun and don't let the process intimidate you!
Posted by Ken Richter on
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