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New Member
 
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Last Login: 3/29/2010 7:43:46 AM
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| I am more talking about staples such as corn, green beans and peas but anything really? How do you think you come out money wise and also food quality wise?
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Advanced Member
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| When you speak money wise...do you factor the cost of gas going to pick up your food and the time spent driving? Quality wise growing your own veggies...gives a person pride that one can't explain. However you also have to factor time, fertilizer and seed cost into it. We cream our corn and freeze. Peas we freeze too. But if you go without electricity for severals day are you prepaired to lose the items? We grow a lot, give away a lot and recycle what we can't use. Canning is a lost art down here, the stores are closer if you don't mind the drive. It all comes down to do you have time for one or the other and ever body has there on POV. But you can't put a $ on the food that you make with your own hands for your own family.
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Junior Member
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| We try to freeze whenever possible because it generally takes less preparation time, and is generally less expensive than canning. We still can some vegetables that are simply much better canned, such as tomatoes and green beans. Is it worth it money wise? As a general rule I would say you are at least breaking even canning vegetables in quart jars. When you add in the safety and security factor, I'd say you come out ahead. I don't plan to stop canning.
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Senior Member
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| I can tomatoes and tomato products, but freeze peas, corn, green beans, chard, and beets. I freeze them because their low acidity means that they need to be processed in a pressure cooker and I've never been impressed with the results. I also can grape juice, and some jams and jellies, though most of the jams we prefer as freezer types with their fresher flavor. It is a lot of work, but the quality cannot be compared.
Karen http://www.facebook.com/MrsKsCreations
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New Member
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Last Login: 8/11/2010 7:32:17 PM
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It's difficult to really say... except you know what is in the jar! ... that's the most important thing.
We raised and cared for the produce. If it be green beans, pumpkin, squash, kohlrabi, tomatoes, pickles, Apples/sauce ... I don't remember what else this year. Yes I used both cold water bath, and a pressure canner. I'd recommend getting the largest you can find. Well OK, not the 80qt pot for 1/2 gallon jars. That's a bit much!
We'd not canned in years, I did it by sunshine/moonshine... We got a 2 burner propane stove, I did it all out on the patio. Saved the house getting hot. Kept the mess outside. Tomatoes are the messiest. The kids helped, and had fun. Remembering to get enough lids every week, was the biggest pain.
Consider the shelf life of most canned goods is 2+ years, you're probably doing OK w/ it .
We have our stuff in our shelves. Freezing is OK, but you spend $$ every day burning electricity. Less work but more $$ ... IMHO.
The season is over now, we're just going to enjoy or "produce" all winter long! :)
JLH
JLH
Oldhaus Fibers & Rabbits
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 5/25/2010 7:20:56 PM
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It has been several years since we canned, but my Wife and I started back up again so we had better control over what goes into our children's mouths. And at 25, 21, and 19, everything seems to go into their mouths.
We canned beans, peas, corm, carrots, cubed squash, pickles, and several types of jellies such as raspberry, grape, and quince.
I assisted but my task was to control the dehydrating while my Wife controlled the canning. So we shared resources as needed to get the job done. Our garden could not support all of the vegetables required, so we became very good friends with several local organic growers in the area. They were very supportive when they found out that we were actually going to use what we bought, this helped a lot as they provided lower prices for larger quantities. Many times they gave us everything they had left at the market stands so they did not have to carry it home. We were very thankful.
Vince
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Junior Member
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| We don't do a lot of canning. More freezing or dehydrating. Canning is good for making specialty items. You can make great jams, relishes, and pickles that are not available in stores. I really like a spicy relish made from peppers and it works great in beans. Cheers, Paul
Paul Ewing Shining Moon Farm - Boyd, TX http://www.ShiningMoonFarm.com
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Junior Member
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Yes, I can or dehydrate or freeze or root cellar just about everything.
I've canned jams, jellies, relishes and pickles and fruits for years. This year I got a pressure canner for the low acid foods and wondered why I hadn't gotten one earlier. You need a canner for low acid not a cooker.
I've tried peas - I like dehydrating better... beets, very good... small potatoes, good... squash... soup... stock... tomatoes in all different ways... apples, peaches, pears... pie fillings... meat.
You don't really have to pressure can tomatoes or fruits, however, I lost over a dozen jars last year and had to redo dozens of the fruit jars so this year I pressure canned them - wonderful results and less time on the stove.
Most turn out really well... some things darken in colour, usually from the enzymes in the food.
I like doing it, I get wonderful pleasure from the whole process and seeing jars of food done up. I know where the food came from, how it grew, what chemicals are not put on them while they grew, what chemicals are not put in while preserving and how it's been handled. I either grow it or get it in bulk from a supplier who's very picky about the farms he gets it from. I can serve this food to anyone knowing it's the best I can give them.
If cost is the most important thing to you, then go to the cheapest food you can find.
To me quality is worth the effort.
Valerie
Know someone in Ontario? They can earn money with solar. You can earn money referring them. Email for details.
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 1/2/2010 9:17:18 PM
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I've canned jellies in the past, but I'm planning on broadening my horizons a bit next fall. The thing is, we don't eat much canned food except tomatoes, so it may not be that big of a chore for me at least to start!
Living life more abundantly with five children, four chickens two dogs and a cat.
http://roscommonacres.com
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Advanced Member
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I am not so sure it is really worth it. I guess it depends on your priorities...as others have said, if you want quality and the feel good feeling of putting up your own food, it certainly is worth it.
But if you have a job and want to save money on food, you are better off working some overtime, or doing an odd job here or there. I know one year my ex-wife and I were up at mid-night canning veggies and we both looked at each other and said, "Never again". Now that was after all the tilling, sowing, fertilizing, weeding and harvesting. Pretty hard to justify all that work over going to a store and buying a 50 cent can of peas to be perfectly honest with you.
I live in Maine so it is the same way with fish. Right now it is shrimp season and I can buy shrimp off the boat for 50 cents a pound. But after you spend a day shelling 25 pounds of shrimp, you quickly realize that paying someone else to shell all those shrimp quickly makes sense. They smell, you have to deal with the left over shells, your fingers cramp, etc, etc, etc...
It is not so much laziness as it is reality. I love shrimp and fresh produce, but today there is just too many people out there willing to give away their hard work in shelling shrimp or selling fresh, frozen or canned veggies to make a little cash. I love raising sheep and sell my lambs pretty cheaply...together I help them, and they help me. I don't feel the need to do it all.
******
Tell a welfare recipient they must work and they call their congressman. Tell a farmer he can no longer work and he commits suicide. No wonder 1/2% of the population feeds the other 99-1/2%!!
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