Is Home Canning Totally a Thing of the Past?

[Kate]

I've always had a thought that it would be great to do home canning but it's never actually happened and there's a high probability that it never will. There's so much involved, not to mention having to buy the equipment and jars which would be super expensive if I didn't keep up with it.

Is home canning a thing that our grandparents did and then it just died out? Or do people still can? If I'd already have a canner, I think I'd like to do peaches, pears, and crushed tomatoes for soups and stews.

I'd also love canning soups, but I think I heard that more than a regular canner is needed for things like that... a pressure canner, if I'm not mistaken. Anyone have experience?

 

[Alex H]

Just bought an electric 'Stérilisateur'.

Now have 14 jars of peaches and 8 jars of tomato sauce

It's very common here, most supermarkets / garden shops sell the kit and the jars.

 

[zestery]

I know lots of people who do it, though maybe not on the scale that we associate with classic home canning, rural living and places with root cellars.

 

[Alex H]

Why do 'persons of North American origin' )) call it 'canning', when it's really 'bottling' or truly 'jarring'?

 

[MyDigitalpoint]

Yes, canning food from the industrial approach requires equipment for the who process, but food preservation at home is not only possible but actually trendy because many people are adopting a frugal lifestyle, which consist of taking advantage of what you have and save money.

If you have tomatoes at home, then you can make a variety of home-bottled products that are easy to prepare. Sterilization and seal of the product can be done over the stove and products may last from one month to one year depending on what you are bottling and techniques used.

Dehydrating food and freezing food are also two other alternative techniques to preserve food at home for long periods of time without needing special equipment.

 

[Annetteb]

I know a lot of people who still do their own canning. I would live to do this myself, but I don't have the time to do tjis right now because of work. I may try doing some canning next year.

 

[MyDigitalpoint]

This weekend I found a very useful resource site that certainly will help you with canning or any other preservation method you would like to try.

I never seen this before nor heard about, The National Center for Home Food Preservation, source for current research-based recommendations for most methods of home food preservation, http://nchfp.uga.edu

 

[mama2012]

I still raise a garden and can my vegetables so I know what is in my food. Processed foods have so many preservatives and additives in them. This way, there is nothing in my food that I don't know about.

 

[chocomore]

Just bought an electric 'Stérilisateur'.

Now have 14 jars of peaches and 8 jars of tomato sauce

It's very common here, most supermarkets / garden shops sell the kit and the jars.

The supermarkets don't sell them here in the UK l'll have to check out the garden shops.

 

[Annetteb]

This weekend I found a very useful resource site that certainly will help you with canning or any other preservation method you would like to try.

I never seen this before nor heard about, The National Center for Home Food Preservation, source for current research-based recommendations for most methods of home food preservation, http://nchfp.uga.edu

Thanks for the link. I will check that out. I need all the information I can get. I hope I do a good job canning next year.

 

[MyDigitalpoint]

No problem Annetteb, glad to help you out

The supermarkets don't sell them here in the UK l'll have to check out the garden shops.

Electric Stérilisateurs make easier the canning job. Here in my city they are almost seen for sale at supermarkets such as Walmart, and also in stores where cooking and baking tools are sold.

Some years ago there was an electric sterilizing appliance that was sold through the "As Seen on TV" infomercials, so perhaps they can be purchased online with worldwide delivery.

 

[themusicaldemocrat]

There's no doubt that it's less common than it was 60-75 years ago, but there's still a loyal following of people that do it. For me, if I were going to have much of a garden, I'd like to get some real mileage out of the product. Seems like it's a valuable skill to have for survivalists and preppers.

 

[misfitchick]

There is nothing quite as satisfying as growing produce from the ground yourself, watching over it and nurturing it, harvesting it, and then either eating it fresh or preserving it. It's still in style - my mom taught me how and her mom taught her, etc. You also know what is inside the jar when you do it yourself, and I think alot more people are becoming more concerned about that. It's one of those things that may never be a necessity again, but I don't think it will ever go out of style. People are kind of impressed when you tell them you can your own food, ha!

 

[clairebeautiful]

food preservation at home is not only possible but actually trendy because many people are adopting a frugal lifestyle, which consist of taking advantage of what you have and save money.

I couldn't agree more.

All sorts of "old fashioned" things are suddenly becoming trendy. Canning is only one of them. Have you heard of "butter churning parties" ??

My husband is the 5th generation to grow up on his family's farm in Michigan. Though he and his only brother moved away from home, his parents still live there. They rent out the farm land, but every year continue to grow a sizable garden. His mother cans most all of it. And from what I can tell, all of his cousins who live on the farm are avid canners as well.

I love it. I want to learn to do it. His mom brings us jars of home grown fruit and veggies, and then usually stocks our freezer with some beef (from a neighbor) and other frozen fruits and veggies. Even in the small portion she manages to bring (and that I can store) it seems that it lasts for weeks. It makes me want to expand my own garden and get in on the trend.