Depending upon where you reside, the garden you have relentlessly toiled over is now either producing a bountiful harvest, or is not quite there yet, but the squash and cucumbers are coming along nicely. It’s become apparent, you either have, or will have, more produce than your family can possibly consume before it goes bad, and all your hard efforts will have been wasted. You’ve taken special care to painstakingly grow your garden organically, using only the greenest of methods, and want to preserve the goodness of your healthy harvest. Quit sweating the small stuff. Get in your car, drive to the grocery store, buy some mason jars, and let’s get busy.
As long as you’re at it, why not make it a family project? While the kids are having fun helping you, teach them environmental responsibility by explaining your methods of growing the garden versus traditional commercial methods. They’ll develop a real appreciation, and someday, go and do likewise when their turn comes to plant a garden of their own.
Canning is a relatively simple process which involves heating the food in a canning jar, to a certain temperature, killing all the food spoiling germs. The heating process forces air to vacate the jar. When the jar is sealed, the food is safe from bacteria and will stay preserved for many years, until such time as the jar is reopened. No refrigeration is required, but it is best to keep the filled jars in a cool darkened area such as a pantry closet, or perhaps a cellar if this is an option.
You’ll need a very large pot for boiling water. It must be large enough to cover each jar with water. The best device to use is called a boiling-water canner, and they are readily available for purchase. This is an older method of canning, but still quite effective. It is debated whether boiling the jars in a pot sufficiently kills all bacteria, but it is a method long used by our ancestors for centuries, so you be the judge. It is certainly the least expensive method, and the easiest.
Some prefer to use a pressure canner. These have a lid that locks tight to prevent steam from escaping. Pressure canners allow for very high temperatures, killing off every single germ known to humankind. The down side is, if the lid is opened prior to all the steam escaping via a pressure valve, or if it is knocked off a counter while in use, serious injury could occur as the pressure can cause the device to explode. Once again, you be the judge.
Here is a great video to get you started.
