It is quite common for the American family to have a garden growing in the backyard and up until recently, the produce that the garden produced was used when it was needed or wanted. Due to the recession however, amateur and professional gardeners have jumped on the canning ship in order to save every ounce of produce that their gardens are producing. While it is not known how many people have started canning for their first time or how many people have started canning again, there are a couple of things that stick out.
A website run by the organization Canning Across America has seen a spike in those looking for information on how to can. The organization also holds simultaneous canning festivals at the end of every August and the number of people who showed up also increased recently. Canning jar and equipment suppliers have noted that their sales have increased an average of 30% this year, compared to the same time period in 2008. It has also been noticed that canning equipment and jars have started to fill shelves at grocery stores and supercenters across the nation. A couple of short years ago, it was common to only be able to find canning equipment and jars at yard sales.
As noted, canning is making comeback due to people trying to find new ways to save money. Most people assume that canning fresh grown produce from their garden is cheaper than buying produce in the grocery store because they can grow vast quantities. Canned produce can often last several months to several years, which also makes cost effective since spoiling is not an issue. Other people are canning however, because they have control over the amount of sugar, salt and other additives that go into the food product that they can. In turn, this leads to healthier foods and more people are starting to become more health conscious than they used to be.
To many, canning sounds like the perfect idea to eat healthy foods and save money at the same time, but there are also a few drawbacks. Several types of produce contains a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. If the bacteria is present and placed in a jar, it can actually cause botulism, which is a form of food poisoning that is deadly. Due to this, strict guidelines that are set forth by the U.S. Agriculture department must be followed. The bacteria can normally be killed by using a pressure cooker that heat the produce to a temperature hot enough to kill it.
Aside from the methods that need to be used to kill the potentially fatal bacteria, the produce needs to be cut, the jars need to be washed, stuffed with the produce and then submerged into very hot water in order to create the seal and ensure that all bacteria has been dealt with. If you have a day or two a week that you can devote to this process then it might not seem like such hard work.
Cost is also another big factor in whether or not canning is actually worth all of the hassle. The jars cost money and it also costs money to plant and maintain a garden. After all is said and done, canning does not actually cost that much less to do than going to the local market and picking up the produce that a person needs. Canning is however definitely making a comeback and people seem to be making it their produce niche. For more information on canning and other ways that people are saving money, see http://www.theinternettimemachine.com.
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