Canning

[Aili]

Glad to have sparked such discussion. I was a bit blown away looking at the canning machine - never have I seen such a thing! I am not a "canner" but I remember my gram putting up her berries as jam, and maybe some green beans and corn. Maple syrup was put into mason jars as often as bottles too.

I don't preserve by canning because I'm an urbanite & have only a 4' x 8' garden. I plan for fresh use of produce, with little or no excess to worry about. Someday I'd like to have more land & a large garden, some livestock, but for now it's that, my two cats, an African cichlid and a few guppies.

I certainly understand one's reluctance to experiment when the consequences could be so high. We really don't hear much about people making themselves sick with home-canned goods, usually it's collecting mushrooms that gets people sick, or, unfortunately, store-bought produce and meat that's responsible. 1 in 4 Americans get some form of food poisoning each year (usually mild). I've taken a keen interest in field-to-table processes because we're obviously lacking something here.