Can-It-Forward Day July 14th!

Its about this time of year that the water glasses in my kitchen cupboard look a lot less like water glasses and a lot more like Ball and Kerr jars that once held the contents of something from last season that have long since been consumed.

It’s also about this time of year that I lay out my plan of attack to can and preserve the bounty of the season. Jams, pickles, whole fruits, sauces and juices all packed and poured into glass jars of all shapes and sizes until I can’t seem to find anymore jars running around or things to put in them. Then come fall, I will stand back and look at the racks and shelves in my garage and pantry and smile with satisfaction and make a mental tally of my rationing method for the winter.

Some people think I’m plain crazy for doing all of that canning work. Others say its a waste of money. But I have yet one person to make a peep when they are stuffing themselves in the middle of winter with pancakes covered in fresh jam or dining on fresh pasta with homemade spaghetti sauce.

Yes, it takes work, time and it’s not necessarily a money saving scheme. But I know exactly what I’m eating, where it came from and how it was handled. I don’t have to read the label of the jar to know that I’m eating some of the best food I can get a hold of. I also justify eating as much of it as I want because I made it all and darn it, I earned those calories.

The trending in the last few years across the country indicates that more and more people are returning to the practice of home preservation. So much so that for the third year in a row, Ball is sponsoring the annual Can-It-Forward Day. You can find out all of the information on their website, but the basic premise of the day is that you to CAN do it.

If you’re feeling really inspired check out my friend, Cathy Barrow’s awesome website- Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Kitchen. Cathy is an AWESOME resource for newbie and veteran canners alike.

I promise I will be posting information for jam, pickle, tomato and peach canning classes soon. I’ve been watching the garden carefully and trying to determine the dates in which pickling cucumbers will be ready this year. Come this fall I will be canning applesauce (um, baby food is a new thought process that is starting to creep into my mind), pumpkin and grape juice.

Until then, go forth and can something!