Back when I lived in Mississippi, my closest friend, Larry, was a third-generation farmer.
A bachelor, he lived in the original family farm home with his mother, Miss Anna Lou, while his brothers and their families lived down the road.
Every summer during July and August, when I called the house to talk to Larry, Miss Anna Lou answered the phone.
When I asked what she was up to, the response invariably was, "I'm canning (fill in the blank)"
Being from The Depression generation, and a lifelong farm/country dweller, canning everything in sight in the middle of hot summer weather was a way of life for Miss Anna Lou.
I was interested in canning myself; however, I worked full-time and commuted 2 hours a day, and by the time the weekend came I was just too lazy! Plus, a friend of mine said he and his wife got fired up about making homemade jam, but reported that it was a hassle and everything was so expensive that the jam wound up costing about $5 a jar. I guess you have to be committed, organized, and do a lot of canning to make it pay off.
I did go so far as to attending a class on canning and buying a water bath canner and a case of jars, but they remained unopened in my cupboard for several years. I wound up giving them to my neighbor when I moved to Nashville.
But now that I am working at home and even partly taking this summer off, I am considering doing some canning.
What to can?
Probably mostly tomatoes and tomato products, like salsa or maybe even homemade ketchup.
Maybe some green beans. Corn, I would probably freeze.
It's all just a matter of getting organized, not my strong point.
How about you? Do you "put up"? as we say in the South? Will you this year, given rising food costs?
Do you have a favorite canning memory from childhood? (no one in my family canned while I was growing up).
For some canning tips, here's a great article from Radish Magazine:
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