Savor Summer's HARVEST All Year Long
October/November 2001
By Louise Langsner
want three things from my food: I want to know what's in it. I want rich, home-grown flavor. And I want to feel some measure of self-reliance. The global supermarket can't give me any of these things. Home food preservation can.
RELATED CONTENT
No factory worker can seal up the tender, sweet taste of fresh-from-the-garden corn better than you can. Commercially grown apples can never offer anything like applesauce made from Grandma's June apples. Store-bought pasta sauces will never give you the peace of mind and sense of satisfaction you get from making your own sauce with pesticide- and herbicide-free, organic tomatoes.
Home food preservation is about flavor, quality and purity. It also can be about economics and getting the most out of your garden. Most gardens easily produce more than a family can eat fresh: Even one cherry tomato plant can be hard to keep up with. Preserving the surplus allows you to enjoy the benefits of your summer's labor over a whole year.
Even if you don't have garden surplus, buying and preserving produce from a farmer's market or from a neighbor will save money. Top-quality frozen or canned vegetables often cost more than a dollar a pound, and organically grown frozen produce can be close to $4 a pound.
Besides, food preservation is fun. The work lends itself well to collective efforts, so it is a good opportunity to enlist the kids or have a work party with friends or family. There is nothing difficult about the process, just a series of little jobs. With a few helpers you can set up an assembly line and enjoy a day of conversation and company while the larder gets stocked for winter.
GETTING STARTED
The first thing you need is fresh produce. If your own garden isn't big enough to grow extra, check out nearby pick-your-own farms or bulk buying from a local grower. Bulk prices at produce stands and farmer's markets are usually very reasonable, as well. Growers may have tomatoes too ripe for shipping they'll sell for very little, and orchards do the same with windfall apples.
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