Canning is a lot of fun!  Last weekend, I made and canned 15 quarts and 6 pints of Dill Pickles out of produce purchased at the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market. It was a lot of fun, and it was a good warm-up for what is going coming in August: harvest season! It is almost time to make salsas, sauces, and relishes! I can’t wait!

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If you are growing food in your garden, you know (or will find out) that the harvest really starts in August. Plants you grew from seeds or purchased in the spring are starting to produce!

What do you do with all of your produce?

You could eat it, but chances are that you are about to get overwhelmed. You just can’t eat all that zucchini!

You can give some away, which is great. This is a great way to start building relationships in your immediate community. I fully endorse that!

There is one other option, however.

What about Canning?

Let me ask you:

  • How about preserving your harvest?
  • Do you know how to safely can your produce at your home?
  • Do you know where to start?

Canning is a method of saving that nutritious food for later seasons. You fill your own jars and know what exactly you are eating. That is so critical these days where we seem to have a food advisory, recall notice or flat out parasite infestation (hello McDonald’s, Trader Joe’s, Krogers and Walgreens) almost daily.

By growing and preserving your own food, you will have the satisfaction of knowing just what hands have handled your food and what is in your jars.

Where to Start?

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So many people want to start canning but are stuck.  They don’t know where to start.

Sharon Peterson from Simply Canning agreed to partner with Small Scale Life to teach you how to preserve food safely. With your subscription to this class, you will get the following:

  • What canning method you should use
  • Information on Canning Equipment
  • Which Pressure Canner is the best
  • How Waterbath Canners work
  • How Pressure Canners work
  • What to do with your jars once you are done canning
  • Printable Altitude Adjustment Charts
  • Printable recipes in the free download, Simply Canning Guide
  • Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
  • New tutorials added throughout the canning season

The great thing about the Canning Basics Class is that you can take it on your own schedule and at your pace. This is an on-line course that brings you right into Sharon’s kitchen and lets you see the process from start to finish.

My Story

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I got into gardening in 2009 because I wanted to grow my own food and preserve my harvest for a rainy (or winter) day. I wanted to develop skills that would benefit my family and my community. Even though my great grandparents, grandparents, and parents canned, I did not learn those skills. I had to teach myself and learn on my own, but frankly, I want some training to improve my abilities.

After all, I am a little nervous about pressure canners (I have never used them), and do you really know that you don’t have some nasty stuff growing in those cans?

I am signing up for Sharon’s Canning Basics Class because I want to improve. I want to preserve my harvest safely and confidently. I want to learn because I want my family and my community to enjoy my produce all year long.

Canning Basics – Join Me!

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I want you to learn, do and grow. Sharon Peterson and I believe that you can learn these skills, start canning for your family and your community and grow you skills and confidence. After all, you could buy something from the store, but do you know where it’s been or what has been sprayed on it?

Why not join me?

Sign up for the Sharon Peterson’s Canning Basics Class using this link and join me today.

While the best part is that you will be learning news skills, you will also be supporting Small Scale Life. Simply Canning is our newest affiliate, and we are thrilled to be a partner with Sharon and her community.

Get after it! The tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and corn are coming soon to a canner in your kitchen!