What do you write about a subject that has been written about, and video blogged, a couple hundred thousand times?
How about several reason why it's a great idea.
In my ordered list, I'll start with,
1) Making your dollar last longer. Sure there are a few expenses to get started, but the long term goal is food storage. A little expense is warranted.
Now that aside, imagine what it means to make your harvest last longer. I mean really, did you think you were going to be able to give away all of the tomatoes you couldn't use? No really, it's a valid question. Or how about that tree full of peaches, apples, pears, or plums? Imagine being able to utilize more the 90% or your harvest, rather than letting it rot, or having to give it all away. I mean aside from selling it, which is getting a little easier, minus the time needed for such an adventure, what are the other possibilities?
Now, what if you can't grow your own produce, or at the very least you need to supplement what you can grow. Rather than buying enough to last a few days, or maybe a week, now you can take advantage of those great sales, and buy in bulk. Imagine being able to set bottles of peas, beans, carrots, and many other vegetables up for those "rainy days".
That brings me to my next thought...
2) These last few years have been particularly rough. The economy has tanked, job losses are high, and then add to that the ever increasing gas prices. Your left scratching your head.
Have you or a loved one been through a job loss? Has that loss been over an extended period of time? Would having something set aside have made life a bit easier? Would it be nice to go to your storage and pick out a few items, make a full meal, and know that you spent only a few scents for that meal, rather than dollars? Would you have a little less stress if you knew you wouldn't have to buy groceries for awhile?
3) How about an illness in your family. Are you or a family member currently fighting a serious illness? Is this making it more difficult just to get to the store? Has it become a financial burden? Wouldn't it be nice to have bottled or canned goods already on hand? Imagine being able to walk several feet, grab a few cans or bottles, and prepare a full meal, for 1, 2 or several people. How much less stress would that be in your life?
4) How about special nutritional needs? Are you finding that you need particular items? maybe they're a bit hard to get? How about a diet that needs to remove something, gluten or maybe sugar? Or maybe your just concerned about the chemicals that are used to grow produce on farms. Is organic something your interested in? Would it be easier to utilize organic by buying in bulk? Or maybe you know a great tasting... something, and have a great farm to buy them from. Wouldn't be nice if you could bottle THAT item, and extend its season? Maybe you like to spend your money locally. This is also a great reason to bottle your own stuff.
5) How's the weather been in your neck of the woods?
In 2011, there was strange weather every where. Now I'm not subscribing to the idea that there are strange happenings causing bad weather. It's more like we're in an extended weather pattern that happens to be cyclical. There are many factors. Certainly more than we can get into here. Needless to say, "weather" is a major factor in the decision to put together a food storage.
6) Are you the kind of person that would be willing to help a neighbor, or another family member in their time of need? Wouldn't food storage help with that? Do you know a neighbor that IS struggling, or is maybe older, someone that IS trying but needs a boost?
7) And lets not forget the major events that can happen. As serious as these can be, they are a great reason to do more than just food storage. However food storage is still necessary, especially if you survive a "first wave' event.
Canning is one way to help put together a food storage to help buffer any and all of these scenarios.
If your old enough you may be lucky enough to have had grandparents that bottled, or canned their garden and groceries. You may be lucky enough to have been able to learn how to bottle or can. You might even be lucky enough to have some or maybe even all of your grandparents recipes. The ones that they loved the most, and the ones that worked the best.
My grandparents lived through the depression. They grew a garden every year, they had fruit trees, they even knew how to barter for things they needed with items they wouldn't need. To have this knowledge, I consider myself lucky.
Now we are at a new crossroads. There are many who are making the choice to start their own canning projects. They have their reasons, and to them I applaud. It is not an easy task when you first start, but certainly worth it.
These are two of my favorite go to web sites, whenever I have a canning or bottling question.
and
Every time I have had some kind of question, I can find the answer at one or the other or both places. Their in depth answers, ideas, and links have been a great resource. I highly recommend these to any new food prepper in the audience.
My purpose with this post is to gives reasons why. In future posts we can go into recipes and tips. For now, consider the reasons why this would be a good idea, and what you are willing to learn and do.
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