Why I Can Food.

Corn Relish - recipe here

A few weeks ago I was talking to a farmer who was really concerned about the price of food in America. He was saying that there isn't enough farmland here to feed our own people, and of the farmland there is, a lot of it isn't used to grow food for humans but for animals, or it's used to grow items we export. Now, I don't know about the statistics of what he was saying, but I do see the cost of groceries rising every time I set foot in the store.

I went to the grocery store today and was appalled at the prices of items I know cost only 50% of what they do now, 2 years ago when I was in college. I was broke then, just as I am now, and paid extra attention to prices. Every year more and more families are finding it difficult to make ends meet, food banks are extended beyond their means, and people are going hungry. We won't even go into my feelings on how disgusting I find it that we live in a country of such wealth where the people starve.

People are having to find an alternate source of food and more Americans are planting gardens every year. I think this is awesome. I love my garden and my neighbors' gardens. Not everything I can comes from my own garden. I'm fortunate enough to live in a farming community where I can easily do a craigslist search and find lots of fresh produce for incredibly great prices.

Some of the produce I eat fresh, but the majority of it gets canned and put in the cellar. I do this because it's a great way to preserve food and save money all year long. Sure, canning is time consuming, but it is also really fun and the sense of satisfaction you get when opening a jar of something you made yourself is amazing.

I love knowing that if there ever is a time where I can't afford groceries, or at least as many groceries as we normally get, Jake and I will be okay, we won't starve because in my basement is a room full of things we can eat, including multiple types of jam, corn, pickles, asparagus, green beans, peaches, etc. I also stock up on bulk foods like flour and sugar so at least we'll be able to have bread. I don't want to come off as one of those people who thinks the apocalypse is coming but I do think we should have a stash of food because what I used to be able to get for $100 at the grocery store isn't getting me as much anymore.

I remember when I was growing up my mom had a giant cupboard full of aluminum cans of soup, beans, veggies, etc. I always thought it was kind of overkill but now I find myself doing the same thing, worried about the same things. I like that canning can help alleviate some of the stress I have about the cost of groceries. I like that we're slowly becoming more self-sufficient in our household.

Also, it's so nice to have jars to give as gifts, it saves me a ton of money and people usually love that you're giving them something you made yourself. I hope to be able to get a pressure cooker soon so I can expand my canning to include things that can't be canned in a water bath.