My mom always had a knack for canning.
She loved the whole process of growing, harvesting, and preserving fruits and vegetables.
As kids, we didn’t really enjoy the process as much as she did and felt like we were forced into “helping” each summer. Not only did we have weekly weeding to do in the garden, but when it came harvest time, we would spend hours out on the porch in the heat washing, cutting, and preparing things to be canned. I remember one summer where we had to shuck five bushels of corn and then spend hours taking it off the cob. That was torcher! My parents didn’t have air conditioning either so when the big canning pots were boiling on the stove the house felt like an oven. That was many years ago, but I still have very vivid memories. Not all were bad though and I do still enjoy freshly canned produce. There are many changes to the process now that I do it in my own home. The biggest change it that I do not grow my own produce. I work full time and just don’t want to put forth the effort. Instead, I support the local farmers and purchase the items from them. I figure this is a win for all of us as they earn money, and, I save time and effort. The preparation of the vegetable and fruit is pretty much the same, however, instead of sweating on my porch, I work in my air conditioned house. I sit at my table and prepare the items to be canned and rarely ever break a sweat. Sometimes, I even enjoy a glass of wine while sitting there. Then, when it comes to canning, the HVAC system helps remove any excess humidity and heat caused by the boiling pots.