When I bought my first home, I became interested in trying to grow a garden. Little did I know about the work and time that goes into planting and taking care of a garden on a daily basis.
Needless to say, my first attempt was not one that would have won a blue ribbon at the fair. However, after much research and trial and error, each year my garden got bigger and better. Although the process involves much hard work and is time-consuming, it is very rewarding. I love being able to go to the garden and pick fresh vegetables for lunch or dinner that same day.
Wishing to have fresh vegetables all year, I began researching the dying art of canning. Again, little did I know about all the preparation and work that goes into this. Believe me, it was an exhausting job and, again, there was a learning curve. I wasn’t going to win any awards for my first batch of canned pickles. But I stuck with it and I’m so thankful I did.
As with anything, the more you do it, the better you get at it. It also helped that I started canning at a time when Google and YouTube are available. For me, I can say there is nothing more rewarding than opening your pantry in the middle of winter, seeing all of your hard work on those shelves and tasting the food like you just picked it from your garden.
My best advice: If you are considering growing a garden, do some research first. Make sure you are prepared. Same with canning. If you decide you want to can your veggies, do lots of research, talk to people who can, be prepared and have a plan.
;)
