Canning

I don't know why it was called canning, because, in the 40's, down on the farm, all we used was jars. At that time if you wanted to eat vegetables or fruit in the winter, canning was it. There was no refrigerated trucks, or airplanes, hauling in the spoils of summer from 3000 miles away. Even if there had been the cost would have been laughed at by a farmer.

The days were hot and the air was sticky. Thats the way it always was at Canning time. Perhaps the need to crank up the old wood stove in the kitchen didn't help.

Try to picture the effort that was required. Haul wood in to get the fire going. Pump up water from the well and carry it in to boil. Clean and cut up the vegetables, fruit or what ever was on the agenda that day( they usually had been picked the previous evening). This activity only got underway after the morning chores of getting the cows from their pasture, milking, separating the cream in the hand cranked separator, washing the separator, feeding the men breakfast and sending them off to their work in the fields, and washing up breakfast dishes. If fresh bread was to be had, a batch had to be made up and set aside to rise. Looking back, I guess I can see why mom enlisted the aide of the small boy(me) to help. After all, I was a pro at fetching wood and water and I even liked grinding up the produce in the hand-powered grinder. While mom sterilized the jars, I produced all kinds of future winter delicacies. Jams, jellies, relishs, applesauces etc. magically came out of my grinder. Dill pickles were a favorite of mine, while they did not require grinding, they did need something called alum. This stuff looked like a large crystal. Some would be carved off and put in each jar to give the bitter taste of pickle. I always managed to get some and put it in my mouth. Your cheeks would immediately pucker-up till you could not even talk.

This work went on throughout the summer as each new vegetable or fruit became available and when we could no longer eat it as fast as it ripened. The surplas was "canned" for winter. The result was a bountiful supply of preserved summer which looked and tasted damn good in january or february. Next- How the old man (dad) operated off the farm.

--------------------

May your right hand
always be stretched
out in friendship
and never in want
Unknown.

-----------------------