Hi everyone. Are you interested in preserving? Did you know that there is do much more to it than keeping fruit? If you "pressure can", you can make meatballs, fish, game meats, chicken, tomatoes, pickles and much more.

I am an ardent pressure canner. I prepare French Onion Soup, meatballs and more.

I am a member of a large "Stocking our Shelves" group and one member mentioned that their town has a "Community Cannery". It turns out there are 100s of these around the USa. They were set up after WW2 along with Victory Gardens. With rising good costs they are enjoying a resurgence after years of decline.

They are great places for sharing of ideas, along with making bulk amazing food very quickly. In my mind I see them being part of current Domain Hall and Marae kitchens.

I'm trying to guage what interest there is in New Zealand with the possibility of a "Recce" trip to Virginia to take photographs, verbal stories, and collect recipes. And to try to set up a community cannery in my area. I could then help other communities go through that process.

Over the next few weeks I'd love to hear from you...conversation around this subject is most welcome.

amazing_grace - 2018-08-29 21:11:00

My Dad used to can his salmon catch and I have his canner and one day I may get into canning foods.

malcovy - 2018-08-30 14:04:00

Great idea. But only viable if you can grow your own produce or get it really cheap. I live in Hawkes Bay and have bottled seasonal fruit and veges for over 50 years. Now that I'm not feeding a family I find that I can buy "specials" often for less than it costs to bottle.
My grandparents had a canning setup. Where do you buy the tins and lids these days?

punkinthefirst - 2018-09-01 11:09:00

Would now be a good time to say that it would be relevant to not underestimate the power the modern freezer has on the way people preserve food? I don't like to be negative because for others the idea may be a godsend and would use it all the time but I would choose the freezer or fermenting every time, over canning, to preserve meats and excess vegetables. Things like jams and relishes, etc, are simple enough to preserve in glass with lids that are easier to open and reseal when only using a small amount at a time.

buzzy110 - 2018-09-02 12:37:00

Hi Grace ...are you still north of ChCh?
I was wondering if an approach to the Kaiapoi Food forest might be a plan.
http://kai.net.nz/

samanya - 2018-09-02 13:35:00

Hi, yes, I am in Amberley. The idea about canning, is that the food is readily available to eat. You dont have to defrost it before hand...just open and heat up. It's also not subject to spoilage if the freezer breaks down!

Samanya, I have been thinking about approaching them

amazing_grace - 2018-09-08 18:55:00

I had a canner years back, but the last time I went to buy cans I had to buy a whole pallet lot. I do think though you are talking about Jars, as against tin cans. I now freeze meat, fish, fruit. I did give thought to buying a pressure canner, but the thought died. I have never come across bottled meat or chicken. I was given some bottled fish once, but after asking how it was processed I chucked it out, so did the lady who gave it to me, after I suggested it was not safe to eat. I can remember two ladies who got very ill after eating mussels they had bottled, one died. I am unsure of how they bottled the mussels but it stuck with me. You cannot be too careful.

pickles7 - 2019-09-08 23:26:00

Here in NZ we use jars and pretty much DIY

lythande1 - 2019-09-09 11:46:00

pickles7 wrote:

I had a canner years back, but the last time I went to buy cans I had to buy a whole pallet lot. I do think though you are talking about Jars, as against tin cans. I now freeze meat, fish, fruit. I did give thought to buying a pressure canner, but the thought died. I have never come across bottled meat or chicken. I was given some bottled fish once, but after asking how it was processed I chucked it out, so did the lady who gave it to me, after I suggested it was not safe to eat. I can remember two ladies who got very ill after eating mussels they had bottled, one died. I am unsure of how they bottled the mussels but it stuck with me. You cannot be too careful.

Funny you should mention the two ladies. I also remember the story vividly. I think it was only one sister, who was given a jar by the other sister. It was contaminated with the Clostridium botulinum toxin. You cannot see, taste or smell this toxin. It is only after eating that you discover it.

I'm not willing to make myself into a chemical experiment which is why I don't store Toroi (mussels and puha or watercress). I eat it fresh even though it supposedly can be stored for up to a year. I just wouldn't take the risk.

Tossing homemade canned fish was very wise imo.

Edited by buzzy110 at 10:32 am, Tue 10 Sep

buzzy110 - 2019-09-10 10:27:00

gee buzzy how scary.

pickles7 - 2019-11-01 09:23:00