I must start this blog post with an apology for the whining that is to follow. I guess I just need to get this out of my system and then I will be fine.
I am really starting to question this whole gardening and canning process. The whole idea of being a bit more self stating is appealing but it doesn’t come without cost and sometimes huge costs.
This is the first year that Papaw and I really jumped onto the farming bandwagon. We made some investments that would make our lives easier to continue this in the years to come; hence, a new tractor, supplies and good composting material for our garden spot, hoses, watering cans, shovels, seeds, plants, canning jars. At some point, I started to look at the way some of my family puts up and preserves for the winter. I am starting to question if it is more cost effective to find a good farmer’s market and buy the goods needed by the bushel or raise my own? Either way, I know there is no sure fire way to always come out on top but I really want to get down to the dollars and cents of all of this and make it truly a good value too. I enjoy so much about the process but it has to make sense too.
I have to say, Papaw and I up until this heat wave, have really enjoyed our garden. When the heat hit, we have really had to water and stay on top of things to keep our garden producing. I guess today, my breaking point came when canning 18 pints and a few quarts of zucchini and one side of my Jenn Air range top shorted out. My mom had been warning me about my range top and I knew better than to stay at it so long but I was so close to being finished. When I got on line to look at what the cost would be to buy the one side element replacement, which would replace two burners on one side, I quickly started getting a bit nauseous. I couldn’t believe, I can almost buy a whole new range top for the price of the replacement for these two elements. The range was in the house when we purchased it. I would have never spent that type of money to buy a range such as this one. Don't get me wrong, I do love it but it is not a practical range top and I am a practical gal. I have always known, flat surface range tops were not suitable to be canning upon. I don’t know what I was thinking today. I should have taken a break and gave the range top a bit of cooling off time. I was rounding the corner on my third batch and I heard this strange and unsettling noise. One would have thought someone in the house was sure to have been electrocuted but I knew, I was home alone and I was fine. I went to check things in the kitchen and noticed the eye on the stove was on but the light was out. I cringed, my productivity for the day was a bust. I took my last four jars in the kettle to the grill out back that has a side burner to finish the water bath process
The question my son asks me around lunch time of, how economical was canning pineapple zucchini vs. buying pineapple became a bit of a thorn, when my element burnt out. He had no idea when asking and my answer was, pretty darn economical! It was too considering how blessed we were with zucchini and the affordable cost of pineapple juice.
I guess all in all, I know I have no right to complain. I know back in the day, when everyone worked hard to grow and preserve that which sustained them throughout their year, had times when they wondered the value of their labor. I know, farmers grew crops they never harvested and many of hours of labor and toil made them wonder if there was a better way. I guess for me, when I start looking at the process by which others are putting up goods for the winter, it makes me question what our needs are, what our cost output is and could there be a better and more economical way? We love gardening and we have our big investments already made and paid for. I guess, I already know my answer but I am just needing to whine a bit. Please forgive me. I think too, the loss of one of our hens to the hot weather on Sunday was a bit of an upset to us too. I know it happens but, we love our gals and it was just sad that we lost one. It may sound a bit crazy but we really love each one of our hens.
Hope you all are having a prosperous summer. Maybe ours will turn around a bit. I do thank God for all of our blessings. I just hope it doesn’t cost anymore this season to preserve them.
Many blessings!
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