Conventionally grown foods can also be canned
This is my introductory blog post here and I am very pleased to have this opportunity to communicate with and possibly help some of my mother’s readers.
Several years ago, I was certified in the university administered extension services programs as a Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver. That led me to develop the above ground gardening methods that are explained in my new book, Stand Up and Garden. It includes techniques for growing large quantities of vegetables and herbs in a limited space, with a view to preserving that food at harvest time.
I spend a lot of my time helping other people grow and preserve their food; it’s my passion. That also includes clearing up myths and misconceptions. I was struck by a recent post here on canning. He claimed that products that are not organically grown cannot be safely canned.
The author’s theory was, apparently, that pesticides prevent agricultural products from safely reaching the state in which they are safely kept. At this time, that is not an established fact that we can use to push for the elimination of the use of non-organic pesticides, however desirable. So the theory must be separated from the facts here.
Consumers cannot afford to ditch the good fruits and vegetables that might otherwise be preserved. Many families would go hungry if only strictly organically grown produce were safe for canning. Looking back to see how long people have canned their crops, history dispels this particular theory. For many generations, farmers using non-organic commercial pesticides have kept their own crops at home and also sold them to stores and consumers. City dwellers and other non-gardeners have routinely purchased these crops for canning, both directly on farms and in markets. That canned food was considered and is still considered as safe to eat as organically grown produce.
Therefore, the success of home canning has never been limited by whether the product was grown in a totally organic, pesticide-free environment. If food can be safely eaten fresh after thorough washing, it can be safely canned. None of the reputable canning instruction books, such as the one Blue Ball Conservation Book, or state extension canning information websites stipulate that only organically grown produce can be safely canned.
As long as any product that you want to keep is thoroughly washed and, in some cases, scrubbed, the product can be safely canned. Commercial or homemade fruit and vegetable surfactant washes can even be used to ensure the removal of chemicals, bacteria, and other contaminants. Many supermarkets tend to coat cucumbers, apples, and other items with wax, which is certainly difficult to remove. In that case, you would definitely choose to buy such foods from direct farm stalls or community farmers markets and skip the wax coating entirely.
To be clear, I don’t prefer our food to be grown with non-organic pesticides – no way! My garden has always been, and always will be, authentically organic. Today many farms and markets certify their products as genuinely organic; Others do not.
Food preservation itself is an art and science that we must keep alive. Next time, I will discuss why and how we should acidify tomatoes when canning. I’ll also talk about why “distraction-free canning” is vital to our food safety.
As an old farmer once told me, “We eat all we can … and what we can’t, we can.” (groan!)
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