We planted 1/2 a bed of carrots and they are still growing, so when we, by chance, ordered a 5lb. bag of organic carrots instead of a smaller bag, we decided to can them for the Winter. This is the beauty of gardening. You don’t even have to be the person who grows the food!
If you want to put up some canned goods, just purchase from the local food coop or farmer’s market – or if you have access through the grocery store to buy organic food – you have the opportunity to eat fresh carrots in the middle of Winter – just like anyone else who grew them, and you have the added benefit of supporting local farms.
The basics are the basics. A bag of carrots, peeled and sliced up – pressure canner for 25 mins. and magical veggies for those Winter stews. The pressure canner is the most complicated part and once you get using it, it gets less intimidating.
“Accidental” Purchase of carrotts
peels for the compost
cut to a uniform size
Delicious Carrots
We have carrots growing and plan to eat them as they are ready – and if there are lots, we’ll do some more canning. One of the things I like about this gardening adventure is that we are learning so much about planting, growing, harvesting and canning.
If you think you don’t have the time (patience, money, knowledge) to grow something, then just learn one thing at a time and learn how to can something you love to eat. Our connection to food is part of us, and learning just one thing to make that connection more valuable, adds to the enjoyment of food and connects us to the real purpose of food…Delicious fuel for our bodies.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
